News Releases

Saskatoon Community Foundation awards $629,660 in grants through Emergency Community Support Fund

Saskatoon, July 21, 2020—Saskatoon Community Foundation has announced $629,660 in grants for 18 local charities including Station 20 West, Saskatoon Crisis Intervention Service, and Saskatoon Friendship Inn to address issues of food security, access to services and support, and mental health needs for residents whose vulnerability has been amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. The grants announced are part of the Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF), funded by the Government of Canada. 

The $350 million ECSF is being implemented in partnership with Community Foundations of Canada, the Canadian Red Cross, United Way Centraide Canada, and local community foundations across Canada. Its purpose is to direct support to charities and non-profit organizations serving vulnerable Canadians.

“Canadian charities and non-profit organizations have really stepped up during this crisis to help those most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government of Canada is pleased to support these community organizations through the Emergency Community Support Fund to ensure they can continue their invaluable frontline work,” says the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development.   

“Charities and non-profit organizations are leading the charge to build back better in pandemic recovery. These projects are helping set the stage for more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable communities,” says Andrea Dicks, President of Community Foundations of Canada. 

“The much-needed funds from the Government of Canada, working in partnership with Community Foundations of Canada, are greatly helping our community combat COVID-19. Community foundations are trusted partners in philanthropy and service, with strong local networks and a deep knowledge of their communities,” says Saskatoon Community Foundation Executive Director Carm Michalenko. 

“Here in Saskatoon, the 18 projects supported by the Emergency Community Support Fund are helping protect those who are most vulnerable. We are humbled to take part in sustaining the important work of community organizations, meeting the needs of our residents, providing necessities like meals, safety equipment, public washrooms, as well as crisis services.

“Even with this federal support, we know the community needs are great. People can continue to support local fundraising for the Saskatoon Inter-Agency Response to COVID-10 by visiting our website.”

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For a full list of grants awarded through Community Foundations of Canada network, visit the CFC website

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Contact:

Carm Michalenko

Chief Executive Officer

Saskatoon Community Foundation

Phone: 639.317.7853

Email: ceo@saskatooncommunityfoundation.ca

Saskatoon Community Foundation:

With a vision to make Saskatoon the best community in which to live, the Saskatoon Community Foundation contributes to the quality of life in our city by building endowed and non-endowed funds, and by providing strategic grant making and philanthropic advisory services, as well as community leadership and mobilization. Saskatoon Community Foundation offers endowed funds in which donations are held in perpetuity, generating income to make grants. It also offers non-endowed funds where donors strategically grant their entire gift to several charities. And every year, the foundation grants to a range of community projects and initiatives on behalf of donors who have created unrestricted funds. Follow the Saskatoon Community Foundation on FacebookInstagramTwitter, and LinkedIn.

Saskatoon Friendship Inn:

The Saskatoon Friendship Inn is a responsive, compassionate community organization fostering a sense of belonging for its clients. Relying on community wide partnerships and support in fulfilling its commitment to regular meal service and friendship, it also provides individual and group services and programs for children, youth, and adults who experience poverty. The Friendship Inn believes in community development, public education, and advocacy, to encourage compassionate solutions to poverty in Saskatoon.

Submitted photo:

Sandra Kary, Saskatoon Friendship Inn Executive Director, with packaged lunches ready for clients.