The Quesnel Community Foundation is moving into uncharted territory when it comes to the amount of grant money it will be giving out.
President Mary Sjostrom says this year they are able to give back to the community more than ever before.
“It’s over 100 thousand dollars. In fact, I think it’s about 105, 060 or something, but over a hundred thousand and that is the very, very first time for the Foundation. Last year we gave out about 82 thousand.”
Sjostrom says it is a very diverse group.
“We’ve got 13 non-profit groups this year. I am really pleased with the group of recipients. It’s very diverse. It’s seniors, the gymnastics, rodeo, the legion.  It’s non profit groups that are trying to survive, and coming through COVID they’ve got less money, and they’ve got really good projects.  That is basically what the foundation is all about, raising the funds and then giving it back to the community.”
Sjostrom says it’s also nice that these groups will be receiving their money during an in-person event once again this year on April 21st.
She says it also means more to the Foundation and its members to be able to see the faces of the people that are actually benefiting from their work.
“Absolutely, I think so. And it’s the networking and being able to brag about the Foundation and encourage volunteers. On the Grants Committee we have four Directors, but we also have a lot of volunteers from the community that support us. Even after 20 years there are still people that don’t know what the Foundation does and what we’re all about, so I think it’s important.”
Besides the grants, Sjostrom says the Foundation is also giving out another 17-thousand dollars in scholarships and bursaries.
The endowment fund, which generates the money that goes out each year, is now hovering around the 4 million dollar mark.