Communities throughout B.C. including Prince George are increasing their efforts to address the overdose crisis with more than $900,000 in grants awarded to municipalities for local community wellness, safety, and harm-reduction projects.
Twenty-four municipalities and their community partners have received up to $50,000 in funding for initiatives that build on community wellness, safety and harm-reduction efforts related to the overdose crisis and saving lives.
City of Prince George
Association Advocating for Women and Community (AWAC) Co-Ed Storage and Drop-in Center is the local recipient who will use the funding to expand a pilot initiative that provides homeless/precariously housed individuals with supervised access to co-ed storage, washrooms, showers, laundry facilities, and other services/supports
Other funded projects in BC include:
* a needle recovery program in Vancouver;
* a drop-in harm reduction and meal program in Houston; and
* an employment program in Penticton and Kelowna.
Additional projects aim to reduce stigma while engaging and empowering people with lived and living experience of substance use.
The one-time grants are supported by the Community Crisis Innovation Fund through the Ministry of Health and will be administered by the Community Action Initiative.
This funding is part of a comprehensive investment of $746 million since Budget Update 2017 (through to 2023) aimed at harm reduction, prevention, enforcement, treatment and recovery initiatives.
A link can be found here.
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