Mount Cheam Rotary Club’s Community Impact Grant

DECEMBER 2024 RECIPIENT

Mount Cheam Rotary Club’s Community Impact Grant for December is the Chilliwack River Valley Firefighter Society.

The Chilliwack River Valley Firefighter Society consists of many people from 6 different firehalls who volunteer their time to organize and attend fundraising events to raise money for our community and the $3000 grant will go to support their annual Christmas Toy Drive

Listen to the featured interview on STAR Mornings with Jess & Shawn HERE:

NOVEMBER 2024 RECIPIENT

Mount Cheam Rotary Club’s Community Impact Grant for November is Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation

Your Community. Your Hospital. Your Foundation.
Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation was established in April 2000 to build partnerships with individuals, local organizations and businesses to support local health care services within the Fraser Valley Regional Hospital District.

Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation’s primary purpose is to raise funds and awareness to further the improvement of health care in the facilities and programs operated, funded or endorsed by the Fraser Health Authority to serve better the communities of Abbotsford, Mission, Chilliwack, Hope, Agassiz and Harrison Hot Springs.

Listen to the featured interview on STAR Mornings with Jess & Shawn HERE:

OCTOBER 2024 RECIPIENT

Mount Cheam Rotary Club’s Community Impact Grant for October is Compassionate Neighbours.

Compassionate Neighbours provide social support for older adults and their caregivers all free of charge and the $3000 grant will be used to further their programs and expand them to reach even more people.

CNHPS is helping every older adult and their caregivers feel connected to his or her community

The mission of Compassionate Neighbours is to promote physical, spiritual and psychosocial well-being of older adult neighbours living with advanced chronic conditions through neighbourhood activation and fueled by the partnership of a network of retired, non-practicing and practicing health professional volunteers.

CNHPS formed because, as in many parts of the world, the percentage of the population that are seniors has increased dramatically in B.C. Most seniors would like to remain in their own homes for as long as possible. At the same time, their support networks are shrinking, and many seniors find themselves with few family members living nearby. Much research has been done that points to increasing loneliness and/or social isolation among our senior population which can lead to other chronic conditions or increase the severity of these chronic conditions.

Listen to the featured interview on STAR Mornings with Jess & Shawn HERE:

SEPTEMBER 2024 RECIPIENT

Mount Cheam Rotary Club’s Community Impact Grant for September is Freedom Reins Equine Connections Society

Freedom Reins is a B.C. Society operating under the authority and as a ministry agent of Multi-nation Mission Foundation (MMF). MMF is a Canadian registered charity (BN 80737 5670RR000 )

Established officially in 2010 Founder Dora Isaak had the vision for doing therapy with horses in 2004 birthed from her own life experiences. Horses have been a dynamic force to bring about positive change for her.

About Equine Therapy: Equine Assisted Learning encompasses a range of treatments that includes activities with horses and other equines to promote physical, occupational, and emotional growth in persons.

Freedom Reins Equine Connections is a non-profit therapeutic riding organization in Yarrow in operation since 2010. We have the privilege to witness and experience the healing power of being with horses. It’s a pleasure to connect challenged individuals and horses to facilitate growth and movement toward wholeness. We create positive, strength-based interventions to meet various needs. Our clients present with a variety of diagnoses; physical, emotional and
social.

This grant will allow Freedom Reins to invite 5 individuals from the community to 3 months each of weekly therapeutic riding sessions. They already have 6
individuals in mind ranging from the ages of 6-16. The diagnoses of these 6 are ADHD, Autism spectrum, grief, and neurodivergence. Without this grant, they would not be coming to benefit from equine therapy.

Freedom Reins aim to make a difference in these lives and grow together toward wholeness

Listen to the featured interview on STAR Mornings with Jess & Shawn HERE:

AUGUST 2024 RECIPIENT

Mount Cheam Rotary Club’s Community Impact Grant for August is Chilliwack Opportunity Society

They are going to utilize this grant to create a program called Mt Cheam Rotary Friendship Club which will be created for 10 individuals, who are young adults with diverse abilities, to meet, socialize and take part in activities and outings together, with the assistance of volunteers 2 -4 evenings per month for the period of 1 year. 

