COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund

Our community and the charitable sector are deeply affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Edmonton Community Foundation has created the COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund to address the immediate and long-term needs of the charities working with our community’s most vulnerable.

So far, ECF has granted a combined total of more than $4 million to dozens of charities in greater Edmonton in response to COVID-19.

As a way to keep our stakeholders and community up to date in a transparent way, we have created this COVID-19 RRF resource. Here you will find regular updates on the work we are doing through the COVID-19 RRF as well as our other granting streams to support our community through the pandemic.

Emergency Community Support Fund

We are proud to have partnered with Community Foundations of Canada and the Government of Canada to deliver the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF) in the greater Edmonton area.

Launched on May 19, 2020, we’ve invested [an additional] $2,222,350 through the ECSF towards local charities and qualified donees supporting populations experiencing heightened vulnerability during this crisis.

Learn more about the program and its community impact by clicking here.

The Emergency Community Support Fund

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Donations

To date, ECF’s COVID-19 RRF has received almost $535,000 in new gifts, and $325,000 from existing ECF donors. This brings the total of new gifts and contributions to almost $860,000.

Paired with ECF’s initial contribution of $500,000, and $195,164 in gift matching from the Government of Alberta, the COVID-19 RRF has had almost $1.54 million allocated to support the community during the pandemic.

ECF is also proud to have partnered with Community Foundations of Canada and the Government of Canada to deliver the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF) in the greater Edmonton area.

We were able to deliver over $2.2 million in grants from ECSF, for a grand total of more than $4 million in COVID relief to 108 charities in the Edmonton area.

Grants

Since March 19th, ECF has granted more than $4 million to dozens of charities in greater Edmonton in response to COVID-19.

Below is a chronological list of grants that ECF has made since March 19th from multiple granting streams including the RRF. Click each tab to view grant details.

Amount: $12,000

Project: HYPE Space

To support staffing costs for the HYPE space for six months.

Amount: $4,500

Project: An Online Season-Wrapping Event

To assist with tech production cost for a live-streamed event.

Amount: $15,000

Project: One-Person Musical

To support new positions, encourage accessibility, and increase inclusivity.

Amount: $12,000

Project: Specialized PPE

To support specialized PPE including but not limited to disposable masks, sanitizer, and sanitizing wipes.

Amount: $25,000

Project: Seven Shorts

To support seven short plays by Stewart Lemoine including: Artist fees, accessiblity enhancements, and PPE.

Amount: $5,000

Project: Community Garden

To support the hiring and wages of a summer student.

Amount: $9,000

Project: Additional Respite Space

Expansion of day programming space to allow for additional users while still following COVID restrictions.

Amount: $24,000

Project: COVID-19 African Diaspora Community Response

Three months of food programming funding. A continuation of programming funded through RRF and ECSF in response to COVID-19.

 

Amount: $25,000

Project: Evolution of the Arts

A digital symposium: 8 free webinars/workshops that have shifting to online programming.

Amount: $10,000

Project: Food and Transit Supports

To purchase groceries and bus passes for students and families of M.E. LaZerte High School.

Amount: $25,600

Project: IT Equipment Needs

For the purchase of hardware and website development work. Hardware purchases are intended to allow more staff to work productively offsite/from home. Web development is to improve communications that have now become more digital.

Amount: $26,000

Project: Health and Safety Initiative

Purchasing of PPE and equipment to enable social distancing/protective health measures at events. Including Hand Sanitizing Stations, Thermometers, Utility Carts, Stanchions, Janitor Carts, Pressure Washer, Sanitizing Sprayers, Plexiglas & Floor Stencils.

Amount: $12,000

Project: Edmonton Movie Club: Enhanced Safety Measures

Hiring of a COVID safety officer to oversee and implement COVID-19 safety measures during production.

Amount: $4,000

Project: Relaunch Supplies (Electrical Upgrades)

Funding for upgrading electrical and installation of a previously funded commercial dishwasher.

Amount: $7,000

Project: Word Lab: Open Mic & Feature Poet Series

To launch a monthly digital open mic poetry series showcasing a feature poet.

Amount: $17,700

Project: Festival Support

To continue to provide live-improvised entertainment for all to enjoy during these precarious times.

Amount: $7,200

Project: Food Basket Delivery

To support an additional 6 months of services of WECAN’s temporary delivery option. To meet increased demand for their food co-op service and increased requests for delivery from members with reduced mobility.

