Agency Mission: Children are sacred; they are the centre, the focus and the priority. Our work will strive to protect and enhance that sacredness by providing Aboriginal children and their families with holistic education, supportive social services and programs of high quality and cultural relevance.

Funded Program: Breakfast/Lunch Program provides breakfast and lunch for kindergarten to grade nine students attending Ben Calf Robe School. The program runs every day that school is in session.

Amount Allocated: $36,400

Agency Mission: Boys and Girls Clubs Big Brothers Big Sisters is a community-supported organization committed to the healthy development of children, youth and their families by providing safe places, positive relationships, services and opportunities to develop personal strengths and interpersonal skills that enhance their long term success in life.

Funded Programs:

• Mentoring Program provides youth with a positive role model in their life. Mentoring is offered in a variety of formats including one-on-one, group mentoring and school-based programming.
• Neighbourhood Clubs provide children and youth between the ages of 6 and 17 years the opportunity to come to a safe caring environment in which they feel accepted and valued. It provides a safe alternative to youth going home unsupervised. These programs provide activities that are recreational, educational and creative.
• Volunteer Resource Unit recruits, trains, and places volunteers within Boys & Girls Clubs of Edmonton to help meet the needs of the children, youth and families being served as well as the needs of the volunteers themselves.

Agency Mission: To provide a safe, supportive place where children and youth can experience new opportunities, overcome barriers, build positive relationships and develop confidence and skills for life.

Funded Programs:

• After School Drop In Program provides children and youth between the ages of 6 and 17 years the opportunity to come to a safe caring environment in which they feel accepted and valued. It provides a safe alternative to youth going home unsupervised. This program provides activities that are recreational, educational and creative. This Agency also provides parents in the community a safe alternative for their children who may otherwise be unsupervised at home.
• Lunch Drop In provides a safe place for the local Junior and Senior High students to come during their lunch break from 11:30-12:30, Monday to Friday. BGC provides lunch for those youth that do not have one. During the lunch hour they are also engaged in activities both recreational and social in nature. There are friendly weekly competitions and they have the opportunity to engage with healthy adult role models by interacting with the staff.
• Youth Leadership Development provides age appropriate activities and learning opportunities for children and youth experiencing high-risk behaviours or situations, emotional challenges, or a lack of community or family supports outside of the program. It focuses on building on the developmental assets of the young person, encouraging them to become positive role models, mentors and thriving citizens.

Agency Mission: Centre for Family Literacy builds, develops and improves literacy with families and communities.

Funded Programs:

• Books for Babies allows parents to discover how and why to share books with their babies. Parents learn that through talking to, reading with, cuddling, having eye contact with and playing with their babies, builds parent child bonds that will last a lifetime. Parents learn how their babies rely on them for intellectual, social and emotional development, and how responding to their babies in positive ways helps their children’s development.
• United Way and Success By 6® funding supports the Literacy Classroom on Wheels Program. The Literacy C.O.W. bus, delivered through the Centre for Family Literacy, is an ideal venue for families to start their literacy journey in a fun, unique way. Children are engaged in language and literacy learning activities that are age appropriate and fun with their parent/caregiver, which helps to foster positive relationships. The C.O.W. bus currently visits 10 sites in communities around Edmonton, where it stops for 1.5 hours visits to do programming and allow families to borrow books.

Agency Mission: Connect Society exists to help deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals and their families to fully participate in society.

Funded Programs:

• Child and Family Supports Program provides specialized education and support services to children, youth, and adults who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families.
• Administration Program provides support to the deaf community and to clients of Connect Society, the Board of Directors, the CEO, funders and all individual program staff. They support the entire agency in their efforts to achieve people focused and systems focused outcomes. Connect Society's Administration serves as a resource for information on deaf-related services in the Edmonton area.

CUP promotes collaborative, applied research on child and family development and serves as the contact point between the community and University. C.U.P. gathers and uses existing research effectively and increases the capacity for community to be involved in new research to improve services for children, youth and families.

Amount Allocated: $35,000

Agency Mission: Using a model of holistic integrated practice, Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers provides programs and services that enable immigrants to participate with equity, dignity and respect in all aspects of life; and contributes to the development of public policy; and works to increase understanding by the dominant culture of the importance and involvement of immigrants to Canadian life.

Funded Program: Multicultural Family Connections works in partnership with newcomer families and communities to foster the development of intercultural programming for preschool children and parents building on their socio-cultural approaches to early learning and care.

