Two local organizations are included among 86 community groups across Canada set to receive a share of $1.5 million in grant funding.
The money comes from Farm Credit Canada’s (FCC) AgriSpirit Fund, which is meant to support rural capital projects.
“This year, the FCC AgriSpirit Fund awarded between $5,000 and $25,000 to various community improvement initiatives that enrich the lives of residents in cities, towns or Indigenous communities with fewer than 150,000 people,” said FCC officials.
In the East Kootenay, the Kimberley Helping Hands Food Bank Society and Wildsight Elk Valley.
FCC officials said $19,000 will go to the Kimberley Helping Hands Food Bank Society to purchase a dehydrating system and create a workstation.
The new equipment will be used to increase the food bank’s capacity for food recovery.
Meanwhile, Wildsight Elk Valley will receive $18,000 to build a hydroponic farm at the Community EcoGarden in Fernie.
FCC officials said this will give them the ability to grow fresh crops year-round to provide food to the community.
“It’s amazing to realize the range of projects and organizations the FCC AgriSpirit Fund has been able to support over the last 20 years and the impact it has created,” said Sophie Perreault, FCC executive vice-president and chief operating officer. “We continue that legacy through great investments in our communities today.”
You can see a full list of the grant recipients below.
More: FCC AgriSpirit Projects – 2023