The federal government says it has affirmed its commitment to supporting seniors in Windsor-Essex.
Federal Minister of Seniors Kamal Khera joined Windsor-Tecumseh MP Irek Kusmierczyk Thursday morning to announce that 19 seniors' programs in the region have been provided with $400,592. The funding comes from Ottawa's New Horizons for Seniors Program.
The announcement took place at Women's Enterprise Skills Training (WEST) of Windsor Inc., which is receiving $24,788.
WEST of Windsor Executive Director Rose Anguiano Hurst said that the program is vital for seniors who want to get out of the house and have fun cooking with others. It is also an important outreach tool for them.
"We use the Sandwich First Baptist Church, we work with the Filipino Community Centre, we work with the Windsor West Indian Association," said Hurst. "We go out there, and we bring our youth to those communities. We do workshops with cooking, and of course, enjoy the food."
Khera said additional funding in this year's federal budget helped support what has become an enormously successful initiative.
"This is actually one of the most popular programs that organizations apply for every single year," said Khera. "With 3,000 organizations like WEST, you can see the profound impact that this program has around the country."
The federal government's priorities for seniors with the funding include ensuring that people enjoy healthy aging by interacting with others, and preventing senior abuse with fraud prevention and financial literacy programs. Ottawa also looks to support programs that celebrate diversity with peer groups, and allow seniors wishing to remain in their own homes to receive practical support as needed.
A complete list of the 19 programs can be found on the Government of Canada's official website.