Funded Program: Success By 6® funding supports the Preschool Learn to Skate and Swim program which gives preschool age children from immigrant families the opportunity to be active while learning preliminary skating and swimming skills. The program helps Canadians to connect with community resources, develop the skills needed to participate in the activity, and participate more fully in the community.

Amount Allocated: $117,863

Agency Mission: To provide positive experiences and role models for children, youth and families to encourage them in becoming positive members of society.

Funded Program: Youth Development includes a number of programs for children, youth and families with an emphasis on those who are socially or economically disadvantaged. Programming includes an after school drop-in, homework club, computer program, life skills workshops, leadership training and recreational activities. Over 100 kids between the ages of 6-14 access the programming every day.

Amount Allocated: $70,792

Agency Mission: To promote the healthy development of children by empowering families.

Funded Program: KARA Program offers a variety of educational and supportive options designed to create healthy family relationships. Components include nutritional programming, educational programming and an intensive, flexible program for parents and their pre-school children, which combines parenting, life skills and experiential learning.

Amount Allocated: $111,444

Agency Mission: Active Involvement of Children and their Families in a Strong Vibrant Community.

Funded Programs:

• Early Start offers a learning Through Play program for children ages 0 – 6 years old. Children are exposed to a variety of play experiences aimed at developing cognitive, physical and social development. Parents have a chance to participate in workshops, with one-on-one dialogue with outreach workers. They may use the time for appointments, or time for themselves. The emphasis is healthy development of children, an increase in positive interactions between parents and their children, an increase in supports for parents, and better access to resources. The Early Childhood Educators are also available to go on home visits with the parents to discuss any child development concerns.
• The Head Start program is a comprehensive, evidence-based early learning and care strategy designed to provide many inner city children with the best possible start at school. our program works together with a broad range of community partners to access the best possible services for low-income families throughout Edmonton. Head Start is a child-focused, learn through play program for children 31/2 - 5 years old.
• Success By 6® funding supports Books for Children at Norwood Family Resource Centre - This program supports families in developing early literacy and language experiences while promoting strong and healthy relationships.

PFK is a community collaboration between United Way, Edmonton Community Foundation, City of Edmonton FCSS, The Family Centre, Big Brothers Big Sisters Society of Edmonton and Area, E4C, Edmonton Public and Catholic Schools and the City Centre Education Partnership. The City of Edmonton’s Neighbourhood and Community Services also has programs that are an important component of PFK. PFK offers a combination of services to children and families to increase the ability of children to be successful in literacy, technology and social skills and to enter the next level of schooling with the same chance of success as kids not experiencing social barriers to learning. The Initiative is currently exploring ways in which it can engage local neighbourhood citizens and businesses in its work to enhance life for children and families.

Amount Allocated: $1,352,000

This initiative uses a risk and protective framework to raise awareness of the conditions that draw young people into gangs and the protective factors that are needed to create opportunities to promote the positive development of young people that will enable them to avoid the gang lifestyle. The real challenge in this approach is to shift thinking from looking for quick fixes to ones that address the deeper causes of gang violence and the needs of children, youth and families. This community initiative has many partners working together to address the issue of youth violence.

Amount Allocated: $32,000

Agency Mission: To provide services and resources that support and strengthen all families.

Funded Program: Family Life Education offers a variety of parenting, self-help and drop-in classes as well as support groups that address the challenges faced by families. These programs educate and support parents by strengthening and enhancing their parenting skills. Through parent education and support, parents learn how to deal with their children, build self-esteem and discover practical skills to enhance family life.

Amount Allocated: $75,188

Success By 6® is a community initiative dedicated to the well-being of Edmonton’s children and their families and strives to create nurturing environments where all children have the opportunity to reach their unique potential. The partnership builds and enhances community through mobilizing and leveraging resources that support the growth and stability of an accessible, comprehensive range of early childhood development services for children 0 to 6 years and their families. Success By 6® operates under the direction of a cross-sectoral, multi-disciplinary Council of Partners.

Amount Allocated: $725,618

Agency Mission: Empowering teen parents to succeed.

Funded Programs:

• Volunteer Services provides a range of opportunities for community volunteers to participate in providing services that will support pregnant and parenting teens. Volunteers are involved in administration support, in-kind donations management and a variety of opportunities to work directly with the young parent and their children.
• Family Outreach Program offers short-term and long-term (up to five years) support to pregnant and parenting teen moms and expectant and parenting young dads. Based on identified client need, Outreach Workers provide pre/post-natal education support, parenting education and guidance, child development education, support to achieve personal goals, and referral to community agencies. In addition, clients address personal needs such as healthy relationships, stable financial support, quality childcare, safe and affordable housing and meeting other basic needs.

