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

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

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

“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.

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 

Sandy Thurber still remembers the day the Grand Manan Community School student council members came to Fundy Community Foundation looking for a grant to start a car club.

It was more than 15 years ago, and the foundation was just getting up and running in Charlotte County, New Brunswick. Thurber, now the organization’s Executive Director, remembers that the students were worried about education cuts that would see their school lose its shop classes.

The small island school had experienced high drop-out rates, and these savvy students wanted to make school relevant to kids at risk. The car club, they believed, would help.

The students were doing their part with fund-raisers – even chopping and stacking wood – but they needed a $1,000 grant to get started. It was one of the first grants awarded by Fundy Community Foundation, which now has almost $3.5 million in endowments and has granted more than $500,000 to worthwhile projects and initiatives.

And it is still one of the most meaningful. It allowed the students of Grand Manan, one of three small islands served by the foundation, to purchase a 1980 automobile, strip it to the frame and completely rebuild it into a functioning race car. Each year since, a new group of students gets its chance to do the same.

The club is now starting work building a car carrier (a flatbed truck) to use to carry the car to special events. The car, dubbed Thumper, has been driven in races at an actual race track and once even made the ferry trip to the mainland to attend the community foundation’s annual general meeting. And, more importantly, it is keeping students engaged in their education.

The kids tell Ms. Thurber that there are always students with their noses pressed up against the window of the auto shop. Everyone wants to be involved. And they can be, but they must attend classes and keep their marks up – the school has even started a tutoring service to make sure that happens.

With continuing grants and support from the foundation, the school has been able to purchase a second vehicle and help more young people stay on the right path. And it has brought the community together, as people of all ages catch the students’ infectious enthusiasm.

A prime example of the way in which a small amount of money can make a big impact.

Skana Gee is Communications Coordinator with Community Foundations of Canada

Greater Montreal’s Vital Signs returned for a fifth year in 2011.

In five years, Vital Signs has developed a loyal following of people and organizations who await its publication. It has become a great guide for one’s philanthropic actions. In fact, 98% of our 2011 community grants are in response to a Vital Sign.

Vital Signs is a recognizable brand, and the Foundation of Greater Montreal has begun to provide presentations about it to companies, libraries, seniors clubs, as well as private clubs.

Marina Boulos, President & CEO of the FGM

In five years, one can effectively see if our city has made progress and if certain challenges continue to need everyone’s help. What improvements can we point to? For one thing, Greater Montreal is on a roll. With its high-tech industries and the predicted creation of 60,000 new jobs by 2014, Montreal has some good days ahead… its diversity is a great source of enrichment and a vehicle for advancement.

The unemployment rates amongst immigrants has declined by 18% in one year. Other good news is that the high school drop-out rate decreased by 2.8% in  the past three years. While only 48% participate in some form of physical activity, obesity declined by 4% in the last year.

What are the challenges? The cost of living has risen in Greater Montreal. In one year, the city gained almost 20 ranking spots (from 98th to 79th) as one of the most expensive cities in the world. As well, an increasing number of households with employment income are relying on food banks to feed their families, an increase of 65% in 3 years. And finding housing for families is becoming difficult as three-bedroom apartments are scarce, with a decrease in the vacancy rate of 2.1% in 2010 to 1% in 2011.

Finally, 93.5% of Greater Montreal residents are happy with their lives, almost 5% more than in 2003. That makes me happy, too.

Marina Boulos is President & CEO of the Foundation of Greater Montreal

The Summerland Asset Development Initiative (SADI) is an organization that provides opportunities, activities and resources for Summerland youth.

Volunteers paint up a storm at the SADI centre

We are housed in a building provided by the District of Summerland. This building provides us with the opportunity to run activities, leadership programs and an after-school program for youth. Each year we try to focus on a new building improvement project that improves our building, but also enhances community spirit through these positive changes.

Last year, SADI heard about CFC’s Benjamin Moore Community Restoration Program, which awards cash grants of up to $4,000 plus Benjamin Moore paint valued up to $750 to qualifying community organizations.

We thought it sounded like a great opportunity to spruce up the building and make it a source of pride in our community. We worked with our local Community Foundation of the South Okanagan to find out more about it and put together our proposal. Then we crossed our fingers.

Work in progress at the SADI centre in Summerland

Soon after, we received word that we would receive cash and paint to make our vision a reality. We set to work involving a local painter and SADI supporter, selected two colour schemes and asked the youth what they thought. They were unanimous in their decision and we set to work. We organized volunteers of all ages to help with the painting of a stucco building – no easy task!