Amount: $8,300

Project: CANAVUA Community Food Truck: Update

To cook culturally relevant food and take it to three sites of Francophone schools.

Amount: $10,000

Project: Situation We Find Ourselves in

Shifting a theatrical presentation to a digital presentation. To provide funding for equipment rental and camera operators.

Amount: $12,600

Project: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Virtual theatre production.

Amount: $4,600

Project: Orange Hub & Learning Library

Funds to pay for the new Orange Hub & Learning Library

Amount: $9,400

Project: Zanzibari Community Association

In support of office space for the Zanzibari Community Association.

Amount: $30,000

Project: Relocation

Relocation funds to assist with moving to and setting up new location.

Amount: $30,000

Project: Keeping Arts Alive

Red Wine: a collaborative initiative that brings emerging filmmakers from South Asian Community together with recognized artists from the Edmonton film community to create a socially and culturally relevant drama

Amount: $3,000

Project: Guerilla Fundraisers

Recruiting “guerrilla fundraisers” for Christmas Season

Amount: $10,000

Project: Edmonton Christmas Market

$3,000: Hiring three local Artists to cover artist fees

$3,000: Produce the pieces in the space

$4,000: To support online programming for the event

Amount: $12,000

Project: The Blank Who Stole Christmas

For distanced theatre production and digital content curation. $7,000 for The Blank Who Stole Christmas, $5,000 for digital content curation.

Amount: $10,000

Project: Operational Capacity

To support general operations in light of the intake closures due to pandemic impact.

Amount: $10,000

Project: Postmarginal

Build connections between organizations and individuals that are diverse or that are interested in adopting better practices of working with diversity.

 

Amount: $29,700

Project: On the Land programming

To bring five anchor families for respite care families to reclaim their own health and families.

Amount: $10,000

Project: Ode to Humanity

To reboot events and live performances, exploring digital tools such as live streaming.

Amount: $3,500

Project: Online Alternatives

To provide online alternatives for GSA participants to connect with their peers in their school and beyond.

Amount: $50,000

Project: Digital Christmas Carol

To bring the seasonal favourite “A Christmas Carol” to a screen near you.

Amount: $20,000

Project: Safety Tickets

To support clients receiving safety tickets (first aid, CPR), who do not qualify for funding, to increase employability.

Amount: $14,600

Project: Simultaneous online and in-person classes

To provide new technology will allow everyone to participate, whether they can attend in person or not.

Amount: $6,800

Project: Online Event Coordinator

Due to its location in the Edmonton General Continuing Care Unit and ongoing issues with COVID, they are unable to open and provide a safe environment for their seniors but they moved online to provide support, exercise, and companionship.

Amount: $6,500

Project: Online Dance Festival

To reimagine their annual event, Dancing in the Park, to showcase the work of young, emerging artists whose careers are likely to be the most effected by the pandemic.

Amount: $8,300

Project: CANAVUA Community Food Truck

To cook culturally relevant food and take it to three sites of Francophone schools.

Amount: $9,000

Project: Virtual Programs

To purchase technology to continue to serve the community, virtually.

Amount: $8,000

Project: Crossed Wire Cabaret

A community engagement event centred around taking the things theatre artists have learned from the digital pivot and integrating them into live theatre once they return to stages.

Amount: $13,100

Project: Urashima Taro

To helps schools access art and theatre during these times, Thousand Faces Festival will transform their performance of Urashima Taro into a puppet show, which will be videoed and shown to classes virtually. Classes will also get the chance to build their own puppets and to talk with the artists.

Amount: $10,000

Project: Supporting Families in Need

ME Lazerte has many families that are in need of support such as help paying for bus passes and groceries. Families have been laid off work and unable to find employment because of many businesses being closed down.

Amount: $7,000

Project: CJSR Adaptations to COVID-19

First Alberta Campus Radio Association (CJSR) will purchase equipment and supplies to increase safety for staff and volunteers, such as telescopic mic poles, mic windscreens, safety signage, and floor decals.

Amount: $29,000

Project: Computerized Sales System

Habitat for Humanity Edmonton is upgrading their sales software at their five area ReStore locations in response to COVID-19, which will allow online sales and reduce operating costs.