Agency Mission: The YMCA of Edmonton creates life enhancing opportunities for the growth and development of all people in spirit, mind and body.

Funded Programs:

• Youth Transitions Program (YTP) works with youth between 13 to 19 years of age who have been out of school or are struggling in school. YTP offers a holistic approach to programming that enhances the youth's self-esteem and confidence, personal management skills, and lifestyle.
• Alternative Suspension is an alternative to suspension program for junior high youth. The program provides the youth a safe place to reflect on their behaviour, maintain their studies with homework periods, and focus on pro-social skill development in the workshops.
• Kids’ Club is an after-school literacy program. Children attend the program two afternoons a week for a period of eight to ten weeks. During the summer months, Kids' Club becomes Kids' University and the program expands into a two week full day experience that incorporates a numeracy skill development component in addition to the literacy skill development component.

This Agency provides Aboriginal women the opportunity to gather and meet other Aboriginal women and to learn from each other. The AWPA is a growing network of professional Aboriginal women who are skilled business owners, managers, program coordinators, public employees, entrepreneurs, facilitators, and students. The Association is mandated to mentor and share relevant teachings with interested Aboriginal women of all ages, regardless of background or experience.

Amount Allocated: $50,400

Agency Mission: Neighbour helping neighbour to find wholeness in greater Edmonton; people with the least access to resources will have increased power to determine and achieve their goals; and people with the least access to resources are interpreted to include those groups affiliated with low income: lone parents, children, aboriginals and people with limiting abilities.

Funded Programs:

• Essential and Community Support Services (ECSS) has three major components: the Drop-In Centre, Adult Support and Outreach, and Basic and Essential Services. In addition, with the assistance of United Way, the agency has increased services in the Community Liaison Outreach Program to better serve the needs of homeless individuals who have chronic and severe mental health and/or addiction issues. The work of Bissell Centre is based on building relationships with people while providing practical assistance to meet the basic needs of individuals living in poverty - that is food, clothing, day shelter, finding housing, applying for financial support, advocacy, someone to talk to, crisis intervention, and a safe welcoming environment. Services are provided within a Harm Reduction model. Most services are provided on a drop-in basis. Individuals in crisis or those requiring short-term assistance can access services without requiring an appointment or a complex registration process.
• Volunteer Services promotes the culture of volunteerism at the Bissell Centre is such that volunteers are seen as an integral part of the organization and continue to have a sense of ownership and pride in Bissell Centre. Volunteers are trained, oriented, placed and supported so they can support program delivery and contribute hours of service for special events. Volunteers provide service at different agency sites (the Community Centres, Moonlight Bay Centre, and the Thrift Store) as well as at various community venues for special events. The Volunteer Coordinator provides staff education, awareness, training and consultation. Program participants are encouraged to volunteer.

Agency Mission: The mission of the Boyle Street Community Services is to build and provide community support for people with multiple barriers to community inclusion.

Funded Programs:

• Urban Counselling Network provides service to community members, many of whom are homeless, and have come to Boyle Street to access services that address immediate needs (e.g., food, clothing, and housing) and to develop a sense of belonging. The relationships that develop as a result of the initial service interaction at Boyle Street raises a community member’s comfort level and increases their openness to accessing counselling services. Individuals and families who are deemed hard to serve or non-compliant by mainstream professional services are often receptive to acting on a referral from one of the Agency’s existing programs to UCN. Having the UCN counsellor on-site full time also means there is a known face and a responsive resource for clients to access.
• Inner City Recreation Program addresses complex social issues in Edmonton;s inner city neighbourhoods by meeting the recreation needs of community members, most of whom experience significant barriers including access to affordable recreation. The program uses a strengths-based approach to introduce community members to recreational activities and leisure facilities in order to build their confidence and develop specific skills.
• Edmonton Safe ID Storage Service provides community based support service for people who are poor, social marginalized, homeless or at risk of homelessness. This program offers respectful, pro-active, client focused assistance for the acquisition, retention and retrieval of ID. it ensures that clients have access to appropriate support agencies, programs and services as provides safe, secure, private and accessible ID storage for clients.

Agency Mission: E4C works to advance positive individual, family and community life. Together, we build on strength, capacity and understanding.

Funded Programs:

• School Lunch Program provides a well-balanced lunch to children. Edmonton’s School Lunch Program is helping children to concentrate on their schoolwork and not on their hunger. It positively influences student behaviors, attendance, morale, concentration and learning ability, eating habits and the social climate in the school.
• Kids in the Hall Bistro Program is a unique and complex nine-month project for youth-at-risk seeking guidance and direction for a positive and successful future. The project is set up in two basic phases - Phase I Workshops and Phase II Work Experience (Kids in the Hall Bistro).
• Crossroads offers alternatives, support, and hope to children and adults involved in prostitution or at risk of sexual exploitation. Persons involved in prostitution are subjected to terrible violence and abuse, physical and mental illness, drug and alcohol addiction, criminal persecution, poverty and homelessness.

