VitalSigns® leads to workplace wellness initiative in Grande Prairie

By Tracey Vavrek

The 2011 VitalSigns® report produced by the Community Foundation of Greater Grande Prairie reported that “obesity has overtaken tobacco as the leading cause of premature, preventable death.”

In the former Peace Country Health Region, obesity rates for people aged 18 and older were reported as being just over 48% above the provincial average. As well, our 2010 obesity rates ranked highest of all 22 VitalSigns® communities.

In response, a Workplace Wellness Program pilot project was launched by Alberta Health Services (AHS) with six Grande Prairie businesses on May 15, 2012.

Garett Richardson of AHS indicated that the most exciting feature of this pilot program was that it reached hard-to-access Albertans who are identified as 50% to 60% of the province’s working population.

Working with six companies and utilizing staff from the Public Health area of AHS, they work closely with workplace champions to determine the company’s needs and then develop programs to address them.

It is wonderful to see AHS take this next step for VitalSigns®.  The response of the six companies who wish to make a difference in their place of business is very encouraging and highlights the importance of the VitalSigns® project.

Meanwhile, another 2011 VitalSigns® finding has prompted action in the Grande Prairie census area.

We found that the child-poverty rate, which is based on the Low Income Measure, was 17.3%.  And, the majority of these children live in single-parent families where recreational activities may take a back seat in favour of basics such as food, utilities and housing – items many of us take for granted.

The knowledge and understanding of life faced by Grande Prairie’s low-income population combined with the Peace Country’s high obesity rate solidified the importance of implementing the Low Income Recreation Access program.

Grande Prairie’s Community Social Development department, which is responsible for overseeing the program, takes action on issues such as poverty reduction and homelessness.

Manager, Donelda Laing reported that the program, which was launched on January 1st, 2012 has been very well-received.  To date her office has approved approximately 300 applications.

The program provides a $100 credit per person per family for access to any city-operated recreational facility and is available to any City of Grande Prairie resident who meets the low-income criteria. As an example, a family with six children and two adults would qualify to receive a credit worth $800 explained Donelda.

The credit can take the form of a punch card and provides families with opportunities to use city facilities and programs.

We commend the City of Grande Prairie for understanding the importance of sustaining citizens in addressing the social needs of the community

Tracey Vavrek is Executive Director of the Community Foundation of Greater Grande Prairie.

In Squamish, Vital Signs presents an opportunity to take stock of community issues

By Tara Ramsey

“It is easy to sit up and take notice, what is difficult is getting up and taking action” – Honore de Balzac

Vital Signs is an opportunity to take stock of key community issues. This snapshot allows us to pause and evaluate how we are doing. Communities receive information that helps determine successes and gaps in services. This focuses energy on what will hopefully result in action. Recently, I took action by joining a “food bank flash mob” which resulted in donations to those in need. I hope as Vital Signs is digested more action will transpire.

Tara Ramsey, Vital Signs committee member

Squamish’s Vital Signs reveals we are doing really well in Health and Wellness. Our obesity rate is 6.2%, which is 65.7% below the national average. Not surprising since we are known for being the “Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada.” On the downside, our Violent Crime Rates are shocking, as we were 66.2% above the national average.

Squamish is a community in transition. Although I believe “the only constant is change” (Heraclitus), Squamish has been adapting to significant changes. It has changed from being resource-based, where now nearly one-third of occupations are in sales and service. In nine years:

- 2003 Interfor sawmill curtailed operations / closed (2004) (*-185 jobs)

- 2004 BC Rail privatization / CN Rail purchase (*-300 jobs)

- 2006 Woodfibre pulp mill closed (*-323 jobs)

- Real estate market high and low

- 2008 beginning of economic downturn

- Highway improvement / 2010 Olympics – including Pre and Post – influx of people / temporary employment

*stats: http://www.thesquamishreporter.ca/index.php?id=149

Squamish Community Foundation indicated that with financial support they would write a follow-up report. In light of all of these changes, combined with 2011 census results, I believe this would be crucial to assess our improvements.

Tara Ramsey is a Vital Signs committee member with Squamish Community Foundation

Community engagement lends Vital Signs even more value in South Okanagan

By Aaron McRann

After witnessing the success of Vital Signs in other communities, the Community Foundation of the South Okanagan committed to its first Vital Signs report in 2011.

Based on the experience of others, we expected going in to this process that we would have the opportunity to highlight key areas of need in the community. We expected that we would offer a document that could provide an unbiased assessment of the health of our community. We expected that the document would be used by many different groups to inform their plans for the future.

And just months after the launch of our first Vital Signs report, we’re happy to have experienced all three of these wonderful benefits.

