The ambitious people driving the organizations and initiatives in our community are a constant source of inspiration. We are forever grateful to live, work + play in a place where so many folks are invested in making change happen! As members, your continued support helps strengthen our community, contributing to the success of these incredible initiatives and projects.

Each quarter your Kootenay Co-op gives out four grants valued up to $500, for projects or initiatives that help strengthen and support our local community. This Spring we were able to give out $2,250 in community grants to some amazing community projects!

Kaslo Community Garden Society & Kaslo Food Hub

The ‘Edible Garden Tour’ is an annual event profiling notable home gardens in Kaslo and surrounding areas. The goal is to inspire greater food growing capacity and enhance local food security. This year the event includes several workshops, with a focus on soil management and composting. All proceeds from the tour are donated to the Kaslo Food Hub which provides emergency food services in the area and runs the local farmers’ market.

The Kootenay Boundary Community Services Co-operative

Safe Kids and Youth (SKY) Coordinated Response, a program run by The Kootenay Boundary Community Services Co-operative, is a Child and Youth Advocacy Centre that supports children and youth in the West Kootenays that have experienced abuse. SKY brings together the agencies that typically respond to disclosures of abuse and helps them work together to reduce trauma induced as a function of participating in the investigative process. These multidisciplinary teams provide support and the best possible response to a disclosure of abuse, including liaising with a range of professional service providers.

Sentiers-Alpins School Nelson

Ecole des Sentiers-Alpins School manage a garden and grow vegetables for their school. This year they needed a little extra support for new soil and compost to fill their garden boxes and increase production. Students are involved in the gardening so they can learn and better integrate the whole cycle of food production for their school through their actions. This includes, nourishing the soil, planting seeds, watering them, weeding, and celebrating the harvest by cooking as well as preparing the garden for winter. The garden also helps Sentiers-Alpins to become a greener school and most importantly, teach students about food security.

South Slocan and Area Childcare Society

South Slocan and Area Childcare Society operates a daycare called Wee Ones Early Learning Centre in Crescent Valley.  They’ve always prized using reused or donated items but find that their book collection is very culturally out of date and the books are now tattered and in need of an upgrade. This grant will help to replace their books with ones that reflect the values of our current world and the rich culture of our valley and surrounding area.

LV Rogers Rotary Interact Club

LVR Rotary Interact Club is working to put together hygiene kits for those experiencing homelessness and assist marginalized people in need. The LVR Rotary Interact Club hopes to collect general hygiene products, such as soap, cream, toothpaste, combs, and put them in a reusable pack. It is their goal to distribute these packs to the Nelson shelter, Women’s shelter, and to various areas in Nelson.