The Cochrane Foundation surpassed $1 million in awarded grants to 101 different organizations.
“[The milestone] makes us proud and excited,” said Kelsey Envik the Cochrane Foundation’s board secretary.
The Cochrane Foundation, in participation with the Dr. George McQuitty Memorial Fund and the Neighbor Grant - which is new this year - has awarded a total of $1,034,308 over the past 21 years.
The Cochrane Foundation was established in 1993 by Neil Harvie, Bob Aylesworth and Ray Zell. They envisioned a way to support arts, environment, youth, education and recreation in Cochrane.
The founders created an endowment fund where donations would be collected and the interest received would be made available in the form of community grants, the first of which were awarded in 1997.
“I’m very proud of my father and the other two founders for thinking of the idea,” said Neil Harvie’s son and the Cochrane Foundations board chair Tim Harvie.
In the time that the foundation has been awarding grants, Envik estimates that it has provided funds to every charity at least once.
In addition to the 101 organizations, seven medical students have been awarded grants toward their education.
For more information about the Cochrane Foundation grants and the application process see www.cochranefoundation.ca or email [email protected].