South Okanagan's leadership team

However, the side benefits that we have enjoyed by engaging in this process are also worth noting. By engaging an effective Community Leadership Team, made up of prominent leaders from every sector of our community, we have been able to forge much stronger alliances that will remain important for years to come.

The process of working together to craft this first Vital Signs report required commitment, ingenuity, compromise, and imagination from each of our Leadership Team members. This level of engagement not only sold them on Vital Signs as a key tool for driving change, but on the Community Foundation as a leader in steering and coordinating that change for the future.

Another very gratifying “surprise” was the level of community interest in the process. In all, the local newspapers provided eleven articles about Vital Signs including discussions of its roots, its development process, and its outcomes. More than 660 citizens completed our community survey, fully three times our expectations.

The end result is a valuable, unbiased report that truly is the voice of our citizens … awesome!

Aaron McRann is Executive Director of the Community Foundation of the South Okanagan

Vibrant community sport sector an important ingredient in community vitality

By Barbara McMillan

Community foundations understand the value that sport brings to communities, and why programs involving sports are worth supporting.

Whether the focus is on athletic performance or fostering healthy lifestyles, engaging volunteers or cultivating leadership, building confidence or building community, we know that a vibrant, accessible, and adequately funded community sport sector is an important ingredient of community vitality.

We also know that it can be a challenge for sport organizations to access the resources necessary to allow them to meet the demand for their programs, and increase their capacity, their impact or their reach.  And for funders, there may be procedural, capacity or awareness barriers that might limit their ability to support sport organizations in the way they would like.

That’s why more than 60 representatives from sport organizations and community and other foundations, including Ian Bird, Community Foundations of Canada’s President and CEO, recently gathered for a day-long symposium at the UBC John MS Leckie Boathouse in Richmond to explore opportunities to work together to enhance sports philanthropy.

We heard many stories of how community foundations are supporting sport through grants, agency endowments, legacy funds, and infrastructure projects. And we heard about the power of sport to change lives, improve health outcomes, and strengthen community. But we also learned about the regulatory, resource, and turf barriers that can limit capacity and impact.

Initial feedback about the meeting has been overwhelmingly positive. Sport groups and community foundations appreciated the opportunity to learn more about each other and to start a conversation about how we can more intentionally and strategically connect our sport and our philanthropy organizations and networks.

One of the immediate outcomes is that the sport organizations that participated now see community foundations as partners rather than funders.

We’re now pulling together the notes from the meeting, and will be considering how – with some of the many ideas generated and relationships initiated – we will foster a sport and community philanthropy strategy.

As one participant noted: “There is so much value in this discussion, and sharing information may result in movement toward collaboration – let’s keep the discussion going and expand it.”

Stay tuned …

Barbara McMillan is Community Foundations of Canada’s Director of Regional Strategies

Vital Signs reveals 16 per cent of Kingston residents living below poverty line

By Vikram Varma

Kingston & Area’s 2011 Vital Signs talked about the working poor, revealing that more than one in 10 of the people using food banks have a job.

The Kingston Community Roundtable on Poverty Reduction recently released a Living Wage report for Kingston, in partnership with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. A living wage is based on the principle that full-time work should provide families with a basic level of economic security, not keep them in poverty. It is the amount needed for a family of four with two parents working full-time to pay for basic necessities, support the healthy development of their children, escape financial stress and participate in their communities.

Executive Director Vikram Varma

In Kingston, the report calculated that a living wage amounts to $16.29 an hour, for each parent working full-time, year-round jobs. This is substantially higher than the Canadian minimum wage and almost 35,000 people in Kingston’s regional labour force have yearly incomes below the annualized equivalent of minimum wage.

We at the Community Foundation for Kingston & Area realize the minimum wage is not sufficient for Kingstonians to earn a liveable income and an equitable standard of living. As a result, 16% of Kingstonians subsist below the poverty line and about 13% of Kingstonians are identified as working poor.

The Roundtable hosted a discussion on the living wage last fall featuring well known economists Don Drummond and Jim Stanford as the keynote speakers. I was happy to hear Mr. Drummond mention that one initiative that had proven results in breaking the cycle of poverty was Pathways to Education, one of the programs for which we have helped raise funds.

Vikram Varma is Executive Director at the Community Foundation for Kingston & Area

Vital Signs continues to shed light, motivate action, on physician recruitment problem in Southeastern Alberta

By Jayne Halladay

Since our first Vital Signs was issued in 2007, the Community Foundation of Southeastern Alberta has reported on the lack of family physicians for our community.

Since then we have gone from about 13% of our population (12 and over) without a family physician to more than 20% in 2011.

