Phoenix Foundation receives grant from Newman's Own Foundation

By Shara JJ Cooper

The Phoenix Foundation of the Boundary Communities has almost $10,000 in their coffers thanks to a grant they received from the Newman’s Own Foundation – an organization started by actor Paul Newman.

Buy-Low Foods manager Fred Boyd nominated the non-profit organization for a grant and they were excited to find they had been successful.

“We were extremely thankful,” said chair of the Phoenix Foundation Christine Thompson.

For the foundation, the money means they can update their Vital Signs report, which was completed in 2009.

Vital Signs is a Canada-wide “check-up” that investigates how important aspects of each community are working and determines areas that need work. The criteria can change over the years so it’s helpful to do the report periodically.

However, the report costs $20,000. With the grant money, plus funds that were donated or set aside, the foundation will be starting their next Vital Signs report later this year.

“We are looking at having a strategic planning session in September,” said Thompson, adding the report will be started sometime after that. They need to hire someone to do the work. Once that is done, it could take several months for the whole report is completed.

“If we are going to do it, we want to do it right,” said Thompson, noting it's not a process they want to rush.

Donations

The Phoenix Foundation is always happy to receive donations. While the Vital Signs report is something that they are involved in, their main focus is providing grants to Boundary communities. Anyway interested in making a donation can do so through the Grand Forks Credit Union.