Amount: $4,900

Project: Enchanted Antlers

This December, Theatre Prospero will be offering a virtual version of their annual holiday production of Enchanted Antlers to schools in and around the Alberta Avenue revitalization area.

Amount: $6,000

Project: Relaunch Supplies

Strathcona Nursery School will purchase a commercial dishwasher and new toys and classroom materials to be in compliance with new COVID-19 government regulations and ensure a safe environment.

Amount: $7,000

Project: Outdoor Concerts

Due to the pandemic, the Chamber Orchestra of Edmonton had to cancel two of the three concerts planned for 2020. In their place, they will present small, free outdoor concerts, with volunteers helping to ensure physical distancing.

Amount: $20,000

Project: Change Capital Project Grants

Edmonton Heritage Council, through their Change Capital Project grants, will support heritage organizations undertaking internal capacity-building projects such as governance review, strategic planning, and fund development audits. Given the radical transformation caused by COVID 19, many smaller volunteer-run heritage organizations are at a crossroads where they have an opportunity to imagine new ways of working and reaching audiences in the future.

 

Amount: $40,000

Project: Prevention of Infection & Transmission Training Program for Community-Social Services

In community and social service organizations such as shelters, staff are working closely with a vulnerable population, the homeless, who are prone to illness and underlying health issues that, combined with COVID-19 infection, can result in serious or critical illness. NorQuest College is developing a training program for community organizations that serve vulnerable populations, that will provide specific information on how to safely stay open to patrons while preventing infections.

Amount: $6,500

Project: Technology Upgrade

Regular physical activity improves a child’s mental health and contributes to their overall growth and development. Updating their laptops, printer, and other equipment will increase their ability to work remotely, especially as sport registration fee subsidy requests increase this fall.

Amount: $9,400

Project: Food Security

Amity House has noted that issues around food security, while not a new issue among their community members, have increased during COVID-19. They will provide a few small scale food programs, with the goal of both supporting immediate food needs and introducing their community to longer term food programs.

Amount: $5,000

Project: Aerosol Production Research

The ESO will partner with the U of A to conduct a study to help them understand aerosol production from brass and woodwinds. Percussion and string instruments are considered low risk for spreading COVID-19. Having a better understanding of the risk associated with wind instruments will allow the symphony to have an evidence-based policy about which instruments can be played in which settings.

Amount: $50,000

Project: Counselling Services

The YWCA’s counselling programs have experienced an increase in demand due to the stresses brought on by the pandemic, including an increase in need surrounding family violence, all while also shifting services online. This grant will help the YWCA maintain contracts with several provisionally registered psychologists.

Amount: $30,000

Project: Free Footie

To resume their free soccer programs for vulnerable kids, Free Footie had to change their entire operations. This grant is helping KidSport Edmonton spread out activities and hire youth workers to manage kids.

Amount: $10,000

Project: Matching Commitment

In partnership with other mental health charities, including CASA in Edmonton, the Mental Health Foundation held a fundraising initiative to increase much needed funds during this crisis. This matching commitment helped raise significantly more than ECF’s initial contribution.

Amount: $2,000

Project: Emergency Assistance

St. Vincent de Paul Society helps people in need with furniture and food, and in exceptional circumstances, with financial assistance. They are seeing more demand for help with rent and utilities where all other sources of support have been exhausted.

Amount: $37,000

Project: Neighbours Helping Neighbours

This grant will help the Anglican Diocese of Edmonton to inspire and enable local Edmonton neighbours (including indigenous, newcomers to Canada, and low-income households) to connect and care for each other during the continuing Covid-19 pandemic.

Amount: $9,700

Project: Video Streaming Performance

Like many other performing arts groups ABMS doesn’t know when they will be able to start performing public concerts again. This grant will help ABMS produce and stream a video of the ABMS in concert to its patrons.

Amount: $10,00

Project: Horizon

The Citadel finds itself at the junction of two conversations: how they can connect artists and audiences at this time, and how they can engage deeply and authentically with underrepresented artists and audiences. Horizon will create two small live events featuring BIPOC and LGBTQ2S+ Edmonton artists.

Amount: $30,000

Project: Newcomers Integration, Settlement and Health Awareness Project (NISHAP)

NISHAP works with vulnerable newcomers to provide information and awareness related to settlement services and the effects and prevention of COVID-19. SCERDO will also use this grant to provide practical support for activities of daily living with support from volunteers and summer students.