Jayne Halladay of the Community Foundation of Southeastern Alberta

For the first time, in 2010, Medicine Hat was above the national rate of 15% – at about 18% – and the rate continues to climb.

As a result of the yearly increase in our population without a family doctor, the Community Foundation convened a group of community leaders, including representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, the City of Medicine Hat and an Alberta Health Services body known as the Physician Recruitment Group, to address the growing concern.

The Physician Recruitment Group is working to enhances the efforts of Alberta Health Services recruitment efforts to highlight the quality of life in our community. The focus is not only on the doctors but their families, as well as on providing a 360-degree view of a place we hope they will call home.

Jayne Halladay is Community Impact Coordinator with the Community Foundation of Southeastern Alberta

TV partner helps Victoria Foundation spread the word about Vital Signs

By Stephanie Slater

On Sunday, Jan. 22, CHEK TV News aired a special feature story about the 1000 x 5 Children’s Book Recycling Project in Greater Victoria’s Saanich Peninsula.

The next morning, the phones started ringing at The Victoria Foundation, which had sponsored the story – the first in a weekly series called Vital People. 

1000 x 5 is a project supported by the foundation that aims to ensure every child in their region has a minimum of 1,000 books read to them by the time they are five years old. Callers wanted to donate books – and not just a few! Two callers each had collections of hundreds of books. Jim Munro, owner of Munro’s Books, asked for a meeting with the 1000 x 5 project leader. Other callers asked about replicating the program in their communities. One call came from an organization that works with people who have developmental disabilities. They arranged to bring some of their clients to the weekly sessions where the books are cleaned and sorted.

All this from one, three-minute television story! It was an immediate affirmation of the value of the project – a partnership between the foundation and CHEK TV. For a fraction of the regular cost of advertising, Vital People provides a weekly profile of people and organizations working on the vital issues outlined in Victoria’s Vital Signs® report.

“Vital People spreads the messages highlighted in the Vital Signs reports about needs and opportunities to make a difference in our communities,” said Sandra Richardson, CEO of The Victoria Foundation.

The series not only keeps Vital Signs alive throughout the year, it reinforces the community report card as a project of The Victoria Foundation, helping to boost awareness and understanding of the foundation’s breadth of work.

Vital People stories are posted on the foundation’s website and are also available to the organizations profiled for posting on their websites. These stories will also be featured as part of the soon-to-be-launched Community Knowledge Centre – the searchable database that will showcase registered charities that have received grants from the foundation. Stay tuned for more developments!

For another example of bringing the Vital Signs message forward, see the new Vital Signs checklist featured in the January edition of The Victoria Foundation’s Philanthropy page – a monthly newspaper feature sponsored in partnership with Black Press.

Stephanie Slater is Director of Communications with The Victoria Foundation

You Can Do It Awards give Winnipeg students boost to pursue higher education

By Skana Gee

When Seneca Chartrand arrived at R.B. Russell High School in Winnipeg, she anticipated more school work. She had no idea just how challenging it would be.

But the possibility of securing an award from The Winnipeg Foundation kept her on track, working hard and tackling many challenges.

“A few times she called me from the school to say ‘Somebody has gotten shot, somebody has gotten stabbed across the street.’ That’s something you really don’t want a kid to have to worry about when they’re going to school,” says her mother, Cheyenne Chartrand.

But Seneca persevered, and last June, she received a You Can Do It Award, which provided $1,000 toward her post-secondary education. The teen from the inner-city is now enrolled in the Creative Communications program at Red River College.

“It’s like tapping somebody on the shoulder and saying we know you can do this,” says Rick Frost, The Winnipeg Foundation’s CEO. “It’s encouragement to say, ‘You’re not going to be stopped by financial barriers.’ “

The program began last year, with 270 students from inner-city schools selected, based on attendance, effort, academic achievement, volunteerism and leadership. Because kids can qualify from Grade 5 on, with $1,000 put into a “learning account” each school year, there’s potential for them to earn $8,000 toward their post-secondary education.

A program like this doesn’t happen in a vacuum, of course. It’s a partnership between The Winnipeg Foundation, the Province of Manitoba, Winnipeg School Division and Winnipeg Poverty Reduction Council.

Shania Murdock, a Grade 9 student, also received a You Can Do It Award last school year. She already knows she wants to be a teacher.

“For many of our students, it may be the first time somebody from their family has gone on to post-secondary education, so it’s an accomplishment for their entire family,” R.B. Russell vice-principal Chris Goring told the media after the awards were presented.

Skana Gee is Communications Coordinator with Community Foundations of Canada

$1.6-million gift boosts future of local hospice, via Niagara Community Foundation

Thanks to the generosity of Patrick and Nancy McNally, the financial
future of McNally House looks brighter. The McNally’s have donated $1.6
million to establish two endowment funds that will support the ongoing
operations of the organization.

