The Grande Prairie & District Catholic Schools Foundation is one of the charitable groups picked to receive funding from the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation. In total, $410,000 is going to organizations that benefit youth and families across the Edmonton area and northern Alberta.
“Every season the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation’s contributions grow and evolve to support and uplift others,” says EOCF Board Chair Janet Riopel. “Our true spirit lies in giving year-round through fundraising, programming and many other caring initiatives… Our Foundation engages many enthusiastic community advocates who strengthen our strong tradition of support for education, health and wellness, and minor hockey for youth.”
The local funds will be going to the Catholic Schools Foundation’s healthy snack program. It provides a healthy morning breakfast, fresh fruit mid-morning snack, and a nutritious emergency bag lunch to students in need at St. Clement, St. Patrick and St. Joseph High School.
The school district has also been busy giving back this holiday season. Students from St. John Paul II and St. Mary’s in Sexsmith have raised more than $4,000 for local charities.
Each student was loaned $150 to create a product or service to sell. They then ran three student marketplaces earlier this month, where they raised the cash to donate. They will next take their wares to the Grande Prairie Farmers’s Market, where anything else they make will go into their pockets.