FCSS continues to enhance community well-being

Posted on November 28, 2024 by Taber Times

By Cal Braid
Taber Times
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

 Town council recently reviewed a yearly report from Family and Community Support Services (FCSS). The program promotes and enhances the well-being of Albertans, families and communities and helps individuals adopt healthy lifestyles, improve their quality of life, and build capacity to prevent and deal with crisis situations should they arise.

 FCSS programs are an 80/20 funding partnership between the Government of Alberta and participating municipalities or Metis Settlements. Its programs serve the community by:

-providing information and supporting access to available social supports in the local community;

-promoting, encouraging and supporting volunteer work in the community;

-developing the skills of individuals and families for greater resiliency, such as mentoring programs;

-supporting the social development of children and their families;

-supporting seniors to remain connected to their communities and providing home supports;

-support people in developing skills to have healthy relationships with others; and

-help individuals and communities assume responsibility for decisions and actions that affect them

 The FCSS board approved the Report to Municipalities – Outreach Services 2024, and it was distributed to the regional municipalities and Alberta government funders. The report highlighted the program’s successes over the past year. The following are selected highlights:

 Seniors programs–Research shows that an estimated 30 per cent of Canadian seniors are at risk of becoming socially isolated. The following programs help to keep rural seniors socially connected: Senior Speaker Series–31 presentations in Milk River, Taber, Coaldale, Raymond, and Picture Butte; 300 attendees. Memory Café in Milk River; 18 attendees. Seniors’ Expo in Taber; 95 attendees. Ice Cream Social in Coalhurst, Coutts, and Taber; 77 attendees.

 The Women in Farming Conference offered a valuable opportunity for women to connect with peers, discover resources for navigating challenging times, and experience a sense of appreciation and recognition; 38 attendees and five children.

 The Creative Leaders Conference provided an opportunity for youth to connect with like-minded peers and learn more about their leadership styles. Emma Morrison, the first Indigenous woman in 72 years to win the title of Miss World Canada, gave an inspiring and engaging keynote address to 60 youth attendees.

 The report highlighted 7,174 FCSS volunteer hours–Locally, the Taber Little Free Pantry was a project developed by the Taber DO Crew to help address food insecurity in the Town of Taber. The development of the Little Free Pantry was made possible through the combined efforts of the DO Crew youth, FCSS, and the Town of Taber. Funding for the project was provided by the Town of Taber.

 DO Crew volunteer hours: 1,880. It’s an 86 per cent increase from the previous year.The breakdown of volunteer hours was 31 per cent Precious Connections and Between Friends; 27 per cent DO Crew; 23 per cent practicum students; 13 per cent Meals on Wheels; four per cent tax volunteers; and two per cent other volunteering opportunities (clothing and toy fest, event set up, etc.)

 National Volunteer Week- This year, FCSS launched the ‘Cheers to Volunteers’ initiative, which provided residents with an opportunity to nominate deserving volunteers in one of three categories: youth, individual, and group. Each winner received a plaque and an individualized celebration, which allowed them to celebrate in a way that felt meaningful to them. The Taber DO Crew won this year’s group award. Sophia Reyes, Felicity Johnston, Kennedy Planger, Kynlee Fallon, Zoey Villanueva, Cedd Domingo, and Alexis Baier made up the crew. The youth award went to Adriena Van Liere from Picture Butte and the individual award to Stewart Foss from Raymond.

 The DO Crew released a meaningful statement that said, “Volunteering is important to us because we value our community. We all need each other’s help and volunteering fosters a culture of collaboration and wholesomeness. We also want to influence the next generation to be more empathetic and work towards a ‘we’ mentality and not a ‘me’ mentality. Receiving this means a lot to us because it serves as a beacon of hard-work, hope, and integrity. In addition to that, it is proof that every small effort adds up and that when we come together as volunteers, a huge impact can be made on the world around us!”

 The Community Volunteer Income Tax Program is offered through a partnership between FCSS and the Canada Revenue Agency. The CVITP works with organizations in the community to host free tax preparation clinics. The CVITP arranges for volunteers to complete income tax returns for eligible individuals with a modest income and simple tax situations.

 Benefits received by eligible individuals program–The FCSS outreach team offers in-person support for seniors and adults who need help filling out paperwork to access their benefits. Staff also offer resources or additional supports to navigate local, provincial, or federal systems. The program directly supported 491 individuals and referred another 1,000 to other organizations and services that could address their needs.