Agency Mission: To be stewards in the community of surplus and donated food for the effective distribution, free of charge, to people in need in our community while seeking solutions to the causes of hunger.

Funded Programs:

• Volunteer Program – Volunteers are essential to the Food Bank. They provide the human resources that make it possible for the Food Bank to operate. This program provides recruitment, orientation, placement, evaluation and recognition of volunteers.
• Warehouse Program – The Warehouse Program is responsible for the logistics of handling food that is donated to Edmonton’s Food Bank, including transportation of donated food, storing, repackaging and sorting, hamper packing, recording and monitoring of food inventory and distribution.

Agency Mission: Responding to the changing political and social environment, the council will: identify trends and emerging social issues; create opportunities to debate and address social issues: and initiate and support community action through research, coordination and advocacy.

Funded Program: Organized Social Action works with other social agencies to examine social issues. Research is undertaken to support their position and this information is communicated to the public, stakeholders and the various orders of government. ESPC works with governments in an advisory capacity to inform and address key issues, identify and create long-term solutions, and effect changes to social policy.

Amount Allocated: $207,600

Empower U is a five year collaborative between Alberta Human Services, Alberta Capital Market Foundation, EPCOR, ATB Financial, Eldon and Anne Foote Fund through the Edmonton Community Foundation, Stollery Charitable Foundation, Edmonton Community Foundation, the Junior League of Edmonton, City of Edmonton and United Way of the Alberta Capital Region. Empower U combines Financial Literacy Programs with a matched savings component to facilitate long term financial skill development. The intent is that it will lead to financial stability and independenceof approximately 200 women/year, 1000 women over the next five years, most of who are struggling with low income and poverty. Agency partners running the Financial Literacy Programs are CEASE, E-Fry, City of Edmonton and Wings of Providence, Institute for the Advancement of Aboriginal Women, DECSA and Candora Society.

Amount Allocated: $337,916

Families First - Putting the Research to Work is a two year project beginning in 2010 that will take a proactive approach to Knowledge Transfer for Action. Knowledge Transfer is defined as a dynamic process of sharing information and interacting with partners to evolve ideas and concepts that results in coordinated and effective service changes based on the FFE research. Objectives of the Project include:

• using the research findings effectively to improve access to services by low-income families;
• the creation of an enabling environment for policy improvements and links across systems that breaks down barriers and improves access to services for low-income families;
• the creation of a data lab/bank of knowledge whereby agencies and organizations can request analyses and find answers to program and policy questions related to families with low income;
• modelling innovative kinds of leadership, personnel, structures, and processes necessary for effective cross sectoral collaborations to deliver services to low income families.

Agency Mission: To change the lives of people with disabilities and disadvantages by turning household donations and other resources into training and jobs.

Funded Program: Work Force Intern Program contracts service work with adults with mental illnesses, brain injuries and physical disabilities. This program provides individuals who are planning to obtain competitive and or supported employment with the supports they may need to improve their life and work skills.

Amount Allocated: $162,491

Agency Mission: To promote human Dignity. To bring surplus food together. To lend our support to other agencies that care for those in crisis situations. To develop community awareness, co-operation and education with people in need.

Funded Program: Food Distribution Program assists those in need with temporary food provision and helps guide clients to appropriate agencies for further assistance. The Food Bank networks with other local groups, organizations and social agencies to better help those in need, and to develop community awareness, cooperation and education related to food security issues.

Amount Allocated: $40,000

Agency Mission: To offer services to improve the quality of life of inner city seniors.

Funded Programs:

• Drop-In Food Program reduces economic and social disparities and improves access to services by providing a safe and secure place with recreational programming and opportunities to socialize, play pool or cards, and/or share a meal.
• Volunteer Program provides opportunities for individuals, families and groups to provide support to Operation Friendship through volunteering with the agency’s various programs.
• Helping Hands Program provides practical, non-threatening intervention in difficulties facing inner city seniors. Most often the program worker can intervene in situations before they become a crisis, preventing radical intervention such as institutionalization.

Funded Program:The COARSE Program is a provincial court-approved diversion program for individuals charged with offences related to prostitution. Individuals who want to exit street prostitution can participate in a court-approved case plan that may result in withdrawal of charges or reduced criminal justice system sanctions. Individual case plans may include addictions treatment, education, job training, income support, housing, health care, and other programs and resources.

