The Saanich Legacy Foundation is pleased to announce that the Victoria Foundation has approved two of its projects for 2022.

A grant of $30,000 will go to Support Network for Indigenous Women & Women of Colour (SNIWWOC). The Support Network for Indigenous Women & Women of Colour (SNIWWOC) is a non-profit organization committed to the empowerment of women with food, art, and education. They address barriers that limit access to healthcare and full reproductive choice. SNIWWOC operates from a holistic and integrative service model that addresses the social, cultural and political realities of women who identify as black, indigenous, and people of colour (BIPOC).

A grant of $28,500 is for Fateh Charity to continue its work. Fateh Care Charity strives to bridge the gaps for people experiencing food insecurity and have trouble accessing services in the Greater Victoria area due to mobility, financial, and other barriers. Their mobile outreach program delivers food and basic needs items to those in need in the Capital Region. The purpose of the program is to improve access to healthy food for vulnerable individuals and households experiencing hunger and need by delivering directly to their door, seven days a week.

For more information on either organization, please visit their websites at:

https://www.sniwwoc.ca

https://www.fatehcare.com

For more information on the Saanich Legacy Foundation and how we may assist your organization, please visit us at https://www.saanichlegacy.ca

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Backgrounder:

Since November 2020, SNIWWOC has hosted monthly domestic violence support groups and workshops for women of colour and indigenous women. Grandmother Moon Teachings, sharing circles, building self-esteem, identifying violence & when to ask for help, & how to cultivate healthy relationships. In many indigenous cultures, the moon is a cherished relative. Grandmother Moon watches over us by providing light in the darkest nights. She is a treasured ancestor who radiates love & encouragement. SNIWWOC have identified a need for ongoing support for survivors of gender-based violence. Counseling services will be available remotely, or in person. These activities enable racialized women and two spirit individuals to create a strong foundation for healing & recovery from intergenerational trauma.

They will also offer one-on-one culturally sensitive counseling support for participants that need additional support outside monthly support groups. Workshops will be held monthly from August 2022 - May 2023 and entry is free. Workshop content will be delivered by the program manager and elder guest speakers. SNIWWOC acknowledge and respect our Elders and Matriarchs for knowing, living and teaching the traditional knowledge. They are a living bridge between the past and the present. They provide safety and a vision for the future. By positioning elders as drivers of systemic change, SNIWWOC also honors tradition and ceremony, as well as incorporate Indigenous healing. This is a much needed aspect of the project. SNIWWOC will use this grant to support counseling services and domestic violence.

The Fateh Charity program caters to an individual’s or family’s dietary restrictions and religious observation, giving people more control over their nutrition even in times of need. They are non-judgmental and have helped over 1400 individuals with direct delivery of food and basic needs since starting in May 2021. Through coordination with local food banks and other services Fateh are able to make same-day or next-day deliveries to those facing barriers including travel distance to services, physical conditions, and lack of vehicle or bus route. Fateh Care (FC) helps reduce homelessness. By accessing FC people save money that would normally be put towards food, basic need items and transportation cost (gas, taxi, transit, etc.) they now put towards expenses like rent and utilities in order to keep housed. FC helps improve mental health by reducing anxiety and the fear of isolation because they are able to help them at their exact time of need, wherever they are living (could be at a house or a tent). This helps develop a sense of belonging. Overall Need: The work of Fateh Charity is sustained by coordination with bricks-and-mortar food banks, partnerships with local businesses, and community donations. They seek grant funding from a number of funders in order to continue this needed work and help those who need it when they need it wherever they are.