The Community Response Fund will be supported by donations from local philanthropists and will help supply local non-profit charities and relief agencies with the aim of offering support in a wide range of areas affected by the ongoing pandemic.
“It’s a wonderful program and we’re so glad to have the city supporting it,” said Christine Boyczuk with the Moose Jaw COVID Community Response Team. “Our committee has been running and assessing the needs of the community, but we don’t have any resources as a committee when different agencies come forward with needs… So with non-profits having a fund to help them, it’ll be very wonderful. So I’m very excited and very grateful to the City of Moose Jaw.”
The fund will be supported by donations through the website www.unitedwayregina.ca/Covid-19, with funds earmarked for Moose Jaw and distributed after adjudication by a United Way committee that will include representatives from the City of Moose Jaw and the Community Response Committee.
Support will be given to organizations focusing on basic needs, ensuring people have access to food and shelter; seniors who are isolated and vulnerable; mental health support through crisis lines and system navigation services; community services to ensure current ongoing work can continue and volunteer support.
“The City of Moose Jaw congratulates United Way for launching this initiative and we’re pleased to offer our support,” said Moose Jaw Mayor Fraser Tolmie. “We ask Moose Javians to remember that all money raised in Moose Jaw for the Community Response Fund will stay in Moose Jaw, helping those most in need during this difficult time. This initiative will streamline funds to those non-profit organizations that are delivering vital services to our residents amidst this pandemic.”
A similar fund has been in place in Swift Current for a couple of months and has proven successful, giving the Moose Jaw organization a model to work from. And having a large-scale charity like the United Way on board helps streamline things even further.
“The United Way have a really good process for that, and a lot of experience in helping committees like ours do this kind of thing,” Boyczuk said. “There are people who want to help but just don’t know where to provide the money and where the most need is, and the adjudication committee will have some understanding of the needs in the community.”
The key now is to see funds start coming in, and prepare to distribute the support once there’s enough cash on hand.
“We have a great community in Moose Jaw and we have people who have resources and there are people who lack resources,” Boyczuk said. “Fortunately, we have agencies that can really help assist people to get those resources, and we’re hoping this will all make a huge difference in people’s lives.”
