Multiple organizations working within Fort Frances received a cash investment that will help them continue in their efforts to benefit local youth.
At last Monday’s meeting of town council, the recipients of the annual Moffat Family Fund grant. were announced by Fort Frances mayor Andrew Hallikas.
“One of the benefits of being mayor is that you occasionally get to recognize great organizations that contribute so much to our community,” Hallikas said.
“And not only do I get to thank them, but we get to assist them by providing funding from the Moffat fund for them to continue with the important work that they do for our community.”
Hallikas noted that each year local organizations apply for a portion of the available funding, and the town’s Moffat Fund committee reviews and submits their approved applications through for further consideration. This year Fort Frances had $103,750 available for funding through the grant for organizations who aligned with the Moffat Family Fund’s primary goal to “support and advance the economic, social, physical and intellectual wellbeing of children and families,” as per the Town of Fort Frances’ Moffat Family Fund page.
“These organizations all applied for funding,” Hallikas said.
“The applications were selected and approved by the Moffat Fund committee. The Moffat Fund committee then recommended their choices to council. Council approved the choices and sent them to the Moffat Fund Family grant organization in Winnipeg, where they were given final approval. Now, after all of that, it gives me great pleasure to be able to recognize the following organizations this evening, and to provide them with cheques from the Moffat Fund.”
Recipients of the 2024 Moffat Family Fund grant are:
- Coming Together for Kids Healthy Living Food Box Subsidy Program: Provides healthy produce for families through childcare centres and child and family service organizations ($8,350)
- Fort Frances Community Garden: Deliver the Kids Garden Club program and continue to expand to meet growing community needs for garden spaces ($7,300)
- Confederation College Rainy River Campus: Delivering Summer Youth Camps and making them affordable for those who may not otherwise have these opportunities ($6,750.33)
- Eighth Street Trails: Enhance trail walkability, increase awareness and use of trails, enhance existing trails and amenities ($9,000)
- Fort Frances Volunteer Bureau: Renovations to building ($22,277.67)
- KidSport Fort Frances: Provide financial support to low income families so children can be involved in organized sports ($4,500)
- Kenora-Rainy River District Child and Family Services: Child and Youth Mental Health Program will deliver an after school group programming with Cook and Connect Group ($10,000)
- Nutrition on Weekends: Bags of nutritious, non-perishable foods sent home with students who have been identified as having need. Sent home each week during the school year. ($13,740)
- Rainy Lake Air Cadet Squadron 908: Subsidizing increasing costs of program. Helps cover rental of meeting place, bussing to events, food and refreshments. Goal to continue offering program free of charge so all youth can participate. ($10,000)
- Rainy River District Community Policing Committee: Safe Halloween community event including providing safety information and lights to children. ($4,500)
- Salvation Army Fort Frances: Sponsor one hundred 5 to 13 year old children to attend four day Day Camp summer of 2024. Includes indoor and outdoor activities, snacks and lunch. ($6,632)
“I would just like to thank all of the groups who applied for Moffat funding,” Hallikas said.
“You have all demonstrated your care and concern for this community, and you’re to be applauded and thanked for the wonderful, wonderful work that you do. You’re helping to make our community a better place.”
