High River Town Council got an update on what has been happening with the Community Capacity Building Initiative at their meeting on February 12th.

Fawna Bews, strategic lead with Our High River, told council they have a lot of projects they are working on.

First up the Our High River App is almost ready to go, it can be used to match up volunteers with social agencies.

It will also be used in case of an emergency like the 2013 flood.

"Originally it was an emergency response app," said Bews. "We have adapted it to the volunteer. If people are using it all the time they are more likely to keep it on their phone."

Users can set up private profiles that will help match them with social agencies and other groups in town when they need volunteers.

Bews adds they also have a new website for Our High River almost finished.

Work is also well underway with Safe Spot which will operate like the Block Parents Program.

People who have trained in the program will hang a sign with an orange dot in it and when someone who is struggling sees it they will know they can go inside and get some help.

So far 15 to 20 people have received the training through five courses and 11 more courses are planned.

Plans are also being made to do another Vital Signs survey this year.

Funding for the Community Capacity Building Initiative comes from a one million dollar grant from the Red Cross to build capacity in community, citizens and in the social and human service organizations of High River.

In the first six months of the initiative a financial report was submitted to the Canadian Red Cross for a total of $215,746.57.

 

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