Ottawa is providing more than $1 million in funding for community groups in Quebec that serve the English-speaking community.

Ten organizations will benefit from the funding over two years, chosen from 43 groups that made submissions for projects.

The money is being administered by the Quebec Community Groups Network, an umbrella organization for 53 different organizations.

The projects chosen range from support for youth and seniors in Montreal all the way to the lower north shore and even the Magdalen Islands.

Here’s the full list:

-Coasters Association
-Council for Anglophone Magdalen Islanders
-New Hope Senior Citizens Centre
-NDG Food Depot
-NDG Senior Citizens’ Council
-Park Extension Youth Organization
-Phelps Helps
-Tyndale St-Georges Community Centre / DESTA Black Youth Network
-Voice of English Speaking Quebec
-Youth Employment Services Montreal
 

The NDG Food Depot is getting just over $30,000 per year in each of the two years covered by the funding. Most of that amount will be used to pay staff and create a new, half-position to teach skills to youth that might be in jeopardy of dropping out of school. Those skills could help them land an entry-level job and start them on their way.

“They have to get their foot in the door and even, like, through ours. We notice that it's really tough to get that first job. So, at least if they can say they completed a skills training in the kitchen at the food depot they're more likely to get that entry-level job or maybe they'll make the decision, once they've built - see, it's more about building relationships too with youth giving them some self-confidence, maybe they'll go back to school,” said Bonnie Soutar of the NDG Food Depot.

Beyond government funding, the Quebec Community Groups Network is also hoping to strike up relationships with the private sector to encourage corporate support for community programs.

QCGN board member James Hughes said Thursday, the English speaking community doesn't get this kind of funding very often, and that maybe the English-speaking community needs to make its case better for future funding.