Amount: $4,400

Project: Communications

Pilgrims Hospice will use this grant to adapt their programs and services in support of terminally ill individuals and their family members. A top priority at this time is regular communication with their clients, creating a sense of belonging and connection, including regular phone calls and virtual visits and care packages of activities and comfort items.

Amount: $10,000

Project: Hospital Art Tour

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, University of Alberta Hospital staff and patients are limited in their ability to go in and out of the hospital, are experiencing isolation, stress and loneliness, and are without normal connections and supports while in the hospital. To address this, the Friends of University Hospitals will use this grant to create an Art Tour to encourage movement within the hospital and engagement with the 2,000-piece UAH Art Collection.

Amount: $25,000

Project: Recovery Jobs and Living Wages

This initiative will build community support for public and private sector investments in projects that create quality jobs (prevailing wages, safety standards, etc.), including recruiting and publicly recognizing employers that agree to pay a living wage.

Amount: $35,000

Project: Improving Online Programming for Social Services

With physical distancing to flatten the curve of COVID-19, community service organizations have turned to online delivery of many programs and services. As well as filling gaps in service, online programming can be more flexible with lower cost and greater scales of delivery. This project will seek to understand and share how to maximize the impact of online services to serve vulnerable populations.

Amount: $30,300

Project: It Takes a Village

This grant will help Arts on the Avenue match vulnerable families with host families who can provide support, advice and encouragement during the pandemic.

Amount: $2,500

Project: Puppets Are Essential Too

This grant is helping Kompany create and distribute craft kits with food hampers to families in need over the summer. Kids will be able to create and enjoy their own puppets.

Amount: $13,100

Project: Virtual Training Program

When public health authorities shut down schools and recreational activities to contain the spread of COVID-19, the 1000+ students at Alberta Ballet School lost their access to ballet classes. This grant will help the Alberta Ballet School spearhead a Virtual Training Program to ensure students have ongoing access to their classes, the craft and their peers.

Amount: $10,000

Project: Connecting Under Represented Artists with Audiences in a Pandemic

The Thousand Faces Festival will bring together under-represented multicultural artists and audiences. The Festival will produce high quality online programming featuring South Asian Dance, Flamenco Music, African Story-telling, and Indigenous Theatre, maintaining a real-time audience performer relationship and a festival feel.

Amount: $5,000

Project: Online Programming

Edmonton Opera is providing online content for both adults and youth. This grant will support hiring artists to direct and host programming.

Amount: $10,800

Project: Shumka Summer Dance Camps

Shumka has to make changes to their popular summer dance camps in order to follow current AHS protocols while keeping young dancers mentally and physically stimulated. Changes include teaching some classes by Zoom, and providing some small classes with appropriate precautions.

Amount: $14,800

Project: Online Delivery of Workshops and Training

One of the Centre for Family Literacy’s core activities is the development and delivery of training to support people working in the literacy field. Transforming the training to a digital format that will allow them to continue to share the theory and best practices that support literacy development in families, as well as share their own experience delivering online programs.

Amount: $20,000

Project: StreetFest Online

You can’t come to the Festival but you can still feel the Edmonton StreetFest spirit. This year, StreetFest will offer online ‘Troupe du Jour’ performances and a variety of workshops – juggling, hula loop, balloons, etc. – for their festival audiences of all ages, abilities, and cultures.

Amount: $20,000

Project: Heritage Fest To Go!

Heritage Festival is recognized as the world’s largest festival of multiculturalism and been named an “intangible Cultural Asset” by UNESCO. This year, while the Festival can’t offer up their usual fare, they are going online by hosting an electronic and food delivery version. A grant will help provide a three-day live feed of performances, a virtual map including dances, recipes, and pictures from participating groups, and an online cultural food delivery/pickup program.

Amount: $10,000

Project: Services for Seniors

The Lao Alberta Buddhist Temple is working in partnership with the Lao Canadian Seniors Club of Edmonton to provide resources such as food, social service support, technology needs, and translation to low-income Lao Canadian Seniors in Edmonton. Before the pandemic, these seniors have experienced low income, language and socio-barriers and the pandemic has highlighted these inequalities.

Amount: $6,800

Project: Workshop Development and Delivery

CCI-LEX takes prides in both its excellent volunteer-led English as an Additional Language programs and its close-knit environment which builds personal and community connections. Moving language classes online has been challenging. To make the online class experience the best possible, a grant will help CCI-LEX provide training for volunteers/teachers and training and support for students.

