A number of local agencies will share in $6 million dollars as part of a community well-being and safety strategy.
Lethbridge City Council unanimously approved round one of funding allocations Monday (Oct. 5) for the initiative.
The approval is the first tangible outcome for an integrated investment framework combining municipal, provincial and federal funding.
Round One of the Integrated Request for Supplier Qualifications process leverages funds from Family Community Support Services, Outreach Support Services Initiative, Reaching Home, and City of Lethbridge to address community wellbeing and safety across the city.
Out of the nearly $6 million, the City of Lethbridge’s financial contribution is about 4% to the FCCS component, which itself is a 20% contribution along with 80% from the Government of Alberta. The remainder is from the Federal and Provincial governments.
Martin Thomsen, Lethbridge’s Manager of Community Social Development says this is about integrating funding to maximize the collective impact so Lethbridge residents get the services they need.
“This is the first public-facing look at our new RFSQ process and how funds are being strategically allocated. The City of Lethbridge is acting as the administrative backbone, where the CWSS Advisory, made up of community leaders and stakeholders, makes funding recommendations that go to council for their final decision,” Thomsen told City Councillors Monday.
Councillor Belinda Crowson sponsored the motion to council. “It focuses on a person-centric model, allowing Lethbridge residents to have streamlined and tailored access to social services based on their level of need. There is a Round 2 of funding coming (of $2.1 million) and the decisions are guided by our plan, as well as our housing strategy and with a focus on the client and assisting the most vulnerable in our community.”
The full list of Round 1 allocations includes:
- $1,212,120.67 to the Canadian Mental Health Association Alberta South Region for Integrated Coordinated Access
- $1,505,176.30 to the Canadian Mental Health Association Alberta South Region for Adaptive Case Management
- $274,240 to the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) Lethbridge and District for Hestia youth housing as part of the Permanent Supportive Housing Consortium
- $943,559 to the YWCA Lethbridge and District for men’s housing as part of the Permanent Supportive Housing Consortium
- $550,400 to the YWCA Lethbridge and District for women’s housing as part of the Permanent Supportive Housing Consortium
- $523,543 to the Southern Alberta Self-Help Association (SASHA) as part of the Permanent Supportive Housing Consortium
- $249,169 to the Sik-Ooh-Kotoki Friendship Society to provide Blackfoot program supports to all Permanent Supportive Housing clients
- $219,434.38 to Volunteer Lethbridge for the Civil Society Accelerator
- $503,887.56 to Lethbridge Housing Authority for housing supports/rent supplements
(Story includes files from City of Lethbridge news release)