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Local charity Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives, which offers a variety of Seniors Community Support Services, will use $55,000 from the Government of Canada’s Community Services Recovery Fund to upgrade its client management software.

Photo courtesy Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives

Local charity receives $55K from the Government of Canada’s community services recovery fund to enhance digital infrastructure

By Richmond Sentinel

Published 12:01 PDT, Thu August 17, 2023

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Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives (RCRG) has received $55,000 from the Government of Canada's Community Services Recovery Fund, which the organization will use to strengthen its digital systems and streamline service delivery.

With the funding, RCRG will purchase and implement new client management software for its Seniors Community Support Services and Richmond Christmas Fund programs, both of which have seen increased demand since the pandemic.

"We're serving more clients now than we ever have," says Ed Gavsie, president and chief executive officer of RCRG. "It became clear, during the pandemic, that our digital infrastructure was outdated, which was limiting our ability to expand program capacity."

Once implemented, the new software will help streamline RCRG's client intake process, allowing people to access services more quickly. The software will also make it easier to track statistics and produce impact reports, all while maintaining client confidentiality.

"This is the kind of behind-the-scenes, operational upgrade that will produce tangible results in our community," says Gavsie. "It will help us deliver high-quality services to Richmond residents in a more efficient way."

The Community Services Recovery Fund is a one-time $400 million investment from the Government of Canada to support community service organizations, including charities, non-profits and Indigenous governing bodies, as they adapt and modernize their organizations.

The Government of Canada delivered the Community Services Recovery Fund through three National Funders—Canadian Red Cross, Community Foundations of Canada, and United Way Centraide Canada. The National Funders distributed funding to eligible community service organizations across the country.

"We'd like to express our sincere gratitude to the Government of Canada and the Richmond Community Foundation, who distributed the funds locally," says Gavsie. "In the wake of the pandemic, they understood the challenges community organizations were facing. Their targeted response, through the Community Services Recovery Fund, will lead to services that are more inclusive, accessible, and resilient."

"Community service organizations are at the heart of communities like Richmond, creating a sense of belonging from coast to coast to coast," says Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Jenna Sudds. "The Community Services Recovery Fund will enable organizations like Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives that serve our diverse communities to adapt and modernize their programs and services and to invest in the future of their organizations, staff and volunteers. Together, we can rebuild from the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic and build a more just and equitable future for those in Richmond."

Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives (RCRG) is a registered charity that serves as a hub for volunteering and giving. RCRG is also a direct service provider, operating a Child Care Resource & Referral Centre, the Richmond Christmas Fund, and a variety of Seniors Community Support Services. rcrg.org