The St. Albert Community Foundation handed out about $25,000 in donations to nine different organizations on Wednesday night.
"This is an organization that is pretty simple. It is a steward of community investment," said Kent Davidson president of the foundation.
It's a straightforward model, Davidson said. The money in the various funds that make up the community foundation are meant to create permanent endowments. The money is invested with a portion of the income going toward annual grants to various community groups while the rest is reinvested.
With that system in place, donors can be sure their gifts keep giving he said.
The foundation hands out grants to organizations selected at an annual event held at the St. Albert Gazette.
Each recipient organization gives a brief talk on what the money will be used for.
SOARing
This youth-oriented program from the St. Albert Community Information and Volunteer Centre sends young volunteers out to talk to other young people about volunteering. It will use the money to give those volunteer representatives leadership training.
Sidekicks Mentoring
Its grant will go toward providing meaningful activities for St. Albert children signed up for the program who are waiting to be matched with mentors. Those activities rely solely on contributions from the community.
Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation
The money will help buy equipment such as breast pumps or to provide skin-to-skin holding for parents of premature babies who stay in the neonatal intensive care unit at the Royal Alexandra Hospital.
Sturgeon Hospital Foundation
The money will be used toward developing a "level two nursery" at the Sturgeon Hospital. Having a level two nursery would help decrease the transfer of babies who need extra care or were premature out of the Sturgeon so the new mothers and infants can stay together.
Bissell Centre
This organization that offers programs to help low-income people, including summer camps for families and children, will put the money received toward food for the camps in the coming year.
St. Albert Stop Abuse In Families
SAIF has been offering youth counselling as part of its programs for families impacted by abuse. The money will go toward filling a gap in its services by starting a youth group-counselling program to complement individual counselling.
Big Lake Environment Support Society
The contribution from the community foundation will help with the summer education programs held at the society's nature centre log cabin.
Star Literacy
The money will go toward funding the non-profit program's conversation circle, an initiative started last year. The conversation circle gives people a chance to practice their English.
Young Life
The St. Albert branch of Young Life Canada, which sends adults into schools to spend time with youth, has been growing fast in this community. The grant will go toward leadership care, training and recruitment.