Amount: $7,200

Project: Food Basket Delivery

WECAN has been seeing increased demand for their food co-op service and increased requests for delivery from members with reduced mobility. A grant will allow WECAN to create a temporary delivery option.

Amount: $4,200

Project: Re-entry and Digital Technology

While Dogs with Wings staff have been working from their personal computers, they are now starting to return to the office and to provide dogs with advanced training. A grant will help purchase a laptop for the trainer and webcams for the fosters, so they can see each other and complete the training of these assistance dogs.

Amount: $18,400

Project: Nisa Homes

Nisa Homes, a shelter for Muslim women and their children leaving domestic violence, has had to reduce capacity due to current physical distancing restrictions. A grant will help provide food and emergency assistance to women who have left the shelter or who cannot move into the shelter, as well as hire additional relief staff and enhance the cleaning regimen.

Amount: $11,900

Project: Activity Kits

BGCBigs has been delivering activity kits to families who have identified they need additional resources for their children during COVID-19. These activities kits are personalized for each child and filled with grade level worksheets, school supplies, board games, puzzles, sports equipment, and community resources.

Amount: $21,000

Project: Outreach

June is usually a time of celebration for Edmonton’s LGBTQ2S+ community. A grant will help the Pride Centre develop Pride activities online or otherwise incorporating physical distancing. The Pride Centre will also support systems navigation, to help the community find other benefits and services.

Amount: $10,000

Project: Student Support

Edmonton Catholic Schools has been helping some of their low income families with needs such as connecting to Internet, school supplies, utilities, rent, and moving costs (for families leaving domestic violence). A grant will help them continue to provide this support through the end of the current school year.

Amount: $15,500

Project: Outreach Coordinator

A coordinator will help mobilize other NCSA staff and programs to ensure that past and current clients are connected to food security programs, receive physical, mental, emotional, and social support, and continue to be supported through changing justice and and child welfare systems.

Amount: $12,000

Project: Systems Navigation for African Francophones

Systems navigation to help guide their Francophone (mostly from the African diaspora) community to existing services and benefits, such as food, mental health support, income benefits, etc.

Amount: $10,000

Project: The New Experience Economy

COVID-19 hasn’t only impacted our ability to gather for arts, culture, sports, and recreation now; it may hav eimpacts for a long time to come. With partners, the Edmonton Arts Council will undertake research to help these organizations make decisions about the viability of future events, public perceptions as restrictions ease, and strategies for bringing audiences back.

Amount: $7,500

Project: Remote Access

Jewish Family Services runs a range of programs for the whole community, including counselling and bereavement programming. Safety protocols require them to move these services online. A grant assisted with costs related to technology and implementation.

Amount: $30,000

Project: Building Foundations for Employment Program

The goal of the Building Foundations for Employment Program (BFE) is to have participants gain the knowledge and skills to increase their likelihood of securing and maintaining meaningful employment. By purchasing laptops for use by participants, John Howard Society will be able to resume BFE programming and help clients become contributing and healthy members of their communities.

Amount: $31,000

Project: Food Relief

As an organization focused on food security, Leftovers Foundation responded quickly to the food crisis for many low income Edmontonians. They are collecting food from restaurants and distributors, purchasing fresh food, and distributing it to ensure basic needs are met.

Amount: $23,100

Project: Grocery Run

Opportunities for employment have vanished, particularly in service jobs, which employ a high number of newcomers. Further, emergency benefits implemented by the Canadian government are tied to work history, meaning that many newcomers to Canada do not qualify. A grant will assist with the collection and distribution of food to newcomer families.

Amount: $20,000

Project: Food Program

Like other communities, Enoch Cree Nation has been working on multiple fronts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to assist staff, students and others who have been affected. A grant will help members who are living on reserve or in Edmonton who are in need of assistance with food costs.

Amount: $25,000

Project: Food and Systems Navigation

Working with community members, the Africa Centre has identified several priority needs. With a grant and the assistance of volunteers, they will provide food and systems navigation, to help people in need access other existing programs.

Amount: $23,900

Project: Counselling Services Technology

During this unprecedented time for our community, YWCA Edmonton is working hard to limit COVID-19’s impact on the vulnerable women and families they serve. A grant will help the YWCA adapt their Counselling Services to offer telephone, video, and online sessions & support to their clients.

