Submitted by Christine Whelan
Jan 6, 2022, VOL. 3 ISSUE 10
When people live in a strong and healthy neighbourhood, barriers are lowered, and people are freer to participate in, and contribute to, the community. Ultimately this benefits the community as a whole.
This is a philosophy of a Not-For-Profit Canadian corporation, currently run by volunteers, working together as a network since January of 2019, Strong Fort Erie Neighbourhoods (SFEN).
According to its website, SFEN is focused on taking a community development approach to addressing neighbourhood-specific barriers, with a focus on opportunities, so that people in Fort Erie can thrive and reach their full potential. With this in mind, this network of people has been working together to address these barriers.
The network takes its cue from the very successful City of Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy (TSNS) which provides a roadmap for action planning. The City of Toronto followed a five-step process to strengthen distressed neighbourhoods and gathered evidence over 18 years showing the success of the TSNS. This process can be reviewed on their website.
Access To Healthy Food
Access to healthy, nutritious food is essential to the wellbeing of individuals and their ability to thrive and develop to their full potential. Food banks and community meals are crucial to meeting basic food needs but the mission of Strong Fort Erie Neighbourhoods is to reduce or eliminate this need by working with community members and social agencies to improve the lives of the community members overall.
When searching the SFEN website, you will see that this page is broken down into subsections: Community Food Centres, Food Programs for Children, Food Programs for Families, Food Programs for Seniors and other useful, community links that match the needs addressed in this program.
Age Friendly
According to SFEN, an age-friendly community recognizes that it is advantageous to the whole community to integrate fully and to value all members of the community regardless of age. Age comes with experience and awareness which if properly harnessed can hugely benefit communities.
The SFEN Age-Friendly Working Group’s objective is to collaborate with residents and community agencies to ensure that every individual in our neighbourhoods lives safe, healthy and engaged lives.
When searching the website, you will see that this page is also broken down into subsections: Social Inclusion, Community Supports, Health and Human Services, Services (Technology, Transportation) and other useful, community links that match the needs addressed in this program.
Personal Products Bank
SFEN explains, many people locked in poverty, or those who find themselves in times of crisis, often experience restricted options. They are caught between being able to heat their home, pay their rent, or buy hygiene products. Hygiene poverty can be shaming, humiliating and excluding, and can result in social isolation. It can lead to a lack of confidence, negatively affecting good health and mental wellbeing. This can impact early childhood development, learning, social interaction, increase the likelihood of bullying, and later on, employability,
Volunteering
The Working Groups are composed of people who live and work in the addressing Fort Erie neighbourhoods as well as agencies that serve the people. The Working Groups and the Neighbourhood Roundtable are made up of invested people who have localized knowledge, perspectives and passion. Their collective viewpoint is integral to the building of the Neighbourhood Action Plans.
The Working Groups are: Children’s Health and Wellbeing, Healthy Youth, Access to Healthy Food, Age-Friendly Community for All, Investing in People in Our Community
A Neighbourhood Roundtable will connect operations with governance. The Neighbourhood Roundtable consists of community members who live in and understand Fort Erie Neighbourhoods and people who have knowledge and experience in specific areas. Core to the strength of the Neighbourhood Roundtable are the people who live in the neighbourhoods and experience first hand barriers and challenges to prosperity.
If you have experience and knowledge of the community and are interested in volunteering as part of the Working Groups and Neighbourhood Roundtable, Strong Fort Erie Neighbourhoods would like to hear from you. Everyone is welcome to participate.
SFEN also appreciates donations.
To Contact Strong Fort Erie Neighbourhoods: PO Box 235, Fort Erie, Ontario, L2A 5M9, strongforterieneighbourhoods@gmail.com, 289-397-0654
In the past two years, there has been a notable and measurable change in the level of prosperity and vitality of the North and South End neighbourhoods of Fort Erie so their initial focus is in these neighbourhoods.
Everything that has been learned from SFEN’s work in the neighbourhoods is available to be shared with anyone throughout Fort Erie or other communities in Niagara. strongforterie.com