It didn’t take long before our building was transformed before our very eyes. Shades of blue, green and orange were tastefully combined to create a fun, vibrant and aesthetically pleasing new space. Youth were so inspired they couldn’t stop painting, and continued to paint all the tables in our lounge area.

Feedback from the community was instantaneous and we heard positive comments for months. Some even suggested it should be the new design scheme for our town. We feel that this project helped us build spirit and pride, not only in our own building and in our youth, but in the community as a whole.

A big thank-you to Benjamin Moore, Community Foundations of Canada, The Community Foundation of the South Okanagan, Summerland Builders Mart, Feels Like Home by Jamie, and the many volunteers who made our vision a reality!

The process was easy and helped us accomplish something that might otherwise not have been possible.

Michelle Stefan is SADI Program Manager

The Squamish Community Foundation (SCF) celebrated the inaugural launch of its Vital Signs report in 2011.

The journey has been abundant with community engagement, visionary leadership, and many volunteer hours. I have had the privilege to be a part of this journey as a participant in the community engagement process.

Now, as a new board member with the SCF, I admire the fruits of everyone’s labour, and have a greater appreciation for the process by which this project was realized.

Caroline Ashekian, board member with Squamish Community Foundation

The launch of this first Squamish Vital Signs report is a milestone achievement for our board. And by virtue of the process and all that the report shares, it is also a celebration of our community’s achievements and successes. The results showcase positive trends, an exciting one being the health and wellness of the community, with indicators reflecting healthier and more active residents than both the BC and national levels, as well as a growing sense of life satisfaction.

Of course, by providing a snapshot of the community, Squamish’s Vital Signs 2011 also reflects opportunities for growth and improvement, such as in the areas of early childhood development, safety, and the gap between rich and poor. For every key issue, the report includes a special feature on how the SCF is contributing to improvements in these areas, and how residents can do their part to help.

The Squamish Vital Signs launch event featured more than one reason to celebrate. In addition to the report launch and presentation, the evening featured presentations and displays from our grantees, and recognition of our donors with the first presentation of our Ascent of Philanthropy program.

The Squamish Vital Signs is beneficial on many levels, and provides clear vision to SCF and our community as we all move forward and leap into action.

Caroline Ashekian is a Director of Squamish Community Foundation

Traditional meal-delivery programs don’t necessarily cut the mustard as the make-up of communities evolves to be more ethnically diverse.

For instance, The Greater Toronto Area’s South Asian immigrant population gew by about 50 per cent between 2000 and 2006. And that trend is on full display in Mississauga, where 51.6 per cent of residents were foreign-born in 2006.

So the Community Foundation of Mississauga is always on the look-out for programs and services that serve the area’s diverse needs, including the Langar Project at Punjabi Community Health Services, a community kitchen program aimed at feeding frail seniors in the South Asian community.

The project — “langar” means communal kitchen – received a $30,000 grant from the community foundation to help it begin operations this month. It will engage healthy seniors to procure, prepare and distribute culturally appropriate food to those who cannot cook for themselves. With an aim to providing two meals daily, even on weekends and holidays, it’s a perfect fit for Mississauga, which has a higher proportion of foreign-born residents than other Canadian centres.

“It takes the concept of a communal kitchen into the community. Not only does it provide food, but it also gives seniors a feeling of connectedness and safety,” says Eileen MacKenzie, Executive Director of the Community Foundation of Mississauga.

The grant is a good illustration of the knowledge that can be gleaned from Vital Signs – and the community impact that can result.

In 2011, the anonymous donor behind the Pendle Fund decided to fund the first-ever Mississauga’s Vital Signs report and, before the year was out, had also provided $365,000 to address the needs identified in that document.

“They saw the value of community knowledge and the beauty of using that knowledge to inform philanthropy,” says CFM’s Executive Director Eileen MacKenzie. “All of these projects, including the Langar Project, demonstrate a real ability to connect to the community needs identified in Vital Signs 2011.”

In a recent Globe and Mail story about the Langar Project, a caseworker with Punjabi Community Health Services said it makes sense to provide culturally appropriate meals to needy seniors.

“Most of my clients would prefer eating South Asian food because it’s been a part of their diet their whole lives,” said Nirpal Bhangoo. “You can’t really expect them to change at their age.”

Skana Gee is Communications Coordinator with Community Foundations of Canada