Fall Neighbourhood Small Grants: community members taking care of each other during uncertain times

We are thrilled to announce the fall round of Neighbourhood Small Grants, a diverse range of inspiring and compassionate project ideas enabling west coasters to take care of each other while protecting the health and safety of all community members. Magic happens when neighbours connect—even if we must be physically apart. It forms friendships, makes our communities safer and more vibrant. The Neighbourhood Small Grants (NSG) program helps residents of any age, experience, or background take part in building community.

This round of funding includes a special contribution from the District of Tofino to support Tofino-based projects, as well as contributions from MakeWay (previously Tides Canada) to support project applications taking a grassroots approach to food security. As always, we're grateful for our partner Westcoast Community Resources Society for helping us deliver this initiative.

Check out the creative ideas of the 23 successful applicants below!  

Leader: Margaret Thomas
Project: Ginger Bread Houses in Opitsaht – brightening the holidays for the 56 kids of Opitsaht by hosting three covid-safe bubble evenings of ginger bread house making

Leader: Leanne Charlie
Project: Ginger Bread Houses in Ty Histanis and Esowista - giving as many families as possible Ginger Bread kits to due in the safety of there own homes

Leader: Catherine Thicke and Alysson Thicke
Project: Helping our Health Care Heroes at Tofino General Hospital - help refresh the healthcare worker’s break room at the Tofino General Hospital, which hasn’t been revamped in 15 years

Leader: John Sweeney and Selena Rogalski
Project: Pacific Rim Queer Alliance - Art night that would allow for people to come together in a safe space as initial step in furthering the representation and involvement of queer people in our communities

Leader: Katherine Loiselle
Project: Christmas Cheer Baskets – local kids create "cheer" packages for some of the seniors in Ucluelet that include decorations, cards and notes, Christmas centrepieces, cookies, and other small gifts

Leader: Kevin Bradshaw
Project: Ucluelet Harbour Marine Debris Removal - organizing and moving the debris sea plane base where Surfrider Pac Rim Youth Club will organize, collect data and load it into volunteer trucks and taken to the local landfill where Surfrider can recycle as much as possible

Leader: Mark Frank-Perry
Project: Learning about Ahousaht Traditional Territory and sign refurbish - youth and young adults will go into traditional territory to learn bout where we come from and refurbish some of our traditional territory signage that was placed many years ago

Leader: Laurie Filgiano
Project: Ucluetian or Ukeeleles - short, light hearted 5 min video to lift the spirit of the town and bring people together via social media, embracing our mutual love for Ucluelet

Leader: Zoe Ludwig
Project: CHRISTMAS CHEER – Zoe will be spreading some Christmas cheer in her neighbourhood this holiday season by decorating all the lamp posts on her street with Christmas wreaths and ribbon

Leader: April Robson
Project: For the Love of Bees – building local bee-keeping capacity through training and purchasing of bee-keeping equipment in Tofino while nurturing local bees and filming the process for sharing via the Tofino Community Food Initiative YouTube and social media pages

Leader: Sophie L'Homme
Project: Tofino Christmas Singing Quartet - 4 local female professional singers that will gather once or twice a week to rehearse a cappella Christmas songs then go around town and sing our carols with masks on ... and respecting social distancing

Leader: Lauren Howard-Tripp
Project: Community Children's Poetry Book- printing of a poetry book created by Ukee kids to be shared with vulnerable, isolated, or lonely community members as well as neighbours, family and friends

Leader: Faye Missar
Project: Bring in the light - Candle-making for kids – a “crafternoon” for six kids in the same class in Ukee to make beeswax candles that they will share with and older adult in their lives (e.g. parent, older neighbour)

Leader: Johanna Dahl
Project: Cookie Exchange – adaptation of Johanna’s popular Ukee holiday cookie exchange (open to any community member) to make sure ukee residents can bake and share holiday treats in a Covid-safe way

Leader: Jennifer Price-Francis and Kimi Henderson
Project: Early Learners Food Security Garden - help kids understand where food comes from, how incredible nature is and set the roots for understanding food security as our little gardeners grow into the next generation of growers

Leader: Paula Robertson
Project: Language in our Garden – create a story book that celebrates the seasons of harvesting traditional and settler foods in the Clayoquot Sound area with words in both Nuu-chah-nulth and English

Leader: Cindy Hutchison
Project: Piecing Together A Holiday Gift - piecing together a holiday gift from the heart to all the students at the Wickaninnish Community school and wider community in general

Leader: Erin Kostashuk
Project: Goals & Productivity Workshop – answering questions like: Where does she find the time?  How does he do it all?  How can I motivate myself?  What should I be doing with my life?

Leader: Elizabeth and Annie George
Project: Dream catchers – Elizabeth and Annie will be leading workshops to make dream catchers earring again (she did it in the past and it was a total hit), this time with an online offering

Leader: Leah Austin
Project: Hatching Chicks, the essentials – purchasing an incubator, brooder, lights, food and water dispensers, as well as provide an instructional video on how to use it for west coasters wanting to hatch their own chicks from eggs

Leader: Loesha Newmeyer
Project: Cards, Chakras & Crystals Made Fun for Kids - This is an introductory level of Chakras, Crystals and cards for children ages 5-12 years old

Leader: Marlo Firme and Trina Mattson
Project: Wlidflower/ Pollination Seed Sowing in Ahousaht - spread wildflower/pollination seeds around the high school and elementary school fields and common areas outside to encourage our bee and butterfly populations, help the school gardens, food plants, and home gardens in the community

Leader: Markus Klann and Mike Collyer
Project: Kvarno community emergency preparedness – establish an emergency plan and build a shelter on the high ground of Kvarno Island, a small boat access community that is currently highly vulnerable to Tsunami risk