Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta. (Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Province matching donations to Lethbridge’s Community Foundation

May 6, 2020 | 6:00 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Your donation could stretch a lot farther than you may realize.

The Government of Alberta has announced that it will be providing a maximum of $2-million combined in matching grants to eight non-profit organizations in the province during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Thank you to Albertans for their generosity and for thinking of others as we all work together to get through this tough time. The participating charities are doing fantastic work to get dollars quickly to local charities delivering services to Albertans in need,” says Minister of Culture, Multiculturalism, and Status of Women Leela Sharon Aheer.

“Every donation will help in some way, and I am inviting all Albertans to embrace the power of kindness and give what they can to meet the needs of vulnerable communities during the pandemic.”

Two of the local non-profits being supported through this program are the Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta (CFLSA) as well as the Community Foundation of Southeastern Alberta.

Nighttime construction on Hwy 3 in Lethbridge starts April 17

Apr 17, 2025

SASHA launches #BuyABed fundraiser to support vulnerable Lethbridge residents

Apr 04, 2025

$20K grants available: TELUS STORYHIVE Pan-Asian Edition opens applications April 1

Mar 18, 2025

The community foundations act as the local hubs for donations and will distribute funding to charities.

Executive Director of the CFLSA Charleen Davidson says, for the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Grants Program, they have identified four priority areas.

“Food, shelter, healthcare which includes mental health, and families with children. Charities that are working on the frontlines on the pandemic around those are eligible to apply for funding.”

Davidson says grants will be given out based on the “most urgent needs of the day.”

The government’s donation matching program runs retroactively from April 15 to May 31.

So far in that timeframe, she claims they have seen a tremendous response.

“To see the community step forward, those who can afford to support our community at this time, whether the money’s coming to us or it’s going directly to the charities, it’s just been fantastic because we live in such a caring, compassionate community, and I look at this and think, we look after each other here. We’re so lucky.”

For more information on how to donate, you can go to the CFLSA’s website here, phone Charleen Davidson at 403-328-5297, or send an email to cdavidson@cflsa.ca