Healthy living and community well-being will be supported by 52 projects across Island Health, thanks to Island Health’s Community Wellness Granting Program.
Grant recipients for 2019 include dozens of community-based projects including a collaboration in Sayward aimed at improving the physical and mental well-being for all members of the community, a young cooks program in Courtenay in partnership with Komoks First Nation, a lunch and learn program for seniors from Ucluelet and Tofino and local First Nations Elders, the establishment of a support group for individuals experiencing grief from traumatic loss in Cowichan, and a pilot project expanding parenting programs to Victoria and the West Shore.
“We’re pleased to support the Community Wellness Granting program and congratulate this year’s recipients” said Leah Hollins, Chair of Island Health’s Board of Directors. “Every year, these projects identify and address the unique health and care needs within their communities and showcase the impact of working together in partnership to address health and care needs across the region.”
The program, now in its third year, helps foster local partnerships to address the population’s health and wellness. Nearly $750,000 from the Community Wellness Granting Program will fund a mix of individual programs and partnership grants.
Island Health recognizes the importance of reducing future reliance on the health system and promoting healthy lifestyles at the grassroots level. Community Wellness Grants provide the opportunity for Island Health to work with community partners, positively influence health outcomes and make healthy choices easier.
One of the 2018 grant recipients was the Sooke School District, which received a grant to foster physical literacy training for teachers, boost physical activity levels for elementary school students, and build key relationships among a host of community partners.
“The wellness grant has acted as a catalyst for collaboration, allowing us to work with six partners to better support the promotion of physical literacy and physical activity within our school communities,” explained Cindy Andrew, School District 62 Healthy Schools Lead. “This investment has really helped us to initiate new partnerships and strengthen existing relationships – all with the goal of ensuring that kids are developing the skills, confidence and love of movement to be physically active for life.”
In December 2018, Island Health issued a call for applications to local governments, community organizations and Indigenous communities for the 2019 Community Wellness Granting Program. Grant application criteria included healthy aging, positive mental health, social and family connectedness, healthy eating and physical activity.
A complete list of 2019 grant recipients is available on Island Health’s website at http://communitygrants.islandhealth.ca/
Media inquiries
Cheryl Bloxham
250-370-8878
Cheryl.bloxham@islandhealth.ca