Amount:  $20,000

Project: Food Program

SCERDO provides a range of social services to new immigrants in Edmonton, particularly the Somali community. Currently, the community needs a lot of help accessing food and medicine. A grant will assist SCERDO to deliver food to seniors, newcomers, physical challenged people, single parents, and other people in need.

Amount: $24,000

Project: Dinner to Door Meals

In addition to the Al Rashid Mosque, the Arabian Muslim Association runs a range of programs for children, youth, seniors, and families. When the effects of COVID-19 reached Edmonton, they started a old fashioned phone campaign to help support a food and hygiene program. A grant will help with priority needs to provide dinners to 300 seniors, low income families, and others in need.

Amount: $2,500

Project: Camping in the Backyard

Many recreational programs for children have been cancelled. To help address this gap, BGCBigs will pilot a program in Capital Regional Housing backyards for 30 families. Volunteers will put up the tents for kids to go in their backyard to read or have a break from large families.

Amount: $20,000

Project: Digital Capacity

The number one bottleneck for SACE is their ability to deliver programming is in their digital communications, design, and web capacity. Content design, web development, and new platforms will help SACE keep doing their important work.

Amount: $19,500

Project: Remote Consultation

CASA works to improve the mental health of infants, children and adolescents through family-centred clinical services and education. New hardware and software will allow CASA to maintain safety for staff and clients, while endeavouring to support their clients’ needs.

Amount: $15,000

Project: Food Security for Women

Catholic Social Services runs two residences for women: subsidized, transitional housing for women in crisis and their children, and a second-stage shelter for women and their children who have left domestic violence. They also provide programming to help them upgrade their education, find employment, seek counselling, and address other needs. These wommen are experiencing increased financial need and a grant will allow CSS to purchase food and basic necessities in bulk and distribute hampers.

Amount: $25,000

Project: Information Technology Infrastructure

It is more apparent than ever that Volunteer Alberta‘s core functions of connecting, strengthening and promoting the non-profit sector will require a greater focus on digital delivery. A grant will support IT, an overhaul of their website to an online e-learning and active resource platform, and a crisis communications plan.

Amount: $22,000

Project: Prosper Place Meal in a Box

Prosper Place clients live with mental illness; most also live below the poverty level. Many also fear that going to the grocery store or the food bank will put them at risk. They are worried about their food supply, yet also worried about going out in public. Prosper Place will start delivering packages of healthy food to clients weekly to help address food security and reduce anxiety.

Amount: $20,300

Project: Online Curriculum

AdaptAbilities helps individuals with special needs to develop the essential life skills they need to grow, succeed and belong. They will pilot an online curriculum with programs in social and job skills.

Amount: $15,000

Project: Purchase of Bikes

Sport Central has been making adjustments to protect staff and volunteers, but is still working hard to fulfill their mandate of providing sports equipment to low income families. A grant is helping them buy a few new bikes to fill in gaps in some sizes and to purchase some new tools and parts to keep up with bike repairs.

Amount: $35,000

Project: By hosting webinars, virtual panel discussions, and online community of practice meetups, EHC will provide training and mentorship for amateur and emerging practitioners, ensuring stories and documentation of Edmonton’s history are reflective of the diversity of our community. Funds will also support Project Accelerator grants to individuals from or organizations led by equity-seeking communities.

Amount:  $10,000

Project: Expand Service

Usually, Drive Happiness volunteers drive seniors to appointments and errands. Now they have expanded their services to include delivery of groceries, medication, and activities for seniors. They are creating car-kits for drivers to keep everything clean and actively recruiting new volunteers (while asking older volunteers to protect their own health).

Amount: $21,300

Project: Information and Systems Navigation

Connect Society works towards full inclusion of the Deaf community. They have found that many Deaf people do not have full information about protecting themselves from COVID-19. A social worker will provide Deaf community with information about COVID-19 and systems navigation to facilitate equity of knowledge and services.

Amount: $19,200

Project: Essential Food and Supplies

ABC Head Start works with many young families in need. Currently, they are helping families make food bank requests and have volunteers picking up the food for families (as this is a struggle for many families) but they still have unmet food, formula, and diaper requests. A grant helped with purchasing some food, supplies, and grocery gift cards.

