Ottawa commits $800K to expand programming for seniors at St. John's non-profit
CBC
The federal government is giving $800,000 to a St. John's organization that supports and advocates for seniors.
The funding for Connections for Seniors was given through the government's Age Well at Home program, first announced in 2022. That program totals $90 million for community organizations across Canada to allow seniors to age in place, along with an additional $39.6 million to fund 71 more groups across the country. That funding was announced on Tuesday.
Mohamed Abdallah, executive director of Connections for Seniors, said the funding will go a long way toward expanding his group's programs and making them sustainable into the future.
"It's an immediate help for seniors in the community," Abdallah said Tuesday. "The $800,000, hopefully it will be something that we can say we used for 10 years, not just two years."
Abdallah said the funding will help transportation and food security programs.
Some of the money will be used to buy an accessible van so that more seniors will have access to transportation, along with hiring more staff to help coordinate programs and help with snow clearing and grocery delivery.
He said the group is also hoping to start a meal plan program, where meals can be delivered directly to seniors in addition to the food hampers they already provide.
"We had a pilot program a couple of years ago, and we used to deliver over 1,200 meals every month," Abdallah said. "And I think that number will double in the next couple of years, so seniors can actually have more access to nutritional food."
Federal Seniors Minister Seamus O'Regan said he's happy to see the money go to a local non-profit that is making a difference for seniors in the capital city.
"That is going to help Mohamed and his team offer in-home support services to 2,000 seniors in the city. Things like meal deliveries, housekeeping, transportation and what every townie longs for, snow removal," O'Regan said.
"I'm just so happy that we are able to look after seniors where they live, in their homes, with dignity. With respect."
Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Click here to visit our landing page.
CBC Newfoundland and Labrador is kicking off its annual holiday campaign, helping to raise money to support local food banks.
If all goes according to plan, at 6 a.m. AT on Saturday people working at the IWK Health Centre will become the test case for a generational change to Nova Scotia’s health-care system.
One month after Prime Minister Mark Carney announced what he called "generational" military spending, New Brunswick’s defence ecosystem is on high alert.
Miranda Mirlycourtois, 34, looks directly at the camera and makes a confession.
Saskatoon city hall says police spending is projected to be $2.6 million over budget this year. That pushes the city into a $1.2-million deficit position, according to a report that will be considered by city council next week.
Students at the University of Regina are days away from deciding whether a newly formed student association should become their official representative body.
All public schools on P.E.I. are closed Friday and thousands of Maritime Electric customers are without power as strong winds create hazardous travel conditions across the province.
Prince Rupert, B.C., residents are celebrating the holidays this year with coastal flair.
In the four years Chelsey Simmonds has worked at the Eva Rothwell Centre, she has seen the need increase every year at the centre’s community food pantry.
CBC is once again looking to make the holiday season kind in Windsor-Essex.
Acute Care Alberta has extended its contract for another year with a private surgical facility at the centre of probes into health procurement and contracting.
As food bank use continues to climb across the province, front-line workers in Thunder Bay, Ont., are working to improve both food security and education.
More ads could soon be coming to Toronto’s subway system.