As part of Concentra and EQ Bank’s Empowering Your Community grant program, PenFinancial is pleased to announce that they’ve been awarded $25,000 to support the Fort Erie Native Friendship Centre’s ‘Grow’ program, which provides holistic, sustainable, and land-based Indigenous learning to the Centre’s participants and the wider community partners.
The Empowering Your Community grant program exists to facilitate community initiatives that help improve mental health, support housing initiatives, honour indigenous resurgence and strengthen food security for the vulnerable. The program has awarded over $2 million in grants to credit unions since 2011 and has made an incredible impact in communities across Canada. EQ Bank and Concentra’s joint cultures are strongly aligned with the cooperative spirit of the credit union ecosystem and with directly supporting communities in need to enrich Canadians’ lives. Concentra is proud to support credit unions across the country and their more than six million members with wholesale banking and trust solutions.
In the fall of 2023, the Grow @ FENFC program was one of four recipients of PenFinancial’s first ever Truly Local Grant program. They received $8,000 to purchase 3 greenhouses to kick the program off in the spring of 2024. The Grow program, spearheaded by the staff at FENFC and the Greater Fort Erie Secondary School, is highly focused on skill development and empowerment for youth. The entire vision from conception to harvest allows participants to learn and develop knowledge and skills. What the participants learn can easily be transferred into their daily lives and transmitted within and throughout the wider Niagara community. Working and learning about greenhouse and intensive local farming also means exploring modern agriculture, resource management, and small-scale farming techniques which can have a positive impact on the holistic well-being of all involved.
“PenFinancial is dedicated to improving lives and strengthening communities, and we are confident that this program and the team at the Fort Erie Native Friendship Centre do just that,” said Shari Sekel, CEO at PenFinancial. “We are thrilled to receive this funding from EQ Bank to support the Grow @ FENFC program. By investing in this program, we are ensuring that the Indigenous-led learning and cultural connections to growing, harvesting and sustainable practices continue.”
The $25,000 will enable the Fort Erie Native Friendship Centre to expand the scope of the Grow program, reaching more participants and enhancing the resources available to them. This funding will provide garden beds, accessible pathways and beds, a seed library, Indigenous guest speakers and workshops, and a student part-time job to learn about gardening, sustainability, and Indigenous Resurgence and Resilience.
“We are super excited and truly blessed for this opportunity to support our community with the Grow @ FENFC program,” said Dianna Sowden, FENFC Educational Liaison Officer. “We are so thankful for all of the encouragement, help, and support as we prepared this application and would like to thank PenFinancial Credit Union, Concentra and EQ Bank. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students and for the FENFC community at large. Thank you so much!” PenFinancial Credit Union is proud to facilitate this impactful collaboration and is committed to supporting initiatives that drive community well-being and growth. Make sure you follow along on this exciting journey by connecting with us on social media.
