A joint collaboration between the Yellowknife Community Foundation and United Way NWT, the Together We Are Strong campaign raised over $150,000 to provide to eligible recipients across the NWT to support vulnerable populations.
They joined forces with the Foundation matching, dollar-for-dollar up to $75,000 in donations made to the United Way in support of COVID-19 community relief. Over 60 individual donations were made by Northerners as part of this campaign. This included Corporate donations in the range of $1,000 to $25,000.
Funded by the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, United Way NWT has awarded the full funding amount of $101,000 to eligible organizations to support a range of programs. More than 25 applications from 17 communities were received in response to a call for applications.
Tracy St-Denis, Chair of United Way NWT noted that United Way NWT has been proud to partner with other organizations and the government of Canada on a number of initiatives aimed at meeting the immediate needs of those in rural and remote communities, in response to COVID-19.
“The funding provided through the Emergency Community Support Fund has made it possible for us to help support as many eligible applicants as possible who are supporting our communities during these challenging times.”
Organizations who will receive funds under this program are:
- Children’s First Society,
- Community Government of Whati,
- Gwich’in Tribal Council,
- Incorporated Hamlet of Tulita,
- Lutselk’e Dene First Nation,
- NWT Disabilities Council,
- Pehdzeh Ki First Naiton,
- PWK Highschool,
- Rainbow Coalition of Yellowknife,
- Sahtu Search and Rescue,
- Side Door,
- Sister Mary Celeste/Sister Celeste Child Development and Elder Centre,
- Soaring Eagle Friendship Centre,
- St. Joe’s Parish,
- St. John’s Anglican Church,
- Teetl’lt Gwichin Band Council,
- Town of Hay River,
- Tsiigehtchic Charter Community,
- Tuktoyuktuk,
- West Point First Nation,
- Yellowknife Women’s Society.
A range of initiatives will be made possible through the donations of northerners and include: Wifi expansion to reduce isolation, feeding vulnerable students, a bagged lunch program for people in need, the provision of cleaning supplies, and a competition that promotes traditional skills, culture and physical activity to promote connections in the community.
Robin Greig, President of the Yellowknife Community Foundation stated that it’s during challenging times that the North really shines.
“In a few short weeks, Northerners donated $75,000 to the United Way NWT and we answered that by matching that with our own donation of $75,000 making it the single largest donation in the Foundation’s history.”
The application ran from April 16th to May 29th , and funding was distributed to successful applicants by June 8th.
