United Way NWT is awarding $91,500 to organizations across the territory, a 41% rise on the $65,000 it had expected to hand out.
Even with the increase in funding from donors, the charity says requests exceeded the cash available. Twenty-one of the 25 applications were approved.
David Connelly, speaking on behalf of United Way NWT, said many bids for funding had come from food banks and similar services.
“We noticed a surge in applications from organizations that provide emergency food supplies, such as food banks and soup kitchens,” said Connelly.
“We also had a number of requests for programs for children and youth which fit in our focus areas.”
Those focus areas are “all that kids can be”, “healthy people, healthy communities” and “from poverty to possibility”.
Among the organizations receiving funding are soup kitchens and food banks in Hay River, Yellowknife and Fort Smith.
Organizations in Fort Providence, Inuvik and communities in the Sahtu will also benefit as United Way NWT expands its reach in the North.
Full list of organizations supported:
Children First Society, Community Play Group
Ecology North, Ecology Matters
Food First Foundation, School Food Program Equipment
Food Rescue (Yellowknife), Food Rescue
Fort Smith Ecumenical Group Soup Kitchen and Food Bank, Food Bank / Soup Kitchen
Foster Family Coalition NWT, Camp Connections Kitchen Equipment
Hay River Soup Kitchen and Food Bank, Soup Kitchen, Food Bank & Food Rescue
Inuvik Homeless Shelter, Homeless Shelter
Inuvik Youth Centre, Youth Drop-In Program
Northern Youth Leadership, Northern Youth Gana River Summer Camp
NWT Breast Health / Cancer Support Group, Breast Health and Breast Cancer Support
NWT Literacy Council, Talk to Me
Order of St. Lazarus, North of 60 Distribution of Caregiver Guides and Palliative Care Blankets
SideDoor Youth Ministries, Drop-In Centre – Life Skills & Cooking Program
Special Olympics NWT, Special Olympics
Yellowknife Association for Community Living, Community Inclusion and YayFusion Young Adult Group
Yellowknife Family Centre, Monday Madness, Tasty Tuesdays Parenting Workshops
Yellowknife Scouts, Scout House Window and Security Repairs
YK Food Bank, Food Bank
YWCA Yellowknife, YWCA GirlSpace Summer Workshop
Zhahti Koe Friendship Centre, Youth Computer Access and Training Program
