Kelowna News

The John Howard Society of the Central and South Okanagan has received a grant from the Victoria Foundation under the $2 million Prevention and Education funding stream of the Fetal Alcohol Disorder Action Fund.

The grant is to develop and implement a mentoring and support program for individuals affected by or suspected of being affected by FASD that have been or are at risk of involvement with the criminal justice system.

The program, called the Gateway Mentoring Program, will also seek to work with and inform criminal justice personnel on FASD and the needs of those impacted by it.

The Victoria Foundation, recently announced that under the FASD Action Fund, the Advisory Committee has approved a $219,168 grant for the Gateway Mentoring Program. The grant will fully fund the first two years of the program, with the grant expended by December 2010.

Shelley Cook, Executive Director of JHSCSO, is extremely pleased and honoured that Kelowna received such a significant grant, saying that the program will provide much needed support for a vulnerable and often under-served population.

Although client intake is not until June 15, Gateway Mentoring Program already has the support of criminal justice stakeholders, higher education and the FASD community.

Bill McKinnon, Superintendent of the RCMP, is in support of the program and says that the Gateway Mentoring Program will provide another resource for police and those at risk of contact with them.

All community service agencies are invited to celebrate the launch of this program on June 11 from 4-7 p.m. at The Habitat on Leon Ave.

Link: John Howard Society website