Recent Impact - Red Deer & District Community Foundation

RDDCF Adds Three New Scholarships for Central Alberta Students

The Red Deer & District Community Foundation is pleased to announce three new financial awards to support Central Alberta students. “With the understanding that education can be a powerful tool, we are thrilled to work with community-minded individuals and groups who see the value of investing in youth and impacting future generations,” said Erin Peden, […]

What's Happening

Grant Supports Rural Hospice in Bridging the Gap

Mothers for Recovery Support Group made possible by grant from the Community Foundation

With funding from a $30,000 grant from the Red Deer and District Community Foundation (RDDCF), a new support group for mothers living with substance use disorder will begin this January, run by Family Services of Central Alberta (FSCA). This initiative seeks to provide mothers with the support they need to overcome addiction while also ensuring […]

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What's Happening

RDDCF Adds Three New Scholarships for Central Alberta Students

The Red Deer & District Community Foundation is pleased to announce three new financial awards to support Central Alberta students.

“With the understanding that education can be a powerful tool, we are thrilled to work with community-minded individuals and groups who see the value of investing in youth and impacting future generations,” said Erin Peden, RDDCF Executive Director. “We know that significant financial barriers exist for students and their families, so these financial awards help to remove these barriers and unlock possibility.”

The new scholarships include:

The Shea Family Education Award, created by the Shea Family and inspired by their deep roots in Sylvan Lake, will support graduating students from École H. J. Cody High School in Sylvan Lake.
The Burman University Music Bursary was created by Cheryl Cooney and Dick Huddleston, longtime friends of the Community Foundation, who were inspired by both the skills of the students at Burman University and the quality of the Burman University Music Program. This bursary will provide two entrance scholarships to the Burman University Music Program each year.
The Red Deer Golf & Country Club Centennial Scholarship was created to commemorate the RDGCC Centenary, as part of the Club’s celebration of this milestone with its members and the community. The scholarship is open to students who have been employed in the golf industry or have actively participated in the game of golf.

Greg Shea, who established the Shea Family Education Award, sees tremendous value in increasing accessibility to education while supporting local youth to pursue their educational goals. “We focus our philanthropy towards young people, whether it be education, sports or other activities, with the goal of empowering future generations by disrupting cycles of disadvantage,” said Shea.

With the addition of these three awards, the Community Foundation now offers 13 different scholarships to support students in a wide variety of fields. While application criteria, eligibility, and requirements vary for different scholarships, all financial awards can be applied for through the Community Foundation’s online application portal.

For more information or to apply online, click here.

What's Happening

Grant Supports Rural Hospice in Bridging the Gap

To enter the hospice suite at Points West Living in Stettler is to experience a sense of comfort. The incredible staff, Board, and volunteers of the Stettler Hospice are community-minded individuals who are not afraid to have uncomfortable conversations if it means getting people closer to comfort when they need it most – when they are faced with needing end-of-life care. The love and nurturing providing by the Stettler Hospice is an invaluable resource for families living in and around Stettler.

With a commitment to accessibility and compassionate end-of-life care, the Stettler Hospice Society understands that access to hospice care is crucial. But accessing this care can be challenging for those living in rural communities, where travel to bigger centres for medical care can be a burden to families already struggling with the logistics and emotions of hospice care. This deep understanding of the vital importance of local hospice care allows the Stettler Hospice Society to fulfil their vision “to provide loving, compassionate care for the emotional, physical and spiritual needs of patients and their families during End Of Life by relieving suffering, providing comfort, and helping to improve quality of living and dying.”

A key benefit of hospice care in rural communities is the ability to continue a sense of support while allowing patients to stay in the communities where they feel most connected. In many rural areas, neighbors and community members often come together to provide care for those in need. Hospice programs build upon this existing support system by offering specialized medical expertise, emotional support, and resources to patients and their families.

To this end, the Stettler Hospice Society also facilitates an innovative program called Hospice at Home. Hospice at Home allows patients to stay in their homes while still accessing hospice care in the form of regular volunteer visits. This program bridges the gap by bringing compassionate care directly to patients’ homes.

The Red Deer & District Community Foundation recognized the incredible impact of the Stettler Hospice Society with a grant of $10,000, used by the agency to purchase essential tools that help to provide comfort and solace to patients and their families.

The amazing care provided by the Stettler Hospice Society is a pillar of strong community support. One family shared that “there was nothing we could have asked for or thought of that [the Stettler Hospice] didn’t provide. Thank you for granting mom’s wish to leave with dignity and to be able to meet with all her family. We are eternally grateful to the Stettler Hospice.”

Impact Stories, What's Happening

Mothers for Recovery Support Group made possible by grant from the Community Foundation

Mothers for Recovery provides an opportunity for mothers who are seeking or maintaining recovery from substance use to receive non-judgmental support in a safe and confidential space. The program involves weekly meetings co-facilitated by a social worker and a mother in recovery herself, modeled after the idea that the best teachers for mothers with addiction are individuals who have recovered from addiction themselves. The program encourages mothers to share their experiences, strengths, and hopes in recovery while amongst peers with similar past and present experiences.

“Our adjudication committee recognized that mothers with substance use disorder face unique challenges, including stigma and shame,” said Erin Peden, RDDCF Executive Director. “The Mothers for Recovery program makes sense as an evidence-based early intervention strategy to support not only mothers, but also their children. Our hope is that this grant can facilitate the creation of a program that provides connection and resources for mothers who most need specialized peer support.”

To reduce barriers to attendance, young children can participate in the Mothers for Recovery Child Development program which is designed to provide a nurturing environment for children while their mothers attend the support group sessions. Children will be cared for in an adjoining space by qualified childcare providers and will engage in play-based developmental programming. As children with a parent who has substance use disorders (SUDs) are more likely to have lower socioeconomic status and increased difficulties in academic and social settings and family functioning, breaking this cycle is possible with early intervention programs such as Mothers for Recovery.

“This concept grew from the lack of addiction services available for women that they could bring their children to and that also dealt with the sensitive parenting issues that accompany substance use disorder,” said Judy Scott, FSCA Executive Director. “We want to make it as easy as possible for mothers to attend our meetings and get the support they need, without the barrier of finding reliable childcare.”

The program will be held at the FSCA Parkland Mall site and is free to all individuals who identify as a mother and who are seeking or maintaining recovery from substance use, with no agency referrals required. For more information on attending, call 403.309.8222.

RDDCF Adds Three New Scholarships for Central Alberta Students

Grant Supports Rural Hospice in Bridging the Gap

Mothers for Recovery Support Group made possible by grant from the Community Foundation

Help us grow our unrestricted fund! Donate today to the Smart & Caring Communities Fund.

RDDCF Adds Three New Scholarships for Central Alberta Students

Grant Supports Rural Hospice in Bridging the Gap

Mothers for Recovery Support Group made possible by grant from the Community Foundation

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