Three Penticton community organizations are receiving grants from Valley First this year.
The three Penticton grants distribute $18,455 between the Penticton and Area Access Centre, South Okanagan Immigrant and Community Services, and the Penticton Recovery Resource Society which is better known as the Discovery House.
Each of the grants from the First West Foundation includes an extra $25, in honour of the 25th anniversary of the foundation’s creation in 1996.
“Placing these grants into the hands of deserving charities is so important right now given the resilience and flexibility they have shown over the past year and a half, says Susan Byrom, executive director of the First West Foundation.
“Since our credit union was formed, we have continually put an emphasis on growing in a thoughtful way that serves the best interest of our members and communities. We’ve seen the benefit of this growth first-hand at the First West Foundation by being in a position to increase our community giving even further even amid uncertain times.”
The Penticton and Area Access Centre grant goes to support their RISE program, which stands for Releasing and Integrating Strong Emotions and helps clients learn to understand and cope with anger and other strong emotions.
The Penticton Recovery Resource Society is putting their grant towards their healthy living food, garden and nutritional program. The program serves between 40 to 68 men a year, and highlights innovative solutions to food security and enhances employment opportunities by providing training in Food Safe, food preparation, gardening, budgeting, and inventory control.
South Okanagan Immigrant and Community Services is putting their grant towards their Building a Stronger Community through Immigrant Civic Education, which is an engagement program involving 10 immigrant residents from the South Okanagan-Similkameen region to build their capacity to understand and participate in local, regional, and municipal service and community planning processes.
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