Amount: $10,000

Project: Food Program

C5 is a collaboration of Edmonton agencies who operate the North East Community Hub. When COVID-19 forced them to close their doors, they quickly adapted to serving their community in new ways, including online programming and delivering to doorsteps responses to families’ needs: things like Early Childhood Development kits, essentials such as diapers and hygiene items, and laptops through their laptop drive. They have now seen an increasing number of families experiencing a food crisis. C5 has again responded, by delivering food hampers.

Amount: $4,100

Project: Infection Prevention and Control

Basically Babies works with other community organizations to ensure that families in need get a layette with clothes, toys, books, and other necessities for their newborn’s first year. COVID-19 has changed how they have t operate but hasn’t changed the need. Assistance was provided to purchase hands-free devices (paper towel, soap and sanitizer dispensers), personal protective equipment, and hygiene and disinfecting products.

Amount: $23,400

Project: Outreach Support

The outreach department at Westend Seniors Activity Centre has been swamped with an enormous workload supporting the most vulnerable seniors, who in addition to existing barriers, are further isolated by COVID-19. Additional staff will provide enhanced outreach services and assistance getting connected through technology, with specific Chinese language services for that community.

Amount: $10,000

Project: Food Program

St. Faith’s Anglican’s food program is oversubscribed for everything from (non) school lunches to meals and food for AISH recipients. They are an approved site despite COVID-19 so are very well used in the Alberta Avenue area.

Amount: $20,200

Project: Food Program

Part of taking a human rights based approach to addressing a crisis is to focus on the most marginalized and centre on the values of dignity, security, freedom and justice. Therefore, John Humphrey Centre has established a Facebook Group (YEG Community Response to COVID-19) and with assistance from 150 volunteers have started distributing food hampers and information on information on financial benefit programs. A grant supported supplies.

 

Amount: $24,100

Project: Emergency Response Coordination

Thanks to our generous community, EMCN has received gifts of home kits, laptops, and food hampers. Staffing will help with eligibility screening and delivery. This connection will also allow EMCN to assess the other needs of recipient families and to make other referrals to services that could help at this time.

Amount: $17,000

Project: Emergency Food and Supplies

Action for Healthy Communities has developed an emergency response plan to reach out to those people who are most vulnerable due to COVID -19. Through a team of volunteers, they are delivering food, milk formulas for infants, prescription drugs, etc. to their doorsteps. A grant assisted with the costs of food and supplies.

Amount: $26,500

Project: Online Counselling Platform

Little Warriors is committed to the awareness, prevention and treatment of child sexual abuse, work that obviously cannot take a hiatus. They’re building three custom online programs that will give their therapists, counsellors and care teams the ability to connect with and serve the children and teens who rely on them for support.

Amount: $10,000

Project: Food Hamper Program

One of the issues that has come up is the ability for food banks to now purchase the bulk of the items that they use to make up hampers. A grant assisted with some of the costs of non-perishable food and gift cards to allow recipients to purchase dairy and produce.

Amount: $50,000

Project: Technology Supports

With so much need suddenly for access online, the partners in All in for Youth – a collaboration providing coordinated supports for socially vulnerable children and their families – stepped up. With the support of several funders, 420 laptops will be provided to families served by All In For Youth, so children can continue learning and being supported.

Amount: $5,000

Project: Bring the World Project

Like many seniors living in care, residents at the Edmonton Cinatown Care Centre and particularly isolated these days. To address loneliness among seniors, the Care Centre will purchase additional technology to allow regular video visitation with loved ones and increased access to online recreation and entertainment from around the world.

Amount: $32,000

Project: Communication and Coordination for Early Learning and Care

Early learning and care services have been closed or severely attenuated in response to the COVID-19 crisis. This could result in negative consequences for children, families, communities, and staff. A co-ordinator will support organizations and operators to address both current problems and long-term issues for the early learning and care sector.

Amount: $4,000

Project: Free Online Arts Education

Like other education programs, the Citadel’s Theatre School and Artistic Professional Development programs are moving online. The Citadel will be providing is continued learning in theatre arts for all ages in the month of May with free online workshops and masterclasses.

Amount: $25,000

Project: Enhanced Access

Elizabeth Fry Society works with women and girls who are or are at risk of becoming crimilinalized. As many community resources go online, this extremely vulnerable group was left in limbo, unable to access the resources and benefits for which they were eligible. A grant for technology and barrier reduction helped vulnerable clients access resources online.

