Indigenous organizations get $3M to expand child and family programs

THUNDER BAY – Nearly $3 million in provincial dollars will support a number of Indigenous-led organizations to enhance child and family programs.

Five service providers within the Thunder Bay District will receive the funding over a two-year period to create off-reserve culturally relevant and sensitive child care and programs, with the announcement made by Thunder Bay-Superior North MPP Michael Gravelle on Friday.

The Thunder Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre will receive nearly $900,000 and executive director Charlene Baglien said the funding will be used to provide enhanced cultural programming, including the use of traditional medicines, involvement of elders, language programming and land-based activities.

“That’s our roots. That’s our foundation. It’s a way of life and who we are,” Baglien said. “You need to have that knowledge and that guidance so as you grow up as a child, as a young youth, as an adult, you’re grounded. You have roots. You know your history and who you are as an Indigenous person.”

The additional resources will also allow the friendship centre to broaden the reach of its programs and services, Baglien added.

“It will enable us to go out into the community much more,” Baglien said. “We’ll have a greater capacity to go into the schools, into neighbourhoods and to provide those services that are much needed for our children.”

Anishnawbe Mushkiki will receive $350,000, which executive director Michael Hardy said will allow their clinic to provide services to prepare children to get ready for school.

“A lot of Indigenous people in the city of Thunder Bay are a little reluctant or are not able to access early childhood education or access assessments they need, whether it’s speech or learning,” Hardy said.

“Now we’re hoping at least they’ll have an avenue or site to come visit and at least we’ll try to help them find assistance or help them navigate through a difficult system.”

Other recipients include $780,000 for the Thunderbird Friendship Centre in Greenstone, $416,000 for Dilico Anishinabek Family Care and nearly $440,000 for Bingwi Neyaashi Anishnaabek.

Gravelle, who noted the funding is part of the province’s Journey Together commitment to reconciliation, said there is a significant need for early childhood programming for Indigenous children throughout the district.

“When children are given child care at the earliest stages and start in their life, it makes a huge difference in the future,” Gravelle said. “We want successful adults. We want people to be able to value themselves and recognize the needs that are going to be part of an adult life and early childhood education is crucial to that.”

The funding was approved through the Thunder Bay District Social Services Administration Board, with chief administrative officer Bill Bradica emphasizing the significance of the five organizations all receiving government approval.

Engaging children at an early age puts them on a path to succeed, he said.

“Education is an extremely important social determinant of health and if people have appropriate access to education, to training, it will assist them to be more self-sufficient and I think what we’ll see in future generations is less reliance upon social assistance services,” Bradica said.