Released on October 16, 1997
Social Services Minister Lorne Calvert today joined a SaskatoonAdvisory Committee in announcing funding for unique child nutrition
and development programs.
"This is a remarkable project that will have a significant impact on
the lives of people with low incomes in this city," Calvert said. "On
this, World Food Day, I want to commend all of the partners on this
very important work."
Representatives from the Child Hunger and Education Program (CHEP),
Saskatoon District Health Board, Friendship Inn, Healthy Start, Food
Future, Collective Kitchens, Saskatoon Food Bank, Catholic School
Board and Saskatchewan Social Services have come together to form a
steering committee. This committee will allocate child nutrition
funds to ensure the best possible use of resources and to enhance
nutrition development in the community. CHEP will administer and
distribute the funds.
Ten projects have been approved for funding including: the expansion
of the Healthy Start Infant Nutrition Program, Travelling Market
Project and continuation of the Garden Project which enables families
to grow their own food and links young families with seniors who no
longer use their gardens.
Saskatchewan Social Services is providing $139,200 in one-time funding
for the project.
"This funding will support a number of exciting initiatives in
Saskatoon and area, which focus on reducing hunger," said CHEP
Executive Director Karen Archibald. "The programs receiving
funding enable communities and families to come together to gain
greater control over their access to affordable nourishing food."
The funding provided is part of the one-time $500,000 enhancement
to the Child Nutrition and Development Program to support
self-sufficiency projects, which was announced in the 1997/98
provincial budget.
Calvert said the Saskatchewan Government is working on a number
of initiatives to address the issue of child and family poverty.
"Research tells us that long term healthy functioning of an
individual has significant links to his or her early childhood
development. If we want to have a strong society in future, we
need to invest in our children now," he said.
In addition to the $500,000 to support self-sufficiency projects,
in 1997/98 the government introduced a number of initiatives to
address poverty.
Funding was increased to programs for children under
Saskatchewan's Action Plan for Children; benefits under the
Family Income Plan were enhanced; a Youth Futures pilot project
was implemented in Prince Albert, which works to connect 18-21
year old youth with education or training and/or job
opportunities; a Provincial Training Allowance was established;
the social assistance allowance for school supply fees was
increased; funding was made available to enhance the quality and
safety of child care centres across the province; and SaskTel
implemented a new program that enables all families to obtain
local-only telephone service with some stipulations (must agree
to debt-repayment program if applicable, no access to 1-900
numbers, etc.).
In 1998 Saskatchewan will implement a Saskatchewan Child Benefit
and Saskatchewan Employment Supplement which will assist and
support families with low incomes, and those on social assistance
as they work toward independence.
"Saskatchewan has a strong history of community partnerships,"
Calvert said. "I am very pleased at the work we are doing
together and will continue to do in the times ahead."
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For more information, contact:
Virginia Wilkinson
Social Services
Regina
Phone: (306)787-0916
Karen Archibald
Executive Director, CHEP
Saskatoon
Phone: (306)655-4635