The City of Courtenay is dishing out some money to help local organizations with COVID-19 support efforts.
Council approved the release of $17,500 from provincial gaming funds to four members under the Comox Valley Coalition to End Homelessness (CVCEH) umbrella.
They include $5,000 to the Comox Valley Care-a-van, the LUSH Valley Food Action Society, and the Comox Valley Food Bank. The Comox Valley Transition Society will be receiving $2,500 of the money as well.
The money will be used for many different things including medical supplies and sleeping bags for the Comox Valley Care-a-van.
It will help get The LUSH Valley Food Action Society’s emergency food access program working and sanitization equipment as well as gas for its delivery trucks.
The funding will also help the Comox Valley Food Bank purchase food for its users and provide food, living supports, and sanitation supplies for the Connect Warming Center.
Mayor Bob Wells says after talking with staff from the CVCEH, the four organizations were chosen because they would help make the biggest impact during the pandemic.
“I was in fairly constant contact over the last couple of weeks with Andrea Capelli and Heather Ney and we knew that there was a need but we knew we needed that need to be really articulated,” explained Wells.
“There are 22 members but these four jumped up as things that needed immediate funding really to deal with COVID 19. These aren’t regular funding costs for regular day-to-day things, this was really things to deal with new stuff.”
