A new report released earlier this week by the City of Airdrie celebrates the good work being done in Airdrie, and the people that are doing it.

Jessie Bryant, Social Planner with the City, explained that the 2016 Annual Community Social Report is the latest in a series of reports released every year to highlight social initiatives undertaken by the City in partnership with local agencies.

"This report shows the good work of our nonprofit agencies whose programming we're able to support through the provincial Family and Community Support Services program, otherwise known as FCSS. In 2016 seven agencies were funded for a total of over $1.3 million."

Those seven agencies include the Airdrie and District Victims Assistance Society, Airdrie Meals on Wheels, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Calgary and Area, the Boys and Girls Club of Airdrie, Community Links, Airdrie Food Banks and the Peer Mediation and Skills Training.

The report highlights the success of FCSS agencies, other social investments like the Community Investment Funds, and also celebrates Volunteer of the Year recipients, City events and festivals. Bryant says the findings of the report show that there is positive change occurring in Airdrie.

"In a seniors support program, participants reported a 23 percent increase in how often they felt there were people they could turn to, and in a child and youth mentoring program, children reported a 19 percent increase in feeling that they can make friends with people who are different from them."

Ultimately, the report is a celebration of the people and organizations in Airdrie that are trying to make positive change for the community.

"There's a lot of high quality programs out there for community members and this report really celebrates that, it shows that and it really shows that there's a lot of active engagement in the community. We see that a lot from our volunteers, from the nonprofit agencies and the numbers that turn out for our events."

 

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