With the help of this grant, this club will be created for individual’s who would like to live a typical, young adult lifestyle, meeting up with, and going out with friends, but face challenges with being able to do these activities independently.  Activities and outings may include, but of course would not be limited to, accessing local attractions such as movie theatres, restaurants and pool halls.  Chilliwack Opportunity Society commits to donating the use of their building to meet and host some of the activities such as group dinners, and seasonal parties.  Chilliwack Opportunity Society further commits to donating the use of transportation from the center to the activities, as well as recruiting and screening appropriate volunteers.  

Listen to the featured interview on STAR Mornings with Jess & Shawn HERE:

JULY 2024 RECIPIENT

Mount Cheam Rotary Club’s Community Impact Grant for July is Downtown Chilliwack Community Market

The Downtown Chilliwack Community Market takes place Sundays from 10am to 2pm, from May 26th to October 20th, 2024, on the traditional and unceded territory of the Stó:l? Peoples.

Get ready for an exhilarating weekly celebration of local growers, crafters, and gatherers coming together to create a kaleidoscope of vibrant colors, tantalizing aromas, and an atmosphere buzzing with excitement. At DCCM, our core values revolve around food security, education, and showcasing the incredible talents of our local crafters, artists, and makers. Picture a lively summer market where the community converges to discover and connect with locally grown, gathered, and crafted treasures.

Whether you’re a seasoned farmer or a first-time visitor, DCCM is your gateway to a world of quality food and goods that reflect the essence of Chilliwack. But DCCM is more than just a market – it’s a space where relationships flourish. Regardless of backgrounds, ages, or means, everyone is invited to join in the festivities. Inclusivity is our mantra, and we’re actively working towards making the market accessible to all. As part of the Downtown Chilliwack Farmer’s Market family, DCCM promises a warm and friendly community environment, extensive marketing support, and an infectious enthusiasm that will leave you eagerly anticipating each weekly gathering.

The DCCM is entering its 4th year of providing weekly markets where Chilliwack residents can connect with local growers, bakers, makers, and gatherers, and where vendors can offer their products to their local community. DCCM has quickly become Chilliwack’s most reliable source for high quality local food, art, and hand-made products.

The DCCM is run by a non-profit society built around community and food security. The market’s goal is to connect local families, individuals and seniors with local healthy food. This benefits both our local farmers and our community.

The DCCM is an inclusive space and works toward achieving accessibility for all.

For more details visit HERE.

Listen to the featured interview on STAR Mornings with Jess & Shawn HERE:

JUNE 2024 RECIPIENT

Mount Cheam Rotary Club’s Community Impact Grant for June is StoLo’s  Memiyelhtel Youth Mentorship Program.

Thanks to the generosity of Mount Cheam Rotary Club, the $3000 grant will be used towards investing in the unique needs of Indigenous youth in our community an will assist Mémiyelhtel in providing critical supports. This money will assist with summer programming, so that the staff can continue to do outreach throughout the summer and stay connected with these vulnerable youth clients, this grant would allow for special events (i.e., the waterslides; adventure park; paintball; etc…) over and above regular programming in the summer.

The Mémiyelhtel program supports Indigenous youth living within the traditional, unceded territory of St?:l? Nation (specifically Chilliwack). The program provides holistic, long-term and intensive support to vulnerable youth between the ages of 12-19 years. As captured by the traditional Halq’emeylem name, the goal of the program is to help youth be well. The Mémiyelhtel program delivers culturally relevant, dynamic, and uniquely individualized supports that create engagement and foster life promotion. The ultimate goal is to support youth to have a strong sense of identity, self-love and acceptance, while celebrating their ongoing resilience and perseverance.

For more details visit HERE.

Listen to the featured interview on STAR Mornings with Jess & Shawn HERE:

MAY 2024 RECIPIENT

Mount Cheam Rotary Club’s Community Impact Grant for May is Chilliwack Youth Health Centre. This money will directly impact people in need in our community.

The organization became a society in 2016 with the collaboration of Chilliwack Community Services, PCRS and Division of Family Practice.  Prior to that, they were funded by MCFD.  They have rooms/spaces at Stolo and in the Neighbourhood Learning Centre in the CSS building.

They provide a variety of services all free to youth. There are no screening processes, no income requirements – they see anyone who comes in. They have counselling services provided by interns completing their university degrees, alongside accredited counselling supervisors and medical services provided by accredited professionals for free. Many of the supervisors are professionals who have come through the internship program who now supervise the students, help train them and then those students come back to donate their time and keep the circle of medical professionals and volunteers going.

