United Way announced on Friday that six Abbotsford-based projects addressing poverty, homelessness or helping children from newborn to age six be successful in school will be funded this year.
The two largest grants are for homelessness reduction projects. One project will focus on youth, in partnership with Abbotsford Community Services.
The other program will focus on hard-to-house individuals and families, partnering with Raven’s Moon Resource Society.
Cyrus Centre also had funding renewed for their Roofs 4 Youth program, which helps youth develop skills required to maintain housing and secure employment.
One program that is new on United Way’s list of funded projects is Women’s Resource Society’s pregnancy outreach. Funding will reduce the wait list of vulnerable mothers.
United Way also renewed the funding for Reading Adventures, a Central Abbotsford Community School program focusing on children who are not quite ready for Grade 1, preparing them to make the step from kindergarten.
“We are very pleased to be investing in skills-based programs that will reduce community costs now and in the future,” said Wayne Green, executive director of United Way.
“These grants are only available because of the incredibly generous donors we have here in the Valley.”
A total of $150,000 in grants were awarded to 16 Fraser Valley projects during an event on Friday at the Sweeney Neighbourhood Centre in Abbotsford. For more information, visit uwfv.bc.ca.