FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Vancouver, BC March 24, 2020
The Bloom Group Community Services Society is thrilled to have been selected as the first grant recipient from the newly-formed Community Response Fund, led by four Community Advisors: Vancouver Foundation, Vancity credit union, United Way Lower Mainland, and the City of Vancouver.
A generous $50,000 grant will ensure the social service provider is equipped to rapidly deploy essential relief to people disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and its economic consequences here in Vancouver.
“Today, we find ourselves in unprecedented circumstances as our province responds to the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Liz Barnett, Executive Director, The Bloom Group Community Services Society. “We are grateful for the support and will of Vancouverites, rallying around us, ensuring that we continue to support those most in need of our critical services across the lower mainland.”
According to Barnett, the grant will provide necessary funds for the delivery of programs including re-establishing a rent bank for tenants affected by job loss, developing accessible materials for individuals and families to better equip them to deal with the pandemic, and supporting children and youth in light of the pandemic’s effects on mental health.
The Fund is expected to grow and expands its focus as it evolves. “We’re in this together as the coronavirus pandemic affects all of us,” says Tamara Vrooman, president and CEO of Vancity. “By coming together we can ensure that our communities can support our most vulnerable, and this Fund will do exactly that.”
The Bloom Group advocates on behalf of resilience, social justice and equality for all. They welcome donations to provide support for those impacted by homelessness, addiction and mental health challenges. https://www.thebloomgroup.org/Donate/.
To learn more about the fund and its list of supporters, please visit: www.vancouverfoundation.ca/covid19.
About The Bloom Group Community Services Society
Since 1961, The Bloom Group has led many of Vancouver’s most progressive social services to reduce homelessness, provide end-of-life care for individuals with mental health challenges and addictions, ensure women-led families in crisis can stay together as they rebuild their lives, and much more. Our ‘low-barrier’ services are inclusive and available to all individuals in need, regardless of their circumstances, and without conditions.
Media Contact:
Liz Barnett,
Executive Director
Cell: 604 562 6220
Tweet
