Hon. Alice Wong, P.C.

April 23, 2014 – Richmond, British Columbia – Employment and Social Development Canada

The Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors), announced today that seniors in Richmond will be receiving support from the Government for a community gardening project.

The Sharing Farm’s Seniors Greenhouse Club is receiving more than $19,000 in federal funding through the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP). This program supports projects led or inspired by seniors who want to make a difference in the lives of others and in their communities.

Through the project, The Sharing Farm will upgrade its collection of garden tools and modify greenhouse shelving to facilitate access for seniors, making it possible for senior volunteers with varying physical abilities to become involved in the club. Seniors will also learn to grow fruit and vegetables that will be donated to local food banks at harvest time. This project is expected to benefit 5,000 seniors.

Quick facts

• Economic Action Plan 2014 proposes an additional $5 million per year for the NHSP to support projects that enable seniors to share their knowledge, skills and experiences with others. These projects also help communities increase their capacity to support seniors at a local level.
• Since 2006, the NHSP has funded more than 13,000 projects in hundreds of communities across Canada. NHSP funding is targeted to both pan-Canadian and community-based projects.
• In 2014, over 1,770 NHSP community-based projects across Canada were approved through the 2013–2014 call for proposals and received more than $33.4 million in funding.

Quotes

“This project exemplifies a win-win situation for seniors and the Richmond community. Seniors will gain horticultural knowledge, which will enable them to donate the proceeds from their gardens to local food banks at harvest time. We are proud to work with organizations like The Sharing Farm so that seniors can remain active and productive members of their community.”

– The Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors)“The Sharing Farm Society is pleased to have received a grant from the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program to fund our Freshly Aged – Seniors Greenhouse Volunteer program. We’re connecting seniors with other seniors and creating a community around an inter-generational sharing of knowledge and experiences. Along with growing food for families in need, we’ll be growing a new year-round crop of great volunteers!”

– James Gates, Executive Director for The Sharing Farm Society

Additional links

• New Horizons for Seniors Program

• Economic Action Plan 2014

Contacts

Earl Maynard
Office of the Minister of State (Seniors)
613-716-5422

Media Relations Office
Employment and Social Development Canada
819-994-5559
media@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

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Backgrounder

The New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) is a federal grants and contributions program that supports projects led or inspired by seniors who make a difference in the lives of others and their communities. Through the NHSP, the Government of Canada encourages seniors to share their knowledge, skills and experiences to the benefit of others.

NHSP funding is targeted to both community-based and pan-Canadian projects.

Community-based project funding supports activities that engage seniors and address one or more of the program’s five objectives: volunteering, mentoring, expanding awareness of elder abuse, social participation and capital assistance. These projects are eligible to receive up to $25,000 per year per organization in grant funding.

Pan-Canadian projects help seniors protect themselves from elder abuse, including financial abuse and fraud. These projects enable community members to better recognize elder abuse in all its forms and to improve the quality of life, safety and security of seniors. Projects focus on developing tools, resources and promising practices that can be adapted and shared across communities, regions or the entire country and may be eligible to receive up to $250,000 per year for a maximum of three years.

Over 1,770 NHSP community-based projects were approved through the 2013–2014 call for proposals, for a total of more than $33.4 million in funding.

Funding Breakdown

The next NHSP call for proposals for community-based projects is expected to be launched in the spring of 2014. For more information on the NHSP, visit www.hrsdc.gc.ca/seniors.

Filed under: News, Seniors