Some of the additional services they provide are substance abuse counsellors, medical services (seen by Dr’s) and collaboration with Gender Support Network and work with LGBGTQ2. They have also gone into middle, high school to help the counsellors who are overwhelmed with students needs and have gone to elementary schools to run programs about emotional regulation.

They have a room in each location which is open to anyone and where the kids can come and hangout. There are always snacks and drinks available for them. Some kids fill their backpacks. Some kids come and hangout and are not always there to see a counsellor or Dr. It’s a safe space where they feel like they can be themselves, been seen and heard too. Jenn told me an example of some kids who have come to hangout in the room for a year before they go a speak to a professional.

CYHC receives a small amount of funding from government but is mainly funded by grants, fundraisers, and the generosity of many donors. They are looking for local businesses or individuals to partner with or individual donations.

Thanks to the generosity of Mount Cheam Rotary Club, the $3000 grant will be used towards feeding the youth in their spaces. It costs about $500/month to feed all the kids that come through. They shop at Costco and get items like juice boxes and granola bars, etc. With 3800 visits last year alone, that’s a lot of mouths to feed!

There is also a Run for Youth event happening on May 25th, 2024 to help fundraise!

Listen to the featured interview on STAR Mornings with Jess & Shawn HERE:

APRIL 2024 RECIPIENT

Mount Cheam Rotary Club’s Community Impact Grant for April is Chilliwack Community Cupboard. This money will directly impact people in need in our community.

The Chilliwack Community Cupboard is a Not-for-Profit Society run completely by volunteers.  They have a goal:  to help struggling families, with children living with them, under the age of 19 years with food and clothing.  All of the items are given away at no cost.

They accept donations of clothing, food, small housewares, bedding, towels, toys, etc., as well as cash and e-transfers.

Thanks to the generosity of Mount Cheam Rotary Club, the $3000 grant will be used towards providing food and clothing to those who need them!

Listen to the featured interview on STAR Mornings with Jess & Shawn HERE:

MARCH 2024 RECIPIENT

Mount Cheam Rotary Club’s Community Impact Grant for March is Ruth and Naomi’s Mission. This money will directly impact people in need in our community.

Ruth and Naomi’s mission support men and women in residential addiction recovery, provide close to 400 meals per day, manage apartments, provisions for basic hygiene and more.

The $3000 grant from Mount Cheam Rotary Club will be used towards Men’s & Women’s Recovery Programs.

Thanks to the generosity of Mount Cheam Rotary Club

Listen to the featured interview on STAR Mornings with Jess & Shawn HERE:

FEBRUARY 2024 RECIPIENT

Mount Cheam Rotary Club’s Community Impact Grant for February is Chilliwack Learning Society. This money will directly impact people in need in our community.

Thanks to the generosity of Mount Cheam Rotary Club, the $3000 Community Impact Grant for February is Chilliwack Learning Society.

CLS:

• Provide services and programs to adults who wish to learn; supporting them to achieve their personal or workplace goals.
• Reach out to parents and caregivers of young children. Give them skills, tools and support to develop a love of learning and school-readiness in the child.
• Work alongside the existing system of family development programs to increase pre-literacy supports and program sustainability.
• Work alongside community agencies to encourage and develop learning opportunities for youth to progress beyond their current capabilities.
• Work with local businesses to create or improve literacy and employability skills training in the workplace.

Listen to the featured interview on STAR Mornings with Jess & Shawn HERE:

JANUARY 2024 RECIPIENT

Mount Cheam Rotary Club’s Community Impact Grant for January is Sardis Doorway. This money will directly impact

people in need in our community.

Thanks to the generosity of Mount Cheam Rotary Club, the $3000 Community Impact Grant for January is given to Sardis Doorway.

Sardis Doorway has been supporting mothers who find themselves parenting alone since 1987. They provide meals, support groups and\education…and they rely on donations to do the work they do. This $3000 impact gift from Mount Cheam Rotary Club will go towards purchasing groceries for their breakfast and lunch program. If you’d like to get involved, they’re often looking for volunteers to prep food and clean up, care for infants and toddlers, mentor mothers or join the Board of Directors.

Listen to the featured interview on STAR Mornings with Jess & Shawn HERE:

For more information on Sardis Doorway, visit their website HERE.

Each month we’ll highlight the recipient of Mount Cheam Rotary Club’s Community Impact Grant. Proudly supporting Chiliwack and the Fraser Valley… along with STAR 98.3 partners…Valley Toyota, Mark’s Chilliwack and Johnston’s Pork.