Amount Allocated: $50,000

Agency Mission: Changing lives through literacy.

Funded Programs:

• Literacy Program provides tutors for adults with low literacy skills. The program assists the volunteers to build on the literacy skills and meet the needs and goals of the student.
• Students for Students builds on the learning that occurs in the Literacy Program. Students plan activities and events that are open to other literacy students. These events often focus on self-improvement and acquiring new skills.
• ESL Program is similar to the Literacy Program but with an English as a Second language focus. Volunteers and students work on speaking, listening and writing English and learning Canadian culture.

The Brian Layton Infant Formula Program has developed a quick, effective delivery system to provide infant formula to families unable to provide the proper nourishment to their infants. The St. Albert Food Bank provides Safeway gift cards to partner representatives at St. Albert and Edmonton hospitals, health centers, parenting and social agencies. The gift cards, in the amount of $22, provide formula for up to five days.

Amount Allocated: $12,000

Welcome Home is a volunteer-based program that provides companionship to individuals and families making the transition from homelessness to home. The program helps clients address their social isolation and helps to improve their chances of retaining their new homes. Welcome Home is a collaboration between Enbridge Pipelines Inc., the Edmonton Homeless Commission, Catholic Social Services, the Edmonton Interfaith Housing Initiative and United Way of the Alberta Capital Region

Amount Allocated: $140,000

Agency Mission: The Youth Emergency Shelter Society will be a well-respected and compassionate service provider for youth at risk. The organization will be one that youth want to utilize, people want to work for and the community wants to support.

Funded Programs:

• START House is a program for youth ages 16 to 19, who are typically victims of abuse or neglect and have no viable living alternative. They must be involved in productive activities such as attending school or working. START is a client directed program, which focuses on the development of strong independent life and decision-making skills.
• Skills Program is a component of service that is available to clients residing in the START and SkY Programs. It provides skills development on both an individual and group level to meet the needs of the client. Areas of Skill development include (but are not limited to) the following; employment readiness training, budgeting, meal preparation, educational preparation, self-esteem building, relationship skill building and accessing the job bank.

This Agency offers the Circle of Safety Aboriginal Family Violence Program that provides family violence specific services to Aboriginal men, women and children who have been exposed to family violence. Included in the service is male and female outreach, partner safety checks, parent/child Circles, Elder Services and Ceremony. This program is the only one of its kind in Alberta and one of only nine in Canada.

Amount Allocated: $50,000

Agency Mission: In the Alberta/Northwest Territories Division, our mission is to improve the quality of life for people affected by arthritis, and to support proactive efforts directed toward prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and a cure for arthritis.

Funded Program: Education Program and Services is offered directly as well as through a network of community connections to help people manage their illness and disability. Lasting change is created by ensuring that people with Arthritis gain knowledge, receive support, and learn skills and strategies in how best to manage their condition. This contributes to encouraging personal empowerment, maintaining independence, and enhancing their ability to contribute to the community. Services include the Arthritis Information Line, Arthritis 101, and Arthritis Self-Management Program.

Amount Allocated: $76,440

Agency Mission: Make mental health matter in our community by promoting mental health and supporting people affected by mental illness.

Funded Programs:

• Community Education educates people about maintaining and enhancing mental health and securing proper treatment and support. Activities are also designed to change the public’s attitudes that, in turn, will lead to an increased understanding and tolerance within the community in order to decrease the stigma and promote mental health. The program also contains a peer-leadership component which allows CMHA clients to develop meaningful relationships, learn from one another and acquire valuable leadership skills.

Agency Mission: To assist persons with spinal cord injuries and other persons with physical disabilities to achieve independence, self-reliance and full community participation.

Funded Program: Client Services offers supportive counseling and service coordination that begins while in acute care and continues through an individuals stay in rehabilitation hospitals and over a person’s lifetime, CPA Client Service coordinators (CSC) assist people with spinal cord injuries and their families to adjust to the personal and functional effects of injury and disability.

Amount Allocated: $238,600

Agency Mission: To improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity in Canada and the world.

Funded Programs:

• RespectED is a primary and secondary prevention program that equips community members to interact with adolescents about family and interpersonal violence. By working in collaboration with schools and community agencies, RespectED Educators enable teens to understand maltreatment and break the cycle of abuse and neglect.
• Humanitarian Issues focuses on programs which engage youth and the community-at-large in global issues by linking local and international humanitarian concerns.
• Injury Prevention focuses on teaching young people basic first aid and life skills when caring for others. The program also seeks to teach youth to recognize dangerous situations and to develop appropriate safety habits.
• Disaster Services provides support to individuals and families impacted by disaster. Volunteers and staff work to meet immediate basic needs such as shelter, clothing, food, first aid and emotional support.

