AMHERST – Does your group or organization have a great idea to help improve the health of your community? Would some additional money help that idea become a reality?
The three local community health boards may be able to help by providing funding through a Wellness Grant.
For 2015, they have over $50,000 available to support projects that promote wellness in the county.
Darla MacPherson, Cumberland Health Authority vice-president of community health, says wellness grant monies are provided by the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness and the Cumberland Health Authority and are distributed by the local CHBs.
“Wellness Grants support community-based projects and are distributed based on key priorities such as physical activity, healthy eating, tobacco control, injury prevention, addiction prevention, healthy sexuality and chronic disease prevention,” said MacPherson.
Members of the county’s three community health boards - Springhill, Oxford, Amherst and Region; Southampton, Parrsboro, Advocate and Region; and, Pugwash and Area - work co-operatively to review all the applications and award the money.
The funds are allocated to projects that positively impact as many local residents as possible and the entire process has a district-wide focus.
The deadline for submitting an application for the 2015 grants is 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 24.
Those who are looking for an application form or who have questions about the process should contact Colleen Dowe at 902-661-1429 or via e-mail at [email protected] .
Copies of the application form are also available online through the Cumberland Health Authority’s web site at www.cha.nshealth.ca by clicking on the wellness grant application link on the main page.
Acting in an advisory capacity to the Cumberland Health Authority, the community health boards are responsible for preparing and maintaining an inventory of community-based health services, assessing community health needs and services in relation to those needs, constructing health plans and managing community development grants.
