Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00:05 Good morning, Fort McMurray, wood, Buffalo, and the rest of the world. You've tuned into the Mac CD morning show. I'm your host, Elliot Pierre. And we're going to start the show off on the same note. We start every show off with a moment of gratitude. I know you could be doing a million other things with your time. So the fact that you're spending with us truly does mean the world to me. So thank you on that note, Tanner hit him with the intro.
Speaker 1 00:00:24 Oh, she caught me loves you're listening to the next city morning show.
Speaker 0 00:00:28 <inaudible> all right. And we're back. Okay. I'm excited about this guest because as per usual, with most of our guests, it seems, I don't know this person, so I'm going to learn all about them and what they do with you. So as you also know, I don't introduce my guests because they can do a better job at that than myself. So on that note, can you please introduce yourself and tell everybody at home?
Speaker 2 00:00:52 Hi, I'm Gaylene wireless. I'm the executive director for the wood Buffalo community foundation.
Speaker 0 00:00:57 Well, so what is the wood Buffalo community foundation? I don't know what that is.
Speaker 2 00:01:03 Katie foundations are part. We actually were part of a network of over 191 community foundations across Canada. And what we do is we work with donors and similar to the United way. But, uh, our donors, what we do is any donation that comes in can be large or small. It gets invested into an investment pool and then 4% of those investments they're called endowment funds. And 4% of that gets granted out.
Speaker 0 00:01:30 Okay. Now when you say, okay, I was just going to say granted out, like, can you kind of, can an individual sign up for that grant or
Speaker 2 00:01:37 It is only for social profits within the regional municipality of what Buffalo.
Speaker 0 00:01:41 Okay. So what would be the criteria that like a not-for-profit would have to meet to get to one of those grants?
Speaker 2 00:01:49 Um, well we have a granting community grants go out every year, so we have a call that goes out and it usually in the spring time and, uh, the, uh, we have specific target areas for those grants. So we have a phenomenal granting committee that is comprised of community member volunteers, and they have a wide range of, uh, knowledge about what the community gaps and needs are. So, um, this year our target areas were primarily dealing with, um, uh, crisis supports mental health, um, poverty, addictions, and COVID related, uh, issues. So, so this year we granted out actually, uh, the community grants granted out to $200,000. Oh, wow. Yeah. But in total, all of our granting programs have we have, uh, basically provided $400,000, uh, within the Fort McMurray area. Wow.
Speaker 0 00:02:41 This like it's over this year. Holy that's crazy. That's an insane amount of money. Wow.
Speaker 2 00:02:48 Okay. So, and that grows every year as our endowment funds and our donors donate more and our dominant funds grow and their investments grow. And so every year we are to grant out more and more. Okay.
Speaker 0 00:03:01 Now I'm assuming that, like you just said, people donate money to you as well. So like Joe blow off the street or like a company in town, if they want to donate money, they can donate money to,
Speaker 2 00:03:13 So that's, that's the funny thing with the community foundation. A lot of people a don't know that we exist or if they do know that we exist, um, they hear endowment funds and they get a little scared thinking that it's only for, you know, the super rich people. Right. Yeah. And it's not well endowed, Dowd. And actually the Edmonton community foundation has a podcast called, called the well indoubt podcast. But, um, yeah, so it can be anywhere from donations. We can have any kind of a donation, whether it's small, like 20 bucks or $20,000. We even had a donor that, um, donated some property to us, some condominiums last year. So we were able to process those and sell those. And the funds from the sale of those went directly into the community grants. And that is the beautiful thing about a community foundation is that, um, I've heard it heard as like we're the Swiss army knife of donations because we can accept any kind of property, any kind of assets. So whether that's cash, life insurance stocks.
Speaker 0 00:04:20 Oh, okay, cool. So how long has this, uh, not-for-profit been informed before
Speaker 2 00:04:25 We've been, we were established in 2017. Okay. And since then we have, um, granted out over, um, over a $1.4 million or nearly $1.4 million since
Speaker 0 00:04:39 2017. And you said you guys are across Canada,
Speaker 2 00:04:42 The community foundations of Canada. So it's a network of community foundations across Canada. So there's, uh, community foundations in Yukon, um, obviously through all the provinces.
Speaker 0 00:04:54 So I would assume that like all of the money gets pooled in and that's how you guys are able to generate that kind of income notes independent. This
Speaker 2 00:05:01 Is solely for Fort McMurray, wood Buffalo.
Speaker 0 00:05:04 So your investments do that well here, like,
Speaker 2 00:05:09 Wow. Yes. So our manage, our investments are managed right now by the Edmonton community foundation. They, they manage our investments for us. Wow. Right. But we will eventually grow so that the, the end plan is for us to take on those investments and manage those ourselves mostly much like what any other community foundation does wholly.
