Every November, we honour those who have made great contributions and sacrifices for our country at home and overseas during times of conflict and peace. Every person deserves to live well in our society, from children to seniors, and those in difficult circumstances.
Alberta is helping children to stay focused at school by expanding its school nutrition program, giving more than 30,000+ students a daily nutritious meal. The program debuted in the 2016-17 school year and has been wildly successful, continuing to expand ever since. Budget 2018 allocated $15.5 million to support the program, with the money distributed directly to school authorities to establish or enhance existing nutrition programs. The Calgary Board of Education has 13 schools participate in the program, and board members welcome the opportunity to present healthy choices to students and strengthen their sense of community.
Seniors can now apply for new program funding through the Aging Well in Community grant. The program supports initiatives that helps seniors stay in their homes and engaged in their communities. Issues of focus include ageism, social inclusion, elder abuse prevention, and age-friendly areas. Recipients can access funding for three years with a maximum amount of $100,000 per project. The province is investing annually through an open call for proposals. Applications are open until Nov. 16. For more information, please visit https://www.alberta.ca/aging-well-grant-program.aspx
In Calgary, low-income and homeless Calgarians will now have faster access to mental health services at CUPS (Calgary Urban Project Society). The Government of Alberta has increased its support to remove the current wait list through a $1.4 million, three-year funding grant. The number of mental health and addiction patients that can be served will increase from 546 in 2017 to almost 800 a year. The funding will allow CUPS to expand services, hire four new staff, and create an outreach program.
I am always happy to hear from constituents. If you have feedback to offer, please contact my constituency office: [email protected]
