Five local non-profit organizations have received $122,650 this year in funding from provincial gaming proceeds, according to the list of 2007-08 human and social services recipients of gaming grants released last week.The Sea to Sky Community Services Society (SSCS) received $52,650, the Howe Sound Women's Centre Society and Squamish Volunteer Centre Society $25,000 each, the Rotary Club of Squamish $15,000 and the Garibaldi Shrine Club #48 $5,000.The local groups are five of the 1,171 human and social services organizations in the province to receive money in the 2007-08 fiscal year through this system of direct access gaming grants. Managers of the services said they're very grateful for the gaming grants, as that's one of the only sources of operational funding for non-profits. Almost everything else is project-based funding, to be spent only in certain areas, said Pam Gliatis, co-ordinator of The Hotspot, which encompasses the Volunteer Centre and the Sea to Sky Freenet Association."It's one of the few grants we can apply for that will cover operating costs," Gliatis said, and this year's $25,000 primarily goes to rent. Tami Overbeck, manager of early childhood development services for the SSCS, said the $52,650 covers "staffing enhancement." The money enables the SSCS to pay extra staff to cover shortfalls in areas that need help, such as the infant program and the implementation of HighScope curriculum, she said. "The gaming grant has made a huge difference in our programs," Overbeck said, adding that "it enhances the quality of our centres.""The biggest thing is that in child care, we're really stretched to the limit," so staffing couldn't be augmented in this way without the grant, she said.Gliatis said the Volunteer Centre particularly needs the gaming grant this year because the District of Squamish turned down its proposal for grant-in-aid funding."We weren't even given a chance to make our case," she said, expressing confusion about the process because no meeting where applicants could speak for their requests followed the proposals.Morally speaking, Gliatis said, it would be better not to have to take money from gambling profits, but she said the centre has no other options for covering operational costs."We have these discussions at the board [but] we really don't have a choice," she said.Overbeck said the under-funding of child care means the SSCS needs the gaming grants."This is just another facet of the government, and we're under-funded," she said.Almost $35 million is going to the human and social service recipients, out of the $147.6 million redirected in gaming grants to about 6,850 community organizations across the province.The other categories of community direct access grants are environment, public safety and arts, culture and sport.The maximum amount a local organization can receive is $100,000, while provincial groups can get up to $250,000.
