Lac La Biche Canadian Native Friendship Centre almost $30,000 in Provincial Grant

The Lac La Biche Canadian Native Friendship Association will continue providing food and resources for residents by giving an extra helping hand due to increased pressure and demand within the province.

The Donation Matching Grant enables Alberta’s government to match donations made to food banks and related organizations throughout December 2022.

In total, 210 organizations received funding through the three grant streams to support Albertans struggling to feed themselves and their families.

The Lac La Biche Canadian Native Friendship Association applied and was approved receiving $29,579.

The grant will go towards covering a food bank support worker who will be employed full-time for 10 months in assisting individuals on a one-to-one basis. The individual is a degreed social worker who will also address other needs.

“We served 1687 people and of that number half of them are children, the numbers keep increasing,” said Donna Webster, Executive Director.

“We issued in 2021, 478 food hampers plus 165 Christmas food hampers and then for 2022 we issued 587 food hampers and 200 Christmas food hampers.”

Last year the organization provided $95,000 dollars worth of food to community members.

“Our hampers are the nonperishable basics of peanut butter and pasta, soups and canned things and we are able to get another grant for fruits and vegetables, eggs, milk and yogurt and school snacks,” said Webster.

“It’s wonderful that we got the matching grant because it is going to help that much more.”

Of the majority of the issued baskets over half went to families and of the number of families, a third had five or more children.

“Everybody is doing the best that they can to help people with inflation, and we are working to alleviate poverty,” said Webster.

In November 2022, Alberta’s government announced that a total of $20 million over two years would be provided to food banks and related food security organizations. This funding was made available in response to the increased pressure and demand as a result of today’s inflationary crisis.

“Alberta’s government is putting compassion first by supporting our most vulnerable and ensuring that no Albertan is left behind. I’m proud of our historic 2.8 Billion dollar affordability plan, including these critical food bank investments. By funding these five Fort McMurray – Lac La Biche food banks, we’re giving the local organizations, who know our local needs best, the resources they need to help our neighbours,” said Brian Jean, MLA, Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche in a press release.