United Way offering grants to help local charities with reopening costs

By Tim Kalinowski on June 29, 2021.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDtkalinowski@lethbridgeherald.com

The United Way of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta will be offering $80,000 in grants to help local charities with reopening costs coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The grants will go toward such things as costs associated with meeting basic needs, accessing mental health support and addressing the various after-effects and impacts of COVID-19.
“We have a combination of corporate and individual donors that have given over the last campaign,” says local United Way executive director Janelle Marietta. “And all of these funds are designated to COVID relief. So we are excited to put these dollars out in the community, and ask charities across southwest Alberta to apply for funds to support some of these COVID restriction needs as we transition back into normal.”
Marietta says the funds could go toward a variety of different things, and the criteria could be quite broad depending on the application received.
“There are two key priorities for us right now,” she says. “Obviously charities and non-profit organizations have had to pivot to adjust throughout this pandemic, but we are predicting there will be a lot of resources needed to transition back into regular programming. So we are looking to support that work, and find ways to support the charities as they do that. We are also finding a lot of individuals and families have been significantly impacted financially.”
Grants, in this respect, Marietta confirms, could go toward paying things like user fees for individuals or families who are clients of the organization who may be struggling financially. The grants could also go to pay for things like PPE or the costs of implementing other measures to continue to make people feel safe in using the organizations’ services.
Marietta says COVID-19 has also had a significant impact on local charities’ abilities to fundraise for themselves through stakeholder events or other forms of public activities. These grants recognize this also, confirms Marietta.
“There has been a huge reduction in that type of income for charities,” she states. “So we are recognizing that huge need and just trying to find ways to help make sure the doors stay open, and our community is being supported as they move forward.”
Registered Canadian charities in Lethbridge and South Western Alberta are invited to apply for funds by July 15, 2021. Forms and guidelines are available at https://www.lethbridgeunitedway.ca/covid-19-funding.

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