TD Bank Group (TD) launches the TD Scholarship for Indigenous Peoples, a new scholarship program tailored specifically for students from the Indigenous community, managed by AFOA Canada. TD understands the unique challenges and systemic barriers we face as Indigenous Peoples. Which is why we have worked closely with TD to customize a scholarship program focused on the needs of students from the Indigenous community. 

"It's important that students from Indigenous communities have equitable access to education. The TD Scholarship for Indigenous Peoples aims to help provide students from Indigenous communities with the financial freedom and stability to explore the benefit of a post-secondary education and work education. I am thrilled to see this program launch and look forward to continuing our relationship with AFOA Canada." – Doris Bear, Vice President, Indigenous Banking, TD Bank Group 

The scholarship program will provide 25 successful applicants with $15k annually (with a maximum of $60k across 4 years) to be put towards tuition costs and living expenses for the duration of their studies. Additionally, recipients will be offered an internship opportunity with TD to gain valuable work experience aligned to their career aspirations. Internship opportunities will be available for students throughout their time as a recipient. 

“The new TD Scholarship program will be transformational in the lives of the Indigenous students” says Terry Goodtrack, President and CEO, AFOA Canada. “It will set them up for success in achieving their academic goals and chosen career path” 

Scholarships are available for First Nations, Métis and Inuit who are members / citizens of a First Nation, Métis or Inuit community. You must be a permanent resident of Canada and have applied for or are currently enrolled in a full-time, minimum 2-year program with an approved post-secondary institution in Canada. 

Applications will open Friday, November 18, 2022, at 4:30pm ET, and must be submitted by no later than January 16, 2023, at 5:00pm ET. For complete information about the program, please visit: www.afoa.ca/td. 

Background: 

AFOA Canada 

AFOA Canada, founded in 1999, strives towards their mandate to help Indigenous Peoples better manage and govern their communities and organizations through a focus on enhancing management, finance and 

governance practices and skills. It is the only organization in Canada that focuses on the capacity development and day-to-day needs of those Indigenous professionals who are working in all areas of management, finance, band administration, leadership, and program management—We are Building a Community of Professionals. 

TD Bank Group 

At TD, we recognize there is more work to be done on our collective journey towards Truth and Reconciliation. Supporting community initiatives that promote a connection to the land, enhance financial education, and foster a sense of belonging is important. We believe society is stronger when we work together and that we can help be a catalyst for dialogue to bring people, communities, and cultures together. 

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Access Local Mental Health & Substance use Services with a Single Phone Number

Interior Health has made it easier for people to find the community mental health and substance use supports they need with the expansion of an easy-to-remember phone number: 310-MHSU (6478).

“Reaching out for help with mental health and substance use issues can be an intimidating process. Add to that the challenge of not knowing who to contact or where to go for help and it can feel difficult and stressful, and that is the last thing we want. So we’ve made that process easier with the new 310-MHSU number that connects callers directly to the closest mental health and substance use centre in their community,” says Mental Health and Substance Use Network Director, Debi Morris.

The 310-MHSU phone service offers a connection to community-based mental health and substance use services. Calls to 310-MHSU will be automatically routed to the nearest community MHSU centre, where staff will determine the caller’s needs and connect them to the appropriate service.

“There is absolutely no shame in reaching out. Whether a person is experiencing moderate to severe mental health concerns, or if you are worried about your drinking or other substance use, help is available. These are treatable conditions. It starts with one phone call,” says Debi.

It’s important to know that 310-MHSU does not replace existing phone numbers for community, acute or emergency services, or for the Interior Crisis Line (1-888-353-2273). If you are in crisis and need immediate help call 911.

Improving access to mental health and substance use services is a key priority for Interior Health. The phone line was developed in response to feedback from clients and the public, to make it simpler for people to be connected to community supports. It is available to anyone who wishes to connect to MHSU services, including social services and health-care providers.

The number launched in the South Okanagan on September 8, 2020, prior to expanding Interior Health-wide on January 12, 2021.

For mental health services for those under age 19, visit B.C. Child and Youth Mental Health for a full range of resources.

For more information about MHSU services in Interior Health, please visit www.interiorhealth.ca.

