The Olive Tree in Lloydminster received grant funding from the Community Facility Enhancement Program (CFEP).
On Wednesday Vermilion-Lloydminster MLA Dr. Richard Starke presented a $125,000 cheque to the charitable organization to cover renovation costs of their current building. Starke says this will allow them to run their programs more efficiently.
“It’s been a huge positive move in terms of bringing their, bringing all the services they provide together into one facility in the downtown core close to the people they serve.”
The Olive Tree provides services for the homeless and hunger relief, specifically giving free community meals. Assistant Director Jana Lett says their meal programs are attended by about 80 to 90 people.
The CFEP is a Alberta Government program and is part of the Culture and Tourism department. To be eligible for the program organizations must match the funding they provide through local donations. Lett says they created a campaign were local organizations could donate directly to them.
“What we did was we created a booklet to kind of list the things that we needed and different funds that we needed in order to complete our renovation and so then other community members or businesses can donate towards specifically the capital campaign.”
The program is for organizations who take action in supporting their community.