The Results of Your Generosity Health and Social Development A list of Health and Social Development projects funded by Vancouver Foundation and our donors in 2012 Health and Social Development About Vancouver Foundation’s Health and Social granting programs Development Advisory Committee In 2012, we re-introduced two granting cycles—Spring Ida Goodreau, Chair and Fall—and distributed over 300 grants totalling more Bowen Island than $9 million. We received hundreds of proposals for Ranjana Basu many worthwhile projects. Unfortunately, we cannot Shawnigan Lake fund them all. Overwhelming demand limits our funding to less than 25 per cent of requests. Darrell Burnham Vancouver Over 150 volunteer experts from the community — Vickie Cammack scientists, academics, youth, researchers and front-line Vancouver staff — volunteer their time to help us make informed decisions. They share with us their expertise and intimate David Eby knowledge of the issues, the needs of the community, Vancouver and the organizations active in their fields. Thanks Manpreet Grewal to them, our donors can be assured that Vancouver Abbotsford Foundation is supporting the most worthwhile and effective projects in communities throughout the Anne Kloppenborg province. Burnaby Denise Mann The grants in the following pages have been made Richmond possible through the generosity of Vancouver Foundation fundholders and donors – many present-day, and many Jean McRae of whom have long since passed, but who had the Victoria foresight to establish an endowment that could address Andrea Reimer priority needs. Also, during each grant cycle, we provide Vancouver our active fundholders and donors an opportunity to preview the project proposals we receive from the Dr. Helena Swinkels community. Through our Book of Opportunities, many Surrey donors have chosen to support projects using their Vancouver Foundation fund or by making an additional donation. On behalf of the community, and all those whose lives have been improved by the myriad of projects, we thank the generous donors who made this possible. More information on Vancouver Foundation’s projects and initiatives in 2012 can be found in The Results of Your Generosity: www.vancouverfoundation.ca/rog 1 Health and Social Development Health and Social Development supports projects that will enhance and improve the broad determinants of health within communities, as outlined by the Public Health Agency of Canada—in particular, projects that help to mitigate the effects of poverty. Through health and social development grants, we support projects in British Columbia that address: • Quality of life: create innovative ways to work with people to improve quality of life and in particular those with the potential to create systemic change. • Health and well-being: build the capacity of community agencies, communities, and volunteers working to advance the health and well-being of individual adults and families. • Community collaboration: develop inter-agency cooperation, collaboration and dialogue; particularly projects that support public, private and social sector partnerships and those that bridge with other sectors of the community, like arts, environment, business, etc. • A focus on issues: support issues and how they are approached; specifically issues identified by local citizens and volunteers in the neighbourhood and local community networks. • Inclusiveness: welcome the presence and participation of groups who have been labeled, marginalized and isolated. Through 2011 to 2014, the Health and Social Development Field is focused on two priority areas: • Health and Wellness: projects that enhance community members’ ability to access and navigate systems of care and support. Successful projects in this area demonstrate impact at the individual level and present strategies for addressing common barriers. • Belonging and Inclusion: projects that improve and/or develop community cohesion and connectedness across diverse communities. Out of the 36 projects funded in 2012, more than half had a Vancouver Lower Mainland focus. The remaining projects were spread out across BC, with small concentrations of projects in the Okanagan, Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast. While the majority of projects targeted broad community development, at least 20% of projects were focused on seniors. For 2012, we saw a continuing trend in this field of interest towards seniors’ programs and services, and food systems related work. Navigating systems of care and support, and building networks within communities and agencies continue to be top issues within the Health and Social Development field. Submissions Total dollars granted: received: Total projects 218 funded: $ Dollars requested: 36 1,414,104 $12,239,128 2 Project: Gardening for Health and Wellness - Development of Local Community Garden Sites Grant Received: $7,500 Location: Penticton In Penticton, the Food Bank has a food shortfall of 10,000 pounds, which hinders their ability to provide enough food to those who cannot provide it for themselves. Their goal is to make residents more self-reliant by establishing community gardens where people can grow their food, and provide a community kitchen where people can learn to preserve and prepare nutritional meals. Organization: The Salvation Army - Penticton British Columbia Division aims to meet human needs and to be a transforming influence in communities. They offer services related to feeding people who need it, clothing people who need it and operate shelters for those who need it. Project: Strengthening Aboriginal Women’s Project Grant Received: $91,000 Location: Prince George Aboriginal women who experience domestic violence often do not feel safe using available community services or know how to make their way through various bureaucratic systems that could support them in exiting domestic violence. This project will help Aboriginal women to make the transition to independent living and will create awareness of their cultural needs among the service providers by providing a case worker to support and advocate for Aboriginal women. Organization: Native Court worker and Counselling Association of British Columbia’s mission is to provide culturally appropriate justice services to Aboriginal people and their communities consistent with their needs throughout BC Project: The Collaborative Research Project on Poverty in Surrey Grant Received: $25,000 Location: Surrey Consistent and authoritative data about poverty in Surrey is needed to enable common measurements, benchmarks and messages to bring about a collaborative response from all sectors of the community. Research findings will enrich community responses to poverty by better understanding poverty in Surrey, its significant effects and workable solutions. Working together to develop and implement an Action Plan will foster ongoing collaborative efforts. A collaborative community effort will bring about improved policies and programs that more effectively lift people out of poverty and enable measurement of the effectiveness of changes implemented. Organization: Vibrant Surrey Poverty Reduction Society encourages and facilitates collaborative efforts to reduce poverty. 3 Project: New City Market Phase III: PEOPLE, PLACE, PROJECT DEVELOPMENT Grant Received: $55,000 Location: Vancouver Demand for locally-grown food is high, yet 50 per cent of all BC produce goes to waste due to a lack of direct-marketing infrastructure. The New City Market (NCM) Phase III: People, Place & Project Development will engage community, business and government stakeholders in the final planning stages of a local food hub for Vancouver. This project will increase opportunities for partnerships with key stakeholders, implement the NCM governance model, draft NCM site design, and build public awareness and support for a local food hub. Organization: Your Local Farmers Market Society in partnership with Farm Folk/City Folk Society. Farm Folk/City Folk works to cultivate a local, sustainable food system. Your Local Farmers Market fosters local economic development through access to healthy, locally produced environmentally friendly food. Project: Feasibility Study For Growing Food On School Board Lands Grant Received: $10,000 Location: Vancouver Food travels long distances often losing freshness, taste or nutrition. Schools struggle with sourcing and budget constraints. Farmers face high land costs, distribution problems and lack of buyers. This project will explore whether land could be used to meet some of Vancouver schools’ food needs. It will provide a thorough analysis of the issues that are raised by growing food on school board lands. Organization: The Vancouver Board of Education (VBE) is a large, urban and multicultural school district that includes some of the most affluent and impoverished urban neighbourhoods in the country. Project: Gabriola Commons Community Kitchen Grant Received: $10,000 Location: Gulf Islands Gabriola Island receives 95 per cent of its food off-island via two ferries. In an emergency, it is estimated that the Island would have food for only three days. Therefore, the community needs to grow and process more food locally. The Gabriola Commons Community Kitchen will provide a facility for processing and storing locally-grown food for community members as well as offer classes in cooking and food-safe techniques. It will also encourage awareness of the need to grow food. Organization: Gabriola Commons Foundation is a community commons where sustainability, community and agriculture