Project Impact announces 13 recipients with ideas to make Sudbury greater

Thirteen groups in Sudbury now have funding for small community projects they hope will have a big impact.

The recipients of Project Impact were recently announced. It's an initiative by the Coalition for a Liveable Sudbury.

One project to get funding is called Food Bank 2.0, led by Charles Tossell. The idea is to set up a non-profit grocery store as an alternative for people struggling financially to access affordable and healthy food.

"We'd go around looking for great deals … and really stock up on it for the community," he said.

Lynn Simard-McMurray accepted money on behalf of the Ryan Heights Neighbourhood Association to set up bee hive hotels and spinning compost barrels. She says it will help enhance a community farm that was set up in the neighbourhood last year.

"They planted all kinds of wonderful vegetables," she said. "Then they got to sell it to their community."

The Wild at Heart Refuge Centre will be putting on a summer camp thanks to funding from Project Impact.

Aline Steenssens says the camp will focus on a number of topics, including caring and reintroducing animals back into the wild.

"Everything has a role in wildlife," she said.

"Even the smallest butterfly or a little bird can mean the repopulation of a certain plant species."

Here is the complete list of recipients:

• Bee Wary Bee Wise: bee houses or hotels to accommodate solitary bees.

• Wild at Heart Day Camps: free day camps to be offered this summer, focusing on environmental issues like wildlife-human conflict and water pollution.

• Seniors Helping Seniors: Coniston Community Garden's Seniors will grow food in a community garden and provide fresh produce to seniors who are not able to garden.

• Food Bank 2.0: work to develop a non-profit grocery store

• Ryan Heights bee hotels and composters: funding to build two bee hotels and spinning composters.

• A sign in Bell Park explaining Indigenous history and the original name of Ramsey Lake.

• Biking for Transportation or Wellness: funding to install a bike rack and fix up gently used bikes at Victoria Street Place, a transitional home run by the Canadian Mental Health Association.

• Place Hurtise and Kewadin Community Gardens.

• Girls are Strong Club: a group about how girls can raise their self-esteem, realize their potential and learn about body image.

• Community painted rain barrels: funding to paint rain barrels in community gardens, parks or public places.

• Citizen Scientists of Junction Creek: monthly environmental outreach events and guided walks to survey for plants and wildlife in the Junction Creek watershed.

• Lights for the Garson Rink: funding to add outdoor lights at the outdoor rink.

• Southgate Park cleanup: funding to make a green space a more usable as a neighbourhood park.