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."
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