Agency Mission: To enhance independence for Canadians who are blind or partially sighted and to be the leader in promoting vision health.

Funded Programs:

• Children & Family Services helps children and families/caregivers overcome the challenges of vision loss, increase their independence and achieve their goals.
• Intake, Counselling & Referral provides efficient and immediate responses to new and existing clients. Helps people overcome the challenges of vision loss, increase their independence and achieve their goals.

ECVO is dedicated to providing leadership and mobilizing the collective resources of the voluntary sector, to enhance programs, services, operations and governance of not-for-profit organizations in the Edmonton Region. ECVO is working to develop a cohesive and credible voice on important issues related to this sector.

Amount Allocated: $31,200

ESCC is helping senior-serving organizations deliver social, recreational, and social support services that are comprehensive, effective, efficient and accessible for seniors throughout Edmonton. Through coordination and facilitation of resource sharing among existing senior-serving agencies, ESCC strives to maximize efficiencies where possible. By bringing senior-serving agencies together, the sector is able to identify duplication of services as well as gaps that need to be addressed.

Amount Allocated: $21,000

Agency Mission: To ensure the well-being of persons with epilepsy through increased public awareness and education, and, further, to address specific concerns, both personal and social, that these individuals experience.

Funded Program: Public Education and Awareness increases the awareness of the Association and its services to people with epilepsy and their families. It also provides peer support to people living with epilepsy.

Amount Allocated: $100,680

Agency Mission: Through our programs and services we work to prevent crime and to help people affected by crime.

Funded Program: Community Intake & Aftercare has four services under this umbrella program. Intake and Employment Services that provide direct services and referrals to some of the most disadvantaged people in our community. REE* START that helps to assist youth to integrate successfully back into their community. Alternative Learning Program is a private accredited school that offers a variety of interrelated tuition free services to its clients. Volunteer Services recruits volunteers for a variety of positions within the Agency.

Amount Allocated: $310,333

Agency Mission: We foster the dignity and worth of all women and girls who are at risk of becoming criminalized.

Funded Programs:

• Adult Courtwork serves individuals 18 years and over who are charged with a criminal offence and are appearing in docket court on their first and second appearance, or in the domestic violence courtroom. Staff and volunteers provide information and legal referrals, offer information about community resources, explain sentencing and provide support to family and friends of the accused.
• Community Resources Program is an umbrella for a number of specific educational programs, services and initiatives that include: Adult Stoplifting, Drop-In services, Aboriginal Women's program, Clothing program, One-on-one support, Information and Referrals, and Girls Empowered and Strong.

Agency Mission: An advocacy and support association working on behalf of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.

Funded Program: Family Support Program promotes strong families by providing opportunities for families who have a loved one with a disability to become more empowered through educational opportunities, connections to resources, advocacy and crisis support.

Amount Allocated: $95,080

United Way of the Alberta Capital Region is committed to the allocation of resources in surrounding communities (Fort Saskatchewan, St. Albert, Strathcona County), referred to as Geographic Service Areas or GSAs. A United Way staff member sits on a local Community Investment Committee (CIC) comprised of citizens within each community, which directs dollars based on what they feel would be the greatest benefit to their municipality/region. The following communities have CICs.

Amount Allocated: $150,000 ($50,000 to each community)

A multi phase community outreach project to support the complex health, safety and social development needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transidentified and two-spirited youth (LGBTT) in the Edmonton Region. ISMSS supports vulnerable youth and works with community partners to administer the program.

Amount Allocated: $25,000

Agency Mission: The agency’s mandate is to contribute to the achievement of our vision by providing strength & support to individuals & families in need, in a manner sensitive to Jewish values.

Funded Programs:

• Counselling is offered by trained clinical, or therapeutic, counselors who help people address deep-seated emotional and psychological issues within a framework of established theories and techniques. Clients gain better understanding of their problems, and learn how to choose new behaviours, which help them make healthy choices and form healthy relationships. Clients are referred from other community agencies, health or other professionals, and can also be self-referred. Counselling is provided for as long as required. United Way funding provides subsidies to clients who might not otherwise be able to pay.
• Edmonton Bereavement Centre is a comprehensive bereavement program providing both support and education on coping with loss and assisting people through the process of grief. This is accomplished through a variety of ways, including community lectures, small group education & support, one-to-one counselling, self-help opportunities, and training for professionals & volunteers who work with grieving individuals.
• Community Support Services helps people with complex practical problems (which sometimes are compounded by emotional and psychological issues, or cultural obstacles) who have had limited success accessing other community services. Clients are more capable of clearly identifying and articulating the nature of their problems, can identify what they can do for themselves, are able to make a plan and identify additional community resources/contacts. Follow up is provided to foster success. An ongoing focus is to work collaboratively with clinical therapy clients within the agency and to enable a holistic approach to their issues. The program provides personal planning, advocacy and referral services.

