More than a dozen groups operating in Port Moody will share $18,000 from the city to advance the work they do in the community.
Among the recipients in the latest round are:
- $3,000 = POCOMO Meals on Wheels Society, to keep the prices of meals it provides to residents affordable
- $3,000 = SHARE Family and Community Services, to help pay for emergency hampers it provides to vulnerable people
- $3,000 = Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Centre of British Columbia, to provide operation support for the increasing demand of mental health care
- $2,250 = NaloxHome Society, to pay for education programs in Port Moody high schools
- $1,500 = Volunteer Cancer Drivers Society, to reimburse expenses like gas to its volunteer drivers
- $1,500 = Athletics for Kids Financial Assistance BC Society, to help Port Moody kids access sports activities
- $1,000 = Port Moody Ecological Society, for its annual Fingerling Festival
- $613 = 1st Glenayre Scouts, to help pay for a heated tent they can use during outdoor activities
- $613 = Abreast in a Boat Society, to pay for equipment, workshops and outreach programs
- $613 = Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland, to support mentoring programs for Port Moody youth
- $450 = Sasamat Outdoor Centre, to help create a new music program
- $307 = Heritage Woods after grad, to help pay for activities and entertainment at the school’s after grad program
- $154 = BC Pets and Friends, to help staff manage its base of volunteers
As well, three artists will receive a total of $2,767.90 in artist grants from the city to help them offset their costs.
They are:
- $1,000 = Bibi Balkhi, to obtain professional development, attend literary events and submit work to Canadian competitions
- $997.50 = Amy Liu, to allow her artwork to be shown at local galleries
- $770.40 = Tamara Christine Grand, to purchase materials for her series of “petit paper paintings”
Three cultural groups have also been awarded arts, culture and heritage grants:
- $5,000 = Summer Sundays concerts, to pay musicians
- $3,120 = Access Youth Outreach Services Society, to expand its art journaling group program into a Port Moody high school
- $1,790 = Inlet Theatre music series, to help bring in top calibre musical acts
Paul Rockwood, Port Moody’s general manager of finance and technology, told members of council’s finance committee on Tuesday, April 16, this is the first year the three facets of the city’s grant program have been considered together by members of the citizen advisory group that is comprised of volunteers from the community.
They assess applications for their demonstrated need in the community, how the money will be used to address that need, how the group or individual has worked to access funding from other sources and how their efforts address equity, diversity, inclusion and reconciliation initiatives.
Rockwood said the consolidated process was more efficient, and it also allowed for greater scrutiny of applications to ensure the money organizations and individuals receive will be spent in Port Moody to benefit the community directly.
In total, the city received 25 applications for the $20,000 available for community grants, three applications for the $5,000 set aside for artist grants and 12 groups applied for the $10,000 available to arts, culture and heritage organizations.
The $35,000 in total funding is nearly double the city's commitment in previous years.
• This story has been corrected on April 19 to reflect incorrect information from the City of Port Moody