“Nancy and I were approached by Dr. Denise Marshall about the ongoing
funding challenges faced by McNally House,” said Patrick McNally. “The
hospice has an important role to play in our community and we wanted to
find a way to provide some on-going support.  Setting up the endowment
funds was the perfect solution for our family.”

The endowments will ease the annual fundraising burden for McNally
House, which raises more than $600,000 annually from the community.  Until
now, financial support has come from memorial gifts, donations and special
events.  The McNally’s gift will be held in perpetuity in two new endowment funds – the McNally House Endowment Fund and the Patrick and Nancy McNally Family Fund.  The Niagara Community Foundation will hold
and manage the funds, directing a portion of the annual earnings to
support McNally House.

“This is a dream come true,” said Dr. Denise Marshall, Medical Director
of McNally House. “Patrick and Nancy have a profound understanding, not
only of the moral imperative of exemplary end of life care, but of the
need for sustainability of such care. This was evidenced by their
original commitment to the build and now with their wisdom around
ensuring that McNally house is sustainable. They know the numbers.  It
requires $412 a day to operate each of the six patient beds at McNally
house.  But this is a fraction of what it would cost if that same person
had to end up in hospital at end of life.

“This is a magnificent ‘call to arms’ for our entire community – an open
invitation for others to follow suit. I like to think of this as a ‘call
to embracing arms.’”

“As the new board chair, sustaining the operations of McNally House is
one of my top priorities,” said Norm Beal.  “Memorial donations and
events are extremely important in keeping us connected with the
community.  This donation from Pat and Nancy will provide a new revenue
source, for which we are extremely grateful.  It is our hope that their
gift will inspire others in our community to contribute to the
endowments.”

The Niagara Community Foundation has noticed an increase in estate gifts
over the past few years to their various endowment funds.  “By making a
gift through a bequest to an endowment, the donor can continue their
annual giving in perpetuity,” said Alan Goddard, board member of the
foundation.

“McNally House holds a very special place in the hearts of so many in
our community and these new funds will ensure the hospice’s continued
success.”

The two funds to support McNally House become part of the family of
endowment funds held in perpetuity by the Niagara Community Foundation.
Created in 2000 the Foundation has raised more than $14 million and has
granted in excess of $4 million to charities working in the arts, heritage, environment, social services, health, education and community development.
The Foundation works with donors wanting to create permanent legacies to
support causes important to the donors during their lifetime.  The donations to the endowments are never spent, but held in perpetuity with a portion of the annual earnings given to charities.

Central Okanagan residents support action on water issues, according to Vital Signs

By Cheryl Miller

In the Central Okanagan’s 2011 VitalSigns® report card issued by the Central Okanagan Foundation, our community gave itself a grade of B- in the issue area Environment.

The perception that the Okanagan is blessed with an abundance of fresh water has led many to think that we have an endless supply and we don’t have to worry about conserving, says Corinne Jackson, communications and research coordinator with the Okanagan Basin Water Board (OKBW).

But with population growth and climate change, altering behavior is a must.

Cheryl Miller, Grants Manager at Central Okanagan Foundation

“Our research has found that in the Okanagan basin, outdoor irrigation accounts for almost 25 per cent of our water use. And the only reason we have green lawns is because of how much water we use. It’s not natural to the area. The only desert in all of Canada is in our watershed,” Corinne explains.

About 18 months ago, the OKWB launched Okanagan WaterWise, an education and public outreach program to increase awareness among valley residents about water issues in the Okanagan and to bring residents of the Okanagan valley together with the understanding that our water source is connected — we all share the same resource.

According to the Vital Signs report, community members believe in the importance of conserving our water, as well as improving curbside recycling and implementing curbside compost pickup.

Peter Rotheisler, with the Regional District of Central Okanagan’s waste reduction office, says the residential recycling program has been operating in the Central Okanagan since July 2000 and each year the program has seen higher volumes of materials collected.

In 2011, 50 per cent of all curbside waste (including recycling and yard waste) collected in the Central Okanagan was diverted from the landfill. However, the most recent survey done by the Regional District of Central Okanagan found 37 per cent of the residential garbage currently sent to the landfill is recyclable.

So what’s next? The waste reduction office recently initiated a study looking at how Okanagan residents manage kitchen waste. Rotheisler says other municipalities, including Vancouver, have started pilot programs to deal with kitchen waste and, depending on the results of the study, it’s something that could be considered in two to three years.

Cheryl Miller is Grants Manager with Central Okanagan Foundation