Tri-County community health boards approve wellness fund projects
A total of 28 wellness fund projects, with a combined budget of $128,523, have been approved by community health boards in Shelburne, Yarmouth, Clare and Digby.
“From a budget standpoint, this was a typical year,” says Clyde deViller, the Community Health Board (CHB) coordinator for the area.
“Many projects deal with our priority of food security, whether they be in schools or for seniors, since we know poverty and food insecurity, especially among children, are a major concern in our area, as well as Health and Wellness Programs.”
Grants from the CHB Wellness Fund are awarded annually to non-profit organizations across the province who are working to improve the health of their communities.
Five projects are being funded in Shelburne County including a $5,000 grant to the Barrington Municipal High School for a Cross Country
Ski Club; $3,011.49 to Schools Plus; $3,449.92 to the Shelburne County Youth Health and Support Association and $1,500 each to Sou'West Nova Transit and the South West
Chapter – Autism Nova Scotia.
Ten projects received wellness funding from the Yarmouth County Community Health Board including five school projects that focus on mental health, active living, healthy living, reading and a mural project.
The Municipality of the Argyle received $2,695 for a junior golf program through its recreation department.
The West Pubnico museum (Musee Acadien des Pubnicos) will be serving up healthy traditional Acadian dishes with the $2,500 grant they received.
The South Ohio Community Centre Volunteer Society Seniors' Cafe will be offering a lunch and learn series with the grant they received, while the Tri County Women's Centre will be starting a garden to table: collective kitchen program.
A total of 13 projects were funded in Digby County by the Digby and Area and Clare CHBs.
The Clare CHB awarded $11,457.17 in grants for three healthy living related school projects at Ecole secondaire de Clare, École Joseph Dugas and Ecole Stella-Maris. A grant for chat and learn about health and wellness to the Clare radio station and funding for a Community Carnival at Villa Acadienne round out the recipients. Among the recipients approved by the Digby and Area CHB was the Bear River First Nation Health Center for community health and wellness evenings and the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #22 in Bear River for an eats outreach program.
The Digby and Area Seniors' Safety Program, the St. Patricks Community Kitchen, Digby Schools Plus, the VON Tri County Meals on Wheels and South West Chapter of Autism Nova Scotia were the other recipients.
The CHBs within the Western Zone – which also includes Queens, Lunenburg, Annapolis, and Kings counties – have a shared Community Health Plan based on an extensive public engagement process. The priorities in the Community Health Plan are food security, recreation and wellness, housing, and community connection. Projects must support one or more of these priorities.
A virtual Wellness Fund Celebration for Yarmouth, Clare and Digby & Area
CHBs is scheduled for April 7. Anyone wishing to attend can contact deViller at Clyde. deViller@nshealth.ca for the Zoom link.
The province is providing new support for certain businesses and practitioners in the cosmetology sector through the Targeted Sector Impact Program.
The new program, announced Feb. 17, will provide a one-time grant of $2,500 to help eligible businesses and practitioners directly impacted by the tightened mask requirements announced in December as part of the provincewide public health restrictions.
“The government is committed to listening to and working with the business community as we embark on our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Susan Corkum-Greek, Minister of Economic Development. “This funding, along with the easing of restrictions this week, will help jump-start business activity in the sector.”
The province will fund and administer the new program, which is expected to cost about $1 million depending on participation. Applications will open on Feb. 25.
The program will be available to applicants who earned at least 50 per cent of revenues during 2021 from eligible services (those that couldn't be performed without the removal of masks)
The government will continue working with the Cosmetology Association of Nova Scotia to finalize the program rollout.