A substantial grant has been awarded to a Port Moody-based organization that hopes to influence the community to be more accessible and inclusive.
Kinsight will get $40,000 from B.C.'s ministry of social development and poverty reduction for a new project fcussing on members of the region's LGBTQ community. The money is the maximum available under the program.
The goal behind "Real Talk: Building 2SLGBTQIA+ Community Project" is to increase access and break barriers for Tri-Cities adults with cognitive disabilities and find positive solutions to reduce stigma.
"The work that organizations like Kinsight do is incredibly valuable," said Port Moody-Coquitlam MLA Rick Glumac in a statement..
"The funding they are receiving will support inclusion and assist their efforts in helping so many people in our community."
The investment is in conjunction with International Day for Persons with Disabilities, proclaimed for Saturday (Dec. 3) by the province.
Kinsight works with an array of people and families considered at-risk for, or have, developmental disabilities in Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Anmore and Belcarra.
It's one of 12 organizations that earned a combined $450,000 investment from the provincial government — all of which are associated with Disability Alliance BC (DABC), who administered the grants.
"The diversity of the projects and the hope that some will become ongoing services is heartening," said DABC board director Pam Horton.
"It will be exciting to watch these projects over the coming months."
Non-profits across B.C. were encouraged to submit proposals this past summer for their community-based accessibility projects that focused on themes that included employment, emergency planning and response, culture and recreation.
In a release, the province said it's granted almost $2.25 million for related projects since 2018.