Amount: $5,000

Project: IT Upgrades

Brain Care Centre provides support and programs for people with acquired brain injuries. To maintain programs follow their office closure, they needed new software to allow them to work securely remotely, and a new phone system that could work outside a physical office.

Amount: $21,300

Project: Community Kitchen

The YMCA Collective Kitchen provides the skills and knowledge necessary to achieve food sustainability, through hands-on learning about nutritional food choices, healthy lifestyles, low-cost food options, and access to nutritious food. Since they can’t meet face-to-face, the facilitator will connect with participants through phone or video chat, and develop a virtual kitchen, to continue their learning, reduce social isolation, and connect them to resources.

Amount: $18,300

Project: Youth Support Worker

The Youth Transitions Program (YTP) has served Edmonton’s at-risk youth (ages 13-19) for more than 20 years, helping them in the areas of education, employment, social and basic needs. They quickly shifted the program online, but have also seen emerging needs in the area of mental health, social isolation, and ttrauma. An additional staff person will support at-risk youth and development of resources on topics such as mindfulness, coping strategies for stress, anxiety and self-isolation.

Amount: $15,000

Project: Mental Health Support

With physical distancing protocols, St. Albert SAIF Society had moved all its counselling to phone. They quickly learned that for youth, telephone counselling wasn’t an effective tool. A grant helped SAIF implement the hardware and software upgrades they needed allow secure online mental health supports.

Amount: $16,000

Project: Food security

To support the needs arising from Covid-19, JPWC and its Food4Good division have prioritized emergency food support for their community. Many food depots have closed, children can no longer rely on meals at school, and many low income workers have lost income. JPWC is now providing hampers of nutritious food to help close the gap in the West Edmonton.

Amount: $30,000

Project: Computer Infrastructure

While the doors to the Art Gallery of Alberta are now closed, a great deal of work still needs to be done. Like many non-profits, the AGA didn’t have the IT equipment to allow staff to work remotely. A grant helped them purchase new workstations to improve their ability to work from home and to develop new online programming.

Amount: $10,000

Project: Virtual Services

Clients of the Cerebral Palsy Association already face social barriers and mobility limitations that restrict their ability to access public facilities and activities in their day-to-day life; these barriers have been exacerbated with current restrictions. A grant is helping CPA develop virtual recreational and therapy programs, support groups, and resource kits.

Amount: $30,000

Project: Food handling Equipment

With spiking demand for their services, Edmonton Meals on Wheels needed to determine how they could meet that demand safely. A grant supported the purchase of new equipment which allows them to seal whole meals, improving food safety and significantly expanding capacity.

Amount: $20,000

Project: Creators Reserve

Creators’ Reserve is a new stream for individual artists. These funds will allow artists to explore, develop and create new artistic work or to substantially revise an existing piece of work. We have contributed funds which will be specifically allocated for Indigenous artists and artists from equity-seeking groups.

Amount: $50,000

Project: Digital Art Fund

The Digital Art Fund will focus on the digital dissemination of artistic work. These funds will allow artists and arts and festival organizations to engage Edmontonians through a wide range of artistic works. Edmonton Arts Council is working with partners such as Latitude 53, Rapid Fire Theatre, Film and Video Arts, and others, to administer payments to artists to share their creative works online.

Amount: $100,000

Project: Text4Hope

Based on their experience with the Fort McMurray fire, a group of mental health professionals and organizations developed Text4Hope, an accessible tool to support healing in a time of stress and isolation. Albertans will have access to free, evidence-based public health support when mental health resources are stretched.

Amount:  $10,000

Project: Stuck in the House Series

The arts and artists have been hit hard by physical isolation protocols. Events have been cancelled and artists have lost their source of income. The Citadel’s Stuck in the House series showcases diverse performers (complete with closed captioning), provides artists with an honorarium, and is a platform for public donations which will be split among artists. Visit the Stuck in the House page!

Amount: $33,950

Project: Emergency Response

One of the first organizations to feel the impact of COVID-19 protocols was the Food Bank, which could no longer accept gifts of food from the public and needed to start purchasing most food. Thanks to a partnership with the Moffat Fund at Winnipeg Foundation, we were able to provide a grant to assist.

Learn more about the RRF