The Town of Okotoks has approved the 2016 Family and Community Support Services budget.

FCSS provides funding for preventative programs in social wellness around Okotoks and surrounding communities.

FCSS Chair Terry Pavka says this year the committee received more funding than they've had in previous years, even with the turn in the economy.

"We ended up with a a budget of $230,000 that we can allocate to different agencies to assist with the funding of their programs here in Okotoks & Area and we had 15 agencies apply for funding this year."

The organizations getting funding are:

Big Brothers & Big Sisters Okotoks

Christ the Redeemer Catholic School Division – Connections Program

Foothills Fetal Alcohol Society (FFAS) Let’s Talk FASD Prevention

Foothills Regional Victim Services Association – Volunteer Program

Foothills School Division – Family School Liaison Counsellor (FSLC) Program

Foothills Special Needs Association for Parents & Siblings (SNAPS) – Family Support Program

High River & District Parent Link Centre – Okotoks Parent Link Drop In Play and Stay Program

Junior Achievement South Alberta, Foothills Region – Volunteer Retraining Project

Literacy for Life Foundation – Family Literacy Community Project

Okotoks & District Seniors’ Club – Program Facilitator

Okotoks Food Bank Association – Volunteer Resource Coordinator

Okotoks Meals on Wheels Society – Volunteer Appreciation and Operations

Rowan House Emergency Shelter – Branches Preventative Education Program

Wild Rose Community Connections – Dad’s Central Program

Pavka says this year's funding is a great help to local communtities when other funding may have not been available previously.

"The province just hasn't allocated the proper amount of funding in all our committee's estimation throughout the province," he says. "This year was the first year we saw an increase in over eight or nine years so this was a big boost."

For more on what FCSS offers and to apply for next year's funding budget visit the link here.

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