United Way of Northern BC awarded $250,000 for Child and Family Early Years Initiatives in North Central B.C.
“The well-being of children and families is a priority for United Way of Northern BC (UWNBC).
“We are taking action and working in partnership to help ensure that children receive the health, learning and social services they need, when they need it,” said UWNBC CEO Roberta Squire.
Recently, the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) awarded more than $250,000 in child and family services funding to United Way of Northern BC for the North Central region.
The new funding will flow directly to eligible early years programs and initiatives to strengthen community-based activities that will help parents access the supports they need to raise their children in safe and healthy environments.
This is an important step forward on the path to ensure early years initiatives are meeting the needs of children and families in North Central BC.
“We are excited to see the UWNBC taking on this important community responsibility of hosting the Prince George and Region Children First contract. This is a great opportunity for the UWNBC to provide effective leadership, in collaboration with their partners, and to support community-based Early Childhood Development planning and strategic program funding.
“Building on their effective oversight of the Success By 6 initiatives across Northern B.C., the UWNBC is well positioned to ensure the strengthening of early years services and support young children to thrive through their management of this provincial funding,” said Joseph Dunn, Provincial Director of Success By 6 BC.
“I welcome this very important investment by MCFD, which will help children in North Central B.C. access programs and supports they need. It’s our shared priority to improve the well-being of children and we are committed to continuing to work with partners and MCFD towards this goal,” Squire said.
“Child welfare is one of the most pressing concerns faced by our communities here in the north. This approach to investment in early childhood development demonstrates that only the communities themselves can and should decide where and how funds must be spent in order to best address their needs.
“I look forward to working further with the MCFD team moving forward, in order to continue to address the needs of our communities in a meaningful way.’’