Community mapping is a process for communities to visually map the assets of their community, including social, economic and ecological factors. The process is one that encourages inclusivity, community partnerships, cross-sectoral collaboration and places value on the knowledge and wisdom of community members.

Amount Allocated: $75,000

N.E.T. is a partnership with: City of Edmonton Community Services, Edmonton Police Service, The Family Centre, and United Way of the Alberta Capital Region.

Strong communities and shared responsibility for crime prevention are at the foundation of the Neighbourhood Empowerment Team (N.E.T.) program. Teams work with residents, business and organizations, building sustainable solutions to crime and disorder. N.E.T. promotes and supports participation in crime prevention activities, building on strengths that exist in all communities.

A typical N.E.T. team is made up of a City of Edmonton Community Capacity Builder, an Edmonton Police Service Constable and a Youth Capacity Builder from The Family Centre, offering a diverse mix of community, policing and youth services to the community.

Amount Allocated: $241,000

Agency Mission: Healthy sexuality throughout the lifespan by providing education, counselling, and consultation services in the area of sexuality.

Funded Programs:

• Volunteer Program provides volunteer opportunities and matches the needs and aspirations of volunteers with work opportunities that contribute to their mission and facilitates the achievement of the volunteer's personal goals.
• Education Program enables couples, families and groups in the community to develop the capacities and resources to address sexuality issues. The bulk of the education program is directed at adolescents and is designed to: Increase knowledge related to changes in puberty, reducing risk of sexually transmitted infections and/or unwanted pregnancy and options for sexual expression. Increase awareness of the importance and influence of personal factors such as religious beliefs, values, attitudes, expectations of others and communicating with a partner in relation to sexual decision-making and assisting individuals to develop skills in the areas of assessing risk and setting sexual boundaries.

Agency Mission: To provide community information and referral, and volunteer services for all community members.

Funded Programs:

• Community Information and Referral trains volunteers to assist clients and respond to information requests regarding services and community resources.
• Volunteer Centre Services promotes and supports volunteerism in the community. Information is provided on volunteer opportunities in the community by phone, in person and through online services.
• Sidekicks provides mentors to teach, guide and empower St. Albert’s youth, so that they may have the support of a positive adult role model. This program screens and matches community volunteers to children and youth. As well, they provide opportunities for activities that the match can enjoy in the community with other matches.

Agency Mission: To enhance the quality of life of older persons through service, innovation, advocacy and volunteerism.

Funded Programs:

• Home Services Program assists seniors to stay in their homes by locating reliable, responsible workers to help with interior and exterior home maintenance they are no longer capable of doing themselves. By offering this unique, free brokerage service, which matches seniors’ needs with suitable service providers, the Home Services Program helps seniors to remain in their own home and retain their independence longer.
• Multicultural Outreach Program addresses the issue of deep social isolation experienced by immigrant and refugee seniors as a result of multiple barriers of language, culture and poverty. Its fundamental intent is to ensure that these seniors become connected with sources of support, and gradually build the necessary skills and knowledge for optimizing their quality of life in Canada.

Agency Mission: The Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton (SACE) exists to empower individuals affected by sexual abuse and assault and to empower communities to take action against sexual violence.

Funded Programs:

• Client Services provides essential, specialized and cost effective sexual assault services aimed at both preventing the crime and offering healing and recovery to those who have been targets of the crime. The goal of the counselling program is to increase understanding for clients about the impact of sexual violence and to work towards healthier coping in their lives.
• 24-Hour Sexual Assault Crisis Line is available for survivors of sexual assault and abuse, their supporters, as well as concerned community members. Individuals call for support, information, and referrals.

Agency Mission: The Information and Volunteer Centre for Strathcona County enhances the healthy and vibrant lifestyle of Strathcona County residents by connecting them with their community resources and meaningful and fulfilling opportunities for voluntary engagement.

Funded Program: Information and Volunteer Centre provides a community information and referral service and provides agencies/organizations with volunteer services including recruitment, placement, training, management and education.