Speaker 0 00:05:29 That's
Speaker 2 00:05:30 Incredible. Yeah. So we're sitting at almost around $5 million worth of endowments right now. Um, and this year we have, um, so from the beginning, we've had a match from the Suncor energy foundation, which has fabulous
Speaker 0 00:05:43 Big shout out to Suncor. Yes.
Speaker 2 00:05:44 And, uh, they, um, so this year we, uh, we have a matching grant of $300,000. So every dollar raised is matched up to $300,000 by Suncor energy foundation. Wow. Um, and next year is $200,000. So we'd really like to hit those marks and because every dollar basically multiplies over to
Speaker 0 00:06:05 Yeah. No doubt, no doubt. So many people that you have working in your organization, just
Speaker 2 00:06:10 You and a Hardy band of volunteers. Oh,
Speaker 0 00:06:12 Okay. Okay.
Speaker 2 00:06:14 Yeah. Yeah. So I was hired last year and, um, so it's been a bit of a learning curve through COVID obviously. Um, but, uh, thankfully, so I was hired part-time in may of last year. And, um, we were, uh, when COVID hit, uh, and obviously after I was hired, um, through the, through the community foundations of Canada and the federal government, we, uh, we were able to access extra funding for the emergency community support fund. And that was COVID relief for nonprofits. Right. Okay. So we, we pushed out about $300,000 worth of that.
Speaker 0 00:06:49 Okay. Very cool. Now you got hired last year. Have you been in, so have you been in Fort McMurray prior to that, or is it only one year that you've been here and who moves in COVID? So I have to assume you've been here for more than
Speaker 2 00:07:01 This was our third summer here. Yeah. Yep. So we, we moved up here three summers ago and, uh, have made this, our home. So yeah. We came from the spruce Grove Edmonton area.
Speaker 0 00:07:12 Okay. So what brought you to Fort McMurray?
Speaker 2 00:07:14 Um, husband's work actually. Yeah. And then, uh, yeah, our kids are in school and loving it and yeah. Loving seeing the Northern lights.
Speaker 0 00:07:23 It was crazy a few nights ago. Yeah. Yeah. Really nice. I kind of take them for granted just because I, myself and Tanner grew up here. Like I've seen them my whole life, but every once in a while, like they put on a show where you're like, you need to take, take notice and yeah.
Speaker 2 00:07:37 And you can change color and you can hear them crackle. That is,
Speaker 0 00:07:41 Yeah. It's crazy. Yeah. So spruce Grove, so like right outside of the Edmonton area, is that where you you're from born and raised or?
Speaker 2 00:07:50 No, I'm kind of from every across Alberta. Yeah. So, um, uh, born in Calgary, raised in Camrose actually. Um, and then, uh, spent a couple of years in grand Prairie and Edmonton of course. Um, and then my husband and I actually had a business that we took to Mexico. So yeah.
Speaker 0 00:08:12 What kind of business did you take
Speaker 2 00:08:13 A water cooler business? Like
Speaker 0 00:08:16 Explain, please go into detail.
Speaker 2 00:08:19 The cooler with the bottle on the top. And it had a filtration system on the back and it was a family run business that we had started up in Edmonton. Like my, my, my family side had started up in Edmonton, uh, back in the early nineties. And, um, yeah, we took it to Mexico for a year and to Guadalajara and cool. Yeah. Yeah. It was, it was a good, uh, um, good adventure for kids and for everything else. Right. So, yeah. And when opportunities come like that, you can kind of look at it and go, okay, well, what if, what if not? So if you just jump on and yep.
Speaker 0 00:08:52 That's cool.
Speaker 2 00:08:53 Dan, with a cardboard sign saying Mexico are best. Yeah, yeah,
Speaker 0 00:08:56 Yeah. What was it like living in Mexico for a year?
Speaker 2 00:09:00 It was interesting. So we, um, it's, it's great to be a tourist in Mexico, right. Everybody goes down there and stuff, but I'm working there. It's a very much, very different, it's a third world country, so it's very different rules. And of course this is quite a ways back. So it may have changed since then, but, um, uh, very different rules and a lot of, um, being a Canadian, you still have to follow Canadian law. And, uh, you know, some of the way that businesses done down in Mexico was not how we're able to do business. So great. So we had to kind of watch the rules in that, but yeah, it was good. Yeah. A lot of good experiences, fabulous food and Guadalajara is a beautiful city full of arts and culture and, uh, wonderful people.
