Charities across southeast Manitoba are receiving funds, thanks to the generosity of donors and the work of the Steinbach Community Foundation (SCF).
On Wednesday, June 18, SCF hosted their Annual General Meeting and Grant Award Night, drawing a crowd of supporters, charity representatives, friends, and family to celebrate the impact being made.
Board Chair Mary Jane Hiebert explains how the foundation operates, noting that donor contributions are pooled into a long-term investment fund.
“Every year we receive an amount that we can give back to our community. So, it's called an endowment fund. The funds will always remain, and we're able to give back a percentage of the interest earned off of that fund. As we grow the base of that fund, the more money we can give back into our community.”
Hiebert notes that the foundation has seen strong financial growth over the past year.
“This foundation is successful. Financially, we have grown substantially over the last year, thanks in part to the Winnipeg Foundation who manage our fund. There was quite a significant growth and that helps in the monies that we can then give back to the community,” Hiebert says.
Along with financial growth, SCF has expanded their reach.
“We are now up to highway 75, up to the U.S. border, and up to the Ontario border,” Hiebert explains. “So, we are putting money in more places than just Steinbach because we are not just Steinbach, the communities are surrounding us. We all work together, and we’re making more effort to do that as well.”
The highlight of the evening was the announcement of this year’s grant recipients. In total, $115,371.07 was distributed to local charities throughout the region.
The grants were made possible through several funds, including the SCF General Fund, Thomas Still MB Fund, William & Agnes Lepp Family Fund, Carmen & James Koepke Fund, and the Anonymous Fund.
This year’s recipients include:
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$12,468.75 to Musee Pointe des Chenes Museum Inc - move heritage house
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$5,000 to Villa Youville St. Anne – courtyard community fireplace
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$9,120 Southeast Cancer Support Services – database
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$11,246.35 to Cedarwood Supportive Housing – new security system to replace keypad
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$27,197.76 to Steinbach Fire Department – inflatable house
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$9,945 to Jake Epp Library – expansion of WonderBooks collection
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$9,000 to Steinbach Arts Council – new security system
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$15,000 to Steinbach Family Resource Centre – new commercial gas stove and installation
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$6,220 to Safe Families Canada, Steinbach – specialized volunteer training
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$10,173.21 Children’s Rehabilitation Foundation – 2 adapted tricycles, 1 iPad
Mayor Earl Funk says the community is incredibly fortunate to have a foundation that supports so many local charities.
“We have so many good organizations that do wonderful jobs in our community and they stand in the gap for people that are less fortunate or that need a little more help. And it's so wonderful to see the community come together, first with donations, the endowment fund, and then out of that, there's an abundance to give.”
Funk says he’s proud to see local charities making a difference, with support from the Steinbach Community Foundation and its donors helping to make their work possible.
“With a foundation like the Steinbach Community Foundation, it actually gives the means for these organizations to do the work that they can do. And so, they don't have to worry as much about fundraising, and they can focus on the work they have to do and that is just what's so exciting.”
He adds that the City of Steinbach itself benefited from this year’s grants, with the local fire department receiving funding for an inflatable house used in fire safety education.
“We can actually teach children fire prevention and fire safety. I'm just really, really excited to see and continue where this is going to go because it's growing every year and that's what's exciting.”