Vital Sudbury community resources given more than $100K from the feds
It was all about celebrating those community service organizations were on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic during a funding announcement from the federal government in Greater Sudbury on Friday.
Community service organizations, who were at the frontlines during the pandemic, were celebrated in Sudbury Friday at a funding announcement by the federal government. (Ian Campbell/CTV News Northern Ontario)Sudbury MP Viviane Lapointe announced more than $107,000 is being given and distributed among three groups in the city.
The Canadian Mental Health Association Sudbury/Manitoulin will receive $66,920, the Blue Door Soup Kitchen will get $26,800 and Bizzy Bea's has been awarded $13,776.
It was all from the Community Services Recovery Fund which enables community service organizations to adapt, modernize and be better equipped moving forward.
"So we know that the pandemic hit us all really hard, now think about the service organizations that provide really important services for some of our most vulnerable populations. So this fund today is to help them recover from that and to help them recover to be able to expand and make their services more resilient for the community," said Lapointe.
"I think what COVID did was it really shone a light on where there is a gap in some systems but it really shone a light on the importance of these organizations and some of them are really small, they're volunteer-led completely so it's important that we continue to support them because they were particularly hit hard by the pandemic."
Among those in the audience was Sudbury Mayor and former MP Paul Lefebvre.
"The federal government is stepping up to continue funding these important organizations with volunteers and supporting them to ensure their services continue,” said Lefebvre.
“We're struggling coming out of COVID, we're still struggling with these organizations, we're struggling as a municipality, the fact that this funding assists us that we have more people, more boots on the ground, people offering these important services to our community and to our most vulnerable population."
Lefebvre told CTV News he was in attendance to say thank you.
- Download the CTV News app now and get local alerts on your device
- Get local breaking news and updates sent to your email inbox
- Want more local news? Check out the Sudbury page
According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, one in four people experienced a mental health issue during the pandemic which are staggering statistics.
The organization’s local CEO said they are focusing on depression, anxiety and a general sense of not feeling well.
"It's amazing because we have so many different staff, they have great skills, but this enhances for the trauma-informed care, the solution focused therapy and dialectical therapy. What it does is it takes a very person-centred approach and impacts on a great many people in furthering their own goals, their own wellness and their own mindfulness," said CEO Patty MacDonald.
MacDonald added the pandemic has had some lasting impacts on the community and they are looking to focus on those individuals who have a higher acuity of needs.
"It's huge, to be acknowledged by the Red Cross, by Viviane and our mayor – it shows we've finally grown,” said Chantelle Dupuis of Bizzy Bea's.
“We're being acknowledged for the work that we do and the work our volunteers put in so it's fantastic to be recognized and we see ourselves growing in the near future.”
Officials with the Blue Door Soup Kitchen said they were also grateful to the recipients of this aid.
"As you know COVID was hard on all segments of the population, so first and foremost we're pleased that we're going to be able to build a more sustainable service for the community," said board member Susan Boyko.
"It's the little people as well as the big funders that make us viable and so this funding that we receive today will help us to create a robust fundraising strategy, a communications plan and an improved social media presence which is really important today. We are a small organization and we have to think big."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau acknowledges charges in Nijjar killing, calls for commitment to democracy
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the charges laid Friday in relation to the murder of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Princess Anne lays wreath at B.C. veteran's cemetery; receives 21-gun salute
Princess Anne paid tribute to veterans buried at a cemetery in British Columbia today, laying a wreath to honour the more than 2,500 military personnel and family members buried there.
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.