Speaker 0 00:09:51 Yeah, it is. I think you nailed it in regards to, when you go to a country on vacation, it's very different from when you live there. My parents are from south America, Guyana, and when we were kids, we would go for vacation quote unquote, but it would be for the whole summer. So you'd be there for like six to eight weeks. And so you'd be living there for, for the summer and very different. You experienced
Speaker 2 00:10:16 It in very different,
Speaker 0 00:10:18 Which different is not good or bad. It just is what it is. Um, but, um, yeah, Guyana is a third world country as well. So there's a lot of things that transpire that you're just like, huh? That one flying Canada that would fly. So that's really neat. That's cool. So you did that for a year and then you decided, Hey, let's come on back and go back to Canada. Let's back to reality
Speaker 2 00:10:40 To healthcare that is actually covered and that's right.
Speaker 0 00:10:44 Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:10:44 That's right. You have to pay for everything. That's right.
Speaker 0 00:10:47 Yeah. It's interesting. I have, yeah, it's interesting. I have some friends that recently have decided to move to Mexico for their own reasons. I'm like, all right, good luck to you. And they've gone down there and I've been chatting with them and they're just like, yeah, that's not what I signed up for. I'm like, no, I don't. I think you should have done some more research. It's very different from living in a resort. Yeah. Very different. Yeah. That's funny. All right. Well, we're at the part of the show called the Mac city minute. This is Tanner segment. He's going to ask you some questions. I have no idea what he's going to ask you so wish you nothing, but the best luck Tanner hit her with the max. Any minute
Speaker 3 00:11:20 Question, number one for you today. What is one thing you've learned about the people of Fort McMurray working with nonprofits?
Speaker 2 00:11:29 Hmm, good question. Um, so the people, the people of Fort McMurray are, um, some of the most generous people that I have ever met and had the experience to, to, uh, work with, uh, when there is a need in the community. There it is filled with generosity, um, by the people by donors. Um, it's quite amazing. So, um, some of the community grants that we have granted out, um, have been for, uh, things like, um, client coordinator for past you place, for example, um, filling those needs to, to fill those gaps for, um, one of the family funds that we have, uh, the lolly family fund actually provides, uh, the granting dollars from that. Cause it's a directed, it's a donor directed fund and, um, the granting dollars for that direct go directly to the Fort McMurray school division, um, their school lunch program. Cool. So every single dollar from that goes, goes to that, uh, school lunch program for, for the inner city schools.
Speaker 3 00:12:37 Question number two, what is one of the weirdest things you've received as a donation?
Speaker 2 00:12:44 Uh, nothing weird as of yet the most, uh, the most different one was, was, uh, we received four condominiums. Um, so we were able to, uh, sell those and put those funds directly into the community fund. Yep.
Speaker 3 00:13:00 Question number three. What is one thing about this community that you've learned through your position at work?
Speaker 2 00:13:09 Uh, Fort McMurray and wood Buffalo? So the whole community of Fort McMurray is very different than the rural communities and the needs are very different as well. Um, and I'm looking forward to exploring that further through, uh, vital signs report, for example, is what we're going to be doing next year. And it's a data driven report on community gaps and how we can fill those gaps.
Speaker 3 00:13:36 Question number four. What is one thing about Fort McMurray that you were shocked to find out when you moved here?
Speaker 2 00:13:44 So when, uh, when we were discussing, moving to Fort McMurray, uh, the old, you know, images come up of, you know, rednecks and hard life living, um, it is not that at all. So I was surprised by the river system. I was surprised by the greenery and it's wonderful to see it coming back on the Hills. Right. Um, and the people, how many families there are, and the diversity of it, I am so proud that my children are in S in school systems that are, that knocked the socks off any other school division and, um, are able to be with friends that represent the multiculturalism that Canada is. Right.
Speaker 3 00:14:35 And your final question, what is one thing that you find is unique to the people of Fort McMurray versus the other places you've lived?
