Sadiki Bamperineza a member of the Neighbourhood Association of Medicine Hat and Area spoke with CHAT News on Tuesday. Kevin Kyle/CHAT News

By Jesse Gill

Group launching Medicine Hat neighbourhood association receives $25K grant

Jul 3, 2024 | 4:26 PM

The Neighbourhood Association of Medicine Hat and Area is getting a helping hand before the organization officially launches this fall as the recipient of a $25,000 impact award from the Community Foundation of Southeastern Alberta.

The grant is given to innovative project ideas showing creativity and leadership in supporting a vibrant, healthy and caring community.

Sydney Ratzlaff, community engagement coordinator at the foundation, said of the many strong applicants evaluated, they felt this had the widest-reaching impact across Medicine Hat.

“They have a goal to serve 12,000 people in their first year alone, so the committee felt, that this would be kind of the backbone grant to support and sustain this agency moving forward,” Ratzlaff said.

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The neighbourhood association promises to support and connect neighbours to create a sense of belonging, where everyone feels welcome.

They will be supporting and attending block parties and events held throughout the community and region.

Member Sadiki Bamperineza said the success will be through collaboration.

“This will be community led, not only for us as the community to tell them what to do, but we’ll be supporting them to organize the activities like the block parties to support the organizations,” Bamperineza said.

“Also in spreading the information to the people so that they know that the neighborhood associations are running and then we can have the vibrant community in Medicine Hat.”

The organization will be working this summer to create a Block Party trailer with supplies to let neighbours borrow when hosting an event.

An official launch event will be held during the first weekend of October with neighbourhood walks hosted throughout the city.