Interior Health is committed to promoting healthy lifestyles and providing a wide range of quality health-care services to more than 801,000 people living across B.C.’s vast interior. For more information, visit www.interiorhealth.ca, follow us on Twitter @Interior_Health, Instagram @interiorhealthbc or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/interiorhealth.

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The Homes That Are Prepared Are The Homes That Are Left Standing

The smell of smoke fills the air. The heat rises and the sky turns yellow with ash. The sounds of wood cracking and the pops and bangs of aerosols exploding can be heard from a distance. The heat sounds like a windstorm as fire tears across the ground.

It is terrifying.

But not uncommon.

Wildfires are natural part of British Columbia’s wildland ecosystems. Without wildfire, the landscape loses its diversity. By extending our communities into forested areas, we become more exposed to the danger of wildfire.

This summer the most important thing you can do is be prepared by using proven FireSmart methods to protect your home.

These simple steps are recommended by the Firefighters who have been on the frontlines and know first-hand what makes homes and communities more resilient to wildfires. To increase the probability that your home will survive a wildfire, it is highly recommend that you do the following:

• Clean your roof and gutters
• Mow your lawn regularly
• Move woodpiles and combustible material 10-30 meters away from your home
• Clean up dry leaves, twigs and branches from your yard
• Download and use the interactive FireSmart Begins at Home Manual

After years of devastating wildfires, firefighters and experts from around the world were asked one question: “What have we learned?” Watch their answers below.

https://vimeo.com/536517089

These are simple tasks that could save your home by giving the fire less fuel. For even more protection, integrate FireSmart into your long-term renovations and upgrades. Here are some more tips to keep in mind when building or renovating your home:

• Choose a fire-resistant material for roofing
• Put a spark arrestor on your chimney
• Consider screening your vents
• Choose siding that offers superior fire resistance like stucco, metal, brick, concrete or fibre cement
• Install tempered, thermal (double-paned) windows
• Plant low-density, fire-resistant plants and shrubs and do not use bark or pine needle mulches within 10 meters of your home

These recommendations will help reduce the likelihood of you losing your home to wildfire. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. How you prepare today could make the biggest different in what happens tomorrow. For a detailed look at all the things you can do to protect your biggest investment, please download the FireSmart Begins at Home Manual.

And remember: It’s the homes that are prepared, that are the homes that are left standing.

FireSmart BC website: www.firesmartbc.ca
FireSmart BC Twitter: www.twitter.com/BCFireSmart
FireSmart BC Facebook: www.facebook.com/firesmartbc
FireSmart BC Instagram: www.instagram.com/firesmartbc

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Free Medical Flights to Kelowna

The East Kootenay region is an extremely beautiful place to live. Vast wilderness surrounds small towns providing world class scenery, adventure, and lots of space to call home. Residents appreciate the calm, quiet nature of this area; far from the busy city centres filled with traffic noise and fast paced lifestyles. But what we enjoy about our lack of infrastructure can also be a crutch for those in need of certain services. Access to proper health care facilities is a challenge that many residents face, causing them to travel long distances for medical treatment. For those that do not have the means to travel, Angel Flight East Kootenay is helping those in need make the journey to receive proper treatment in Kelowna.

Individuals living in rural communities in Canada have long faced challenges in obtaining equitable access to health care services. Healthcare equipment is extremely expensive and because of that, it requires a large population of people to support the need for many medical services. And it’s not just medical equipment but doctors with certain specialties that do not exist in the area. Rural communities constitute 18% of the Canadian population but are served by only 8% of the physicians in Canada.* Kelowna is the closest city in BC with a wide variety of medical services. But due to the long drive, and lack of commercial flights, going for an hour appointment could involve a multi-day trip. The time and money involved in that length of journey is not feasible for many. Angel Flight East Kootenay has stepped in to help get people to and from their appointment in a timely manner, free of charge.

