Age-Friendly Grants Continue to Benefit Province's Seniors

Newfoundland and Labrador seniors continue to benefit from the Age-Friendly Newfoundland and Labrador Grants (AFNL) program. The Newfoundland and Labrador Pensioners and Senior Citizens 50+ Federation and the Random Age-Friendly Communities group are the latest recipients. The grants program is an initiative which supports municipalities, Inuit community governments, reserves and seniors' organizations throughout the province with creating age-friendly communities.

"These grants are supporting initiatives that focus on promoting social inclusion and encouraging seniors to participate fully in society," said the Honourable Jerome Kennedy, Minister of Health and Community Services and Minister Responsible for Aging and Seniors. "The Age-Friendly Newfoundland and Labrador Grants program is a true testament that government is doing its part to ensure programs and services are available to meet the needs of our seniors."

The Newfoundland and Labrador Pensioners and Senior Citizens 50+ Federation will receive $9,000 to embark on a province-wide project. The federation plans to offer workshops on health and safety promotion and creation of age-friendly communities to more than 130 seniors' clubs

The Random Age-Friendly Communities group will receive $9,000 to strengthen Clarenville's age-friendly network by creating accessibility and public works inventories, developing a recreation program, identifying financial institutions and programs available to seniors, and expanding the already successful computer training currently being offered.

"I'm delighted our government continues to support programs to improve the quality of life enjoyed by seniors," said the Honourable Ross Wiseman, Trinity North MHA. "This investment will support the great work of the Random Age-Friendly Communities group."

Overall, the Williams Government will invest $200,000 in the AFNL Grants program. The AFNL grants will serve, in part, to fulfill commitments made under the Provincial Healthy Aging Policy Framework, through which the Provincial Government invested an additional $3.5 million in the 2009-10 fiscal year toward improving the wellness of residents.

- 30 -

Media contacts:

2010 05 14                                                   10:40 a.m.