NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
A resource for basic food supplies for the needy in Hay River was forced to temporarily close its doors in July until donors stepped up.

Support worker Shiense Cockney, left, executive director Renee Theoret, and clients of the Inuvik Youth Centre's programming for girls: Christin Taylor, Divine Taylor, Destiny Pokiak, Annabel Edwards, Delaney Arey, Florence Trasher, and Angie Kunnizzie. - Elaine Anselmi/NNSL photo

Now, as one of 21 recipients of United Way donations across the NWT, the Hay River Soup Kitchen and Food Bank's future is looking brighter.

"It made my afternoon," said manager Laura Rose.

"A couple of the other organizations around town have not been able to give us what they usually do and our costs have been going up exponentially. So, I'm thinking , 'Yes, we can breathe a little longer.'"

With 25 organizations across the Northwest Territories applying for the annual funding, United Way doled out grants to 21 groups from the donation pool of $91,500. The original amount allotted for donations in 2015 was $65,000, which was raised when the United Way received more donations than expected.

"Our contribution to Northern organizations increased 41 per cent. This was largely do to significant increase in donations from GNWT payroll deductions," said David Connelly, chair of the Community Investment Committee which decides on how to allocate the funds given by the United Way.

The majority of donations to United Way come from voluntary donations by employees of the GNWT, which are taken off their regular pay cheque, said Connelly.

"It's not employer driven, it's employee driven with the support of unions and employers," said Connelly.

"Often employers and unions will match what the employee gives."

Previously, the United Way beneficiaries were concentrated in Yellowknife. Now, Connelly said greater weight is given to grant applicants in communities or with territory-wide reach.

"Two years ago we changed from United Way Yellowknife to United Way Northwest Territories and we're trying to make that a reality," said Connelly.

"It's a delicate balance. There are significant under-served needs outside of Yellowknife but the largest under-served population is in Yellowknife."

Of the 21 grants, they are divided roughly into thirds between community-focused, pan-territorial and Yellowknife organizations.

In Hay River, Rose said the $6,000 donation from United Way would go toward overall operating costs for running the soup kitchen and food bank.

"We're totally run on whatever the community gives us," said Rose. "The costs are going up and everybody is tightening up a little here and there."

Seeing approximately 45 clients, three days a week at the soup kitchen, as well as providing food baskets, Rose said the organization clearly meets the objectives of the United Way, hence qualifying for donations.

Youth focus

Two organization that have a strong focus on supporting youth in the territory were also granted funding: the Inuvik Youth Centre and Zhahti Koe Friendship Centre in Fort Providence.

At the youth centre, executive director Renee Theoret said the $6,000 grant would go toward the Drop-In program, which is historically challenging to fund because as a general program it doesn't qualify for more specific funding such as in arts or sports programming.

"It allows us to open our doors and provide a safe place for youth to hang out, access computers, help with cooking healthy snacks, watch a movie or have a hockey tournament outside," said Theoret.

The program averages between 20 and 45 youth, depending on the time of year. The centre operates with a small staff that includes Theoret, a Drop-In supervisor and a student youth worker - the latter two working part-time.

Open five days per week, Theoret said funding is already a major challenge with operating costs for the centre running between $180,000 to $220,000 per year.

"I think if we were open consistently after school until 9 p.m., or 10 p.m. on weekends, if there was funding for that we could definitely connect more with the youth and engage more youth in the programs we have and maybe some of the older youth," said Theoret.

The Zhahti Koe Friendship Centre received a grant of just more than $2,800 from the United Way, dedicated to its Youth Computer Access and Training Program, said executive director Marcus Asamoah.

"Our main goal is to help bridge the computer literacy gap between aboriginal communities and city centres," said Asamoah.

"The majority of people here are not that computer literate. They use it for Facebook when they come to the centre, but we want to teach them that there is more to computers than Facebook and chatting."

With the grant, Asamoah said the centre would be able to supply software as well as equipment, and will teach the use of Microsoft Office, Photoshop and basic computer maintenance and repair.

The program was started in December and Asamoah said they already have 20 applicants, although the centre only has six computers.

By increasing computer literacy, Asamoah said the goal is to curb the high unemployment rate in Fort Providence.

"The unemployment rate for youth is over 70 per cent," said Asamoah.

"We think if we give them computer literacy, it will enhance their job prospects."

Beneficiaries of United Way NWT funding

• Children First Society, Inuvik - community play group: weekly open program for children ages zero to six.
• Ecology North, Yellowknife - Ecology Matters: after-school environmental education program for at-risk youth.
• Food First Foundation, pan-territorial - school food program equipment: resources for the breakfast and snack programs for schools across the territory.
• Food Rescue, Yellowknife - Food Rescue: supplies food to organizations serving homeless and in-need populations.
• Order of St. Lazarus, pan-territorial - North of 60 distribution of caregiver guides and palliative care blankets: distributing guides and blankets to nursing stations and community health centres across the NWT.
• SideDoor Youth Ministries, Yellowknife - life skills and cooking program: provides support services and skills development for at-risk youth.
• Special Olympics NWT, pan-territorial - Special Olympics: programming for athletes with intellectual disabilities.
• Yellowknife Association for Community Living, Yellowknife - community inclusion and YayFusion young adult group: supports and provides services for people with intellectual and other disabilities.
• Yellowknife Family Centre, Yellowknife - Monday Madness, Tasty Tuesday and parenting workshops: programs that develop skills for children and families around learning and healthy eating.
• Yellowknife Scouts, Yellowknife - Scout House window and security repairs: improvements to the facility that serves as an outdoor meeting facility for the group.
• YK Food Bank, Yellowknife - food bank: provides basic foods such as canned and dried foods, with hopes of expanding to fresh foods.
• Fort Smith Ecumenical Group Soup Kitchen and Food Bank, Fort Smith - food bank and soup kitchen: provides wholesome food for community members in need.
• Foster Family Coalition of NWT, pan-territorial - Camp Connections kitchen equipment: upgrade kitchen appliances to prepare nutritional and traditional meals for campers from within the foster program.
• The Soup Kitchen, Hay River - Soup Kitchen, Food Bank and Food Rescue: provides meals three days per week, food baskets, and acquires usable food that is past its due date, but is still safe, for use in the soup kitchen.
• Inuvik Homeless Shelter, Inuvik - Homeless Shelter: houses up to 25 adults in an alcohol and drug-free environment.
• Inuvik Youth Centre, Inuvik - youth drop-in program: a space for youth between five and 18 years old to access support and socialize safely.
• Northern Youth Leadership, pan-territorial - Northern Youth Gana River Summer Camp: week-long camping trip for girls to learn outdoors skills from elders, make friends and gain confidence.
• NWT Breast Health/Cancer Support Group, pan-territorial - breast health and cancer support: produce updated booklets of information for newly diagnosed breast cancer patients and on breast health.
• NWT Literacy Council, pan-territorial - Talk to Me: program that works with parents to communicate with children during daily tasks in order to develop language skills.
• YWCA Yellowknife, Yellowknife - YWCA GirlSpace summer workshop: promotes self-confidence, leadership and positive self-esteem among girls aged eight to 13.
• Zhahti Koe Friendship Centre, Fort Providence - youth computer access and training program: increasing computer literacy among youth in the community.