Angel Flight East Kootenay’s is a charitable organization with the goal of flying local residents to treatment centres in Kelowna, for free! If you need assistance getting to Kelowna for specific medical treatment that cannot be found locally, Angel Flight East Kootenay is your best bet. The planes are small and serve individual patients. They fly to and from Kelowna based on your appointment times, so you will not get stuck waiting around for other patients. Due to the small, un-pressurized planes, there are a few limitations for passengers. To find out more about the limitations visit www.AngelFlightEK.ca. Currently planes fly from the Cranbrook International Airport and Sparwood Elk Valley Airpot, with hope to have more airports added to the list.

Founded in April 2019 by retired airline captain Brent Bidston. Angel Flight East Kootenay is entirely volunteer-led with no paid employees. Volunteer pilots are donating their time and their planes, which help donations make a significant impact. But flying is not cheap, so in order to keep offering free flights to Kelowna, donations are crucial. To make a donation today just click here.

Address: Fernie B.C
Phone: 250-430-7057
Email: info@AngelFlightEK.ca
Website: https://www.angelflightek.ca/

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7 Reasons Why Local Connections Is A Great Way To Reach Your Business Goals

Every business operates with the same basic principles. While you might differentiate in product or strategy, all businesses need to be constantly evolving, adapting, and growing to meet your customers’ needs. In everything you do, you want your business to reach your audience, to expand your clientele, and to grow your customer base. Sponsoring a Local Connections article on this website can help you do just that and here’s why:

1. Provides An In-depth Educational Opportunity

Your message can include many more details in comparison to a banner ad or a radio spot. Each of these options provides significant benefit to your advertising strategy, and Local Connections is a great complement to them. The article is where you can expand on the message of your ads, broaden your scope and dive into the details while creating a new link to your community. Without time or space constraints, this is your opportunity to fully educate your audience.

2. Establishes Trust With Your Audience

This format isn’t an overt advertisement. Instead it encourages a connection with your audience. While your business will be featured prominently, the content is not directly about you. Instead, it’s all about your audience. As such, the content is very benefits-rich. By focussing on the benefit to the reader and helping solve a problem they have, it builds trust between your business and the reader. In this way, when they’re in need of the type of service your business provides, they’ll be coming to you because trust is a powerful influencer. It’s also an indirect, subtle selling point that you can’t just advertise. Trust is something you have to create.

3. Enhances Digital Brand Awareness

Local Connections provides a platform for your business to showcase itself online. In an increasingly digital world it’s important to have a digital presence. From social media to websites to sponsored content, it keeps a business’ brand current and relevant. Your content on Local Connections will live online permanently under your brand. This is an opportunity that is different from all other forms of marketing. Because the cost of a digital article is one of the few options not based on duration, the value of your Local Connections article will continue to build over time as it is a permanent part of our website.

4. Supported With Radio Spots

Not only do you get a permanent branded article on our website, but you’ll also receive on-air spots to drive traffic to it. The radio spots keep your company’s brand fresh and top of mind while also getting listeners to go online to the article where they are again interacting with your brand. Best of all, you get to decide how much frequency you want for your radio spots, based on your budget.

5. Supported With Social Media Posts

In addition to the aforementioned Radio Spots, you will also get supplemental social media engagement from our stations so your brand will reach our entire online community as well. Each week for four weeks, you’ll receive one social media post driving traffic to your article. Taken collectively, the Local Connections article, radio spots, and social posts provide a comprehensive marketing package that reaches different audiences in different ways while consistently putting your brand in front of listeners and viewers.

6. Allows For A Visual Showcase

While radio is known as the “theatre of the mind,” physically putting your brand in front of our listeners’ eyes provides an entirely new and different opportunity to connect with them. A digital article can contain images, logos, videos, and more – all optional media assets that you can share. A balance of text and visuals allows your brand to not just tell its story, but to show it in a simple, concise, and attractive way that is engaging to your audience.

7. Provides Measurable Results

Using analytic tools, we’re able to see and track digital traffic. We can monitor how many visitors come to our site and how much time they spend on it, all of which translates into value for you. The time that is spent on our site proves that our audience is taking the time to read your article which means they are learning about you and your brand on Local Connections.

Local Connections is exactly that: your connection to your local community. If you’re ready to accomplish your business goals contact us today to get started on your Local Connections article. We’re excited to help you reach your audience and grow your clientele in a new and innovative way.

Start Your Local Connections, Contact Us Today »

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