Speaker 2 00:14:44 I would have to say probably all of the above the diversity, the acceptance and the generosity, um, and that, uh, your neighbor is your friend
Speaker 0 00:14:55 And those have been your five questions. Okay. There you go. Yeah, no, it is one thing that I recognize. And you don't think about it in Fort McMurray, but I noticed it when I was a kid, especially when I moved out of Fort McMurray to go to college, was the diversity that you do have in this community in regards to, like, I find when you go to bigger cities, although they have more people and they siloed themselves pockets. Yeah. That's a good word. They're in there, their pockets, but in Fort McMurray, it's just like, oh, you're five, I'm five. You like, Spider-Man, I like Spiderman. Let's be the best of friends. And like, that's what it comes down to like your race, your color, the financial situation that your parents may or may not be in, doesn't play a factor. You're just like, you're limited to the friend numbers that you have. So you end up hanging out with a really diverse group of
Speaker 2 00:15:39 People and it is fantastic. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:15:41 So you talked a little bit about the meals program. I know we were just, I was just talking before you got here about that, explain a little bit more about that. Cause that's huge. That's something I'm only finding out now that I have a child in the school system. So
Speaker 2 00:15:54 Yeah. So, um, many of the schools and, and so w you know, we've got three kids of our own, and, uh, there's usually the little basket or apples, or what have you at, at the schools, um, for people to, for kids to grab a snack if they need. Um, and, uh, one of the things that I've working with the community foundation, um, like what we do, we, we, uh, we see some of the stories that come in about food insecurity. Um, one of the other, uh, granting initiatives that just closed actually was, uh, with the community foundations of Canada and, um, the federal government as well. And it was called the Canada healthy communities initiative. And, um, we saw a lot of, uh, a lot of applications coming in regarding food security. So a lot of food gardens, um, grow gardens within a container, those kinds of things, um, because there is, and COVID has really highlighted the, the need and, um, the intersections and the gaps of where communities are, some communities are hit harder than others.
Speaker 2 00:16:57 And those pockets within those communities are hit harder than others. So, um, to be able to have a fund like the lolly family fund, um, set up that anybody can donate to, right? So if you wanted to help support the, the school lunch program within the Fort McMurray public school division, you can donate to that fund and that fund will grow, and those granting dollars can help go towards those, those kids in that school for their school lunch program. Um, we have, uh, so yeah, we're seeing a lot of, um, a lot of increased need for access to, for example, the food bank, um, the school lunch programs, those kinds of things. So we're trying to fill those gaps as we, uh, as we grow as well.
Speaker 0 00:17:40 There you go. Now, as far as not-for-profits are concerned in town, how do they get in contact with you? Do you go out and look for them? What has been kind of the process of like, can this money,
Speaker 2 00:17:52 The, the non-profits and social profits as we call them up here? Right. Uh, uh, they are fantastic. We have got some amazing rockin social prophets here that do phenomenal work. So a few social United way, wood, Buffalo, um, and the community foundation. We have a collaboration. So we, we work very closely together and, uh, we've just finished a social profit summit with few social and United way. And, uh, and that was excellent. Just to talk about the future of social profits, right. Um, social profit, any social profit can get ahold of us. Um, there is one big gap with, uh, funding and that is funding to, um, charities that are not a red Canadian registered charity. So are CRA, uh, registered charity. So, um, we are working with, we're trying to work with other groups as well. So for example, um, any funding that can go to, um, here's a good example.
Speaker 2 00:18:55 So we have an environmental stream, environmental fund stream, and, uh, the, um, the Willow lake may T nation, they're not a CRA registered charity, right. Obviously. Right. So, um, there were, they partnered up with the resilience Institute for, uh, for a couple of their programs and we, uh, we granted them the, the environmental funding. So that was over $3,000 for their program this year on, in developing an indigenous guardian program. So environmental monitoring on their land and working with the elders in that. So it is, um, it is partnerships that we're trying to really develop and those collaborations trying to get people to work together too, because there's only so much funding to go around, right. Whether it comes from us United way or some other funding source and trying to fill those gaps again between the non-registered charities and registered charities. Cool. But yeah, they can connect with me, uh, online phone, email, whatever
Speaker 0 00:19:56 Really nice. Okay. Well, that's cool. Well, listen, that's the end of the show. That's 20
Speaker 2 00:20:01 Minutes. Thank you so
Speaker 0 00:20:02 Much for having me not a problem. It flies. So before everybody leaves though, um, you get a shameless shout out or plug. So the Mike's on you, the camera's on you let's hear your shameless shout out.
Speaker 2 00:20:12 Oh, uh, well, uh, just looking forward to connecting with everybody, if you are, I'm a donor and would like to give generously whether that is $5 or more, uh, please get ahold of us. We are here to help strengthen the social fabric of Fort McMurray, wood, Buffalo. Thank you.
Speaker 0 00:20:29 Well, thank you very much for coming on the show. And I truly do mean this one. I say it at any point in time, please feel free to come back again and again and again, this is not a one-time thing, and you're done. Uh, if you ever have anything that you want to promote, or Hey, you think people have forgotten who you are. Again, you just come back, come on the show and we're more than happy to have you on, I'll take you up on that. Cool. Sweet. Okay. Well, Fort McMurray, wood, Buffalo, and the rest of the world. That's been another episode of the Mac city morning show. Once again, thank you very much for tuning in because I really truly do appreciate it. Um, I hope you're having a great day and we'll see you tomorrow. Peace.