Amount Allocated: $54,201

Agency Mission: To end domestic abuse and violence in the lives of women and their children by supporting the Shelter, A Safe Place, and impacting public policy through education and awareness.

Funded Program: Shelter Program Support Services provides safe accommodation to abused women and their children on a 24-hour basis, for up to 21 days. Support services include crisis intervention, emotional support, information and referral, essential transportation, food, accommodation and child care programming.

Amount Allocated: $78,640

Agency Mission: To foster healthy families, institutions, and communities.

Funded Programs:

• Therapy and Counselling Services helps people acquire awareness, understanding, knowledge, skills, and perspectives to raise healthy children, build strong relationships, heal from trauma and navigate through change.
• Education Services provides psycho-educational courses and workshops. Education Services strives to ensure that: parents will be better equipped to raise healthy children; individuals will build the understanding and skills required to develop strong and healthy relationships; and that individuals, families and institutions (schools, communities, workplaces) will gain the knowledge needed to effectively navigate through change.
• Centralized Interpreter Services provide interpretation (verbal) and translation (written) services to individuals, as requested through organizations. In addition to interpretation and translation, the role of the interpreters includes providing cultural insight and brokering to professionals when required.

Agency Mission: The Support Network strengthens and supports individuals and families seeking resources, experiencing distress or looking to contribute to the well being of the community.

Funded Programs:

• Distress Line offer a 24-hour crisis line available within the City of Edmonton and surrounding communities. The line provides supportive listening and crisis intervention by volunteers who undergo an extensive training program.
• Walk in Counselling offers a no fee, solution-focused therapy to individuals and families. Individuals can access these services on a drop-in basis and receive support from volunteer therapists.
• Seniors Abuse Help Line provides a no fee, confidential 24-hour crisis and referral service for seniors in the Alberta Capital Region. The designated crisis and information line is answered by individuals who are knowledgeable about the issues of abuse to older adults and the community resources available to them. There is follow up service for individuals, which includes supportive listening, re-evaluation of risk, and additional referrals.
• 211 Information and Referral Line is an easy-to-remember three-digit phone number providing free, confidential, multilingual access to information about the full range of community, social, health and government services. Trained personnel answer a wide variety of inquiries including those related to housing, shelter, family based programs, specialized counseling, healthcare and leisure services. United Way is involved in planning for the expansion of 211 both regionally and at a provincial level.
• Volunteer Edmonton focuses on strategies that will further volunteerism in Edmonton. Volunteer Edmonton’s goals include elevating the awareness of the value of volunteerism to the community at large, advocating good standards of practice for volunteer involvement, and facilitating collective action among organizations that support volunteerism.

The Today Centre delivers a comprehensive, multidisciplinary response to family violence. It will offer a safe place for those affected by domestic violence to access timely, short-term services and support. Additionally, the Today Centre will link those affected by domestic violence to medium-term and long-term services and supports in the community that will further support their quality of life. Edmonton John Howard Society administers United Way’s funding for The Today Centre.

Amount Allocated: $75,000

Agency Mission: Provide leadership in the Edmonton area in the delivery of innovative community-based nursing and other health care and support services based on the principles of primary health care.

Funded Programs:

• People in Crisis Program (PIC) provides one-on-one support to residents in women’s shelters. Health facilitation is an essential component of the services provided by the PIC nurse and is defined as “the provision of supportive environments to enable people to change their lifestyle and consequently improve their health and well being.”
• Foot Care Program provides foot care in the home and in clinic settings particularly in the inner city, to aging individuals who may not be able to care for their own feet due to health problems or a disability. Clinics are located in various areas of the city in partnership with other community agencies.
• Volunteer Program provides volunteer assistance for the VON staff, to assist persons in job transition to acquire practical experience and to provide quality, cost efficient care to clients.
• Elder Abuse Program is a partner on the Elder Abuse Intervention team. VON nurses work on a collaborative team with Community Services, Catholic Social Services and the Edmonton Police Service. Nurses, along with the social workers and police, go into the senior’s home and deal with the medical, emotional, physical, and financial problems and refer the senior to the appropriate community supports.

Agency Mission: Through leadership, advocacy and support for women and their families, YWCA Edmonton creates strong, inclusive communities that value women’s perspectives.

Funded Program: Counselling Program – to provide a supportive environment in which to explore thoughts and feelings and to address social, emotional, intellectual and spiritual needs. The Counselling Program offers counselling and group sessions for individuals, couples and families. Funding from the United Way subsidizes counselling for women and children who come from low-income situations. The Centre also provides crisis intervention and referral services.

Amount Allocated: $210,712