ProtectMB Grant Awards Funds To Its First 25 Recipients

Over $390,000 was awarded to the 25 recipients of the ProtectMB Grant

Since the pandemic hit, Canadians have been looking for a way back to normalcy and the fastest way back to normalcy is through vaccination. However, some are still weary of vaccines due to the spread of misinformation.

With a decrease in infection numbers, provinces are now thinking of creatives ways to encourage more people to get vaccinated. Manitoba is taking the route of going directly to communities and offering easier access and more information about the vaccine.

Yesterday Premier Brian Pallister announced that the Manitoba government is partnering with community-led organizations to increase COVID-19 vaccination uptake, help protect Manitobans and ensure the province reaches its vaccination targets as quickly as possible.

This week the Manitoba government announced the first 25 recipients of the ProtectMB Community Outreach and Incentive Grant. These 25 projects received more than $390,000 to help specific sectors of the population get vaccinated. The ProtectMB grant will provide financial assistance to sport, religious, arts, cultural and communities organizations, businesses, and schools to encourage vaccinations rates in low immunization communities.

“Getting as many Manitobans vaccinated as quickly and safely as they can is key to ending this pandemic and getting our lives back,” said Pallister. “Our community-hosted vaccination program will make it easier for people from all walks of life to get vaccinated in way that is comfortable and accessible to them.”

The province is also working with community-level administration to overcome barriers in vaccine accessibility such as working with NFI Group Inc. to provide vaccines to their staff and family members and well as working with living facilities; hospitals, personal care homes and organizations such as St Amant.

“St. Amant’s goal is to support and enhance the vaccine campaign by helping vulnerable people who are not well served at a super site to access their vaccine; this includes people with disabilities as well as staff and their family members,” said John Leggat, president, and CEO of St. Amant. “We saw people who had tried unsuccessfully to get their vaccine up to four times previously and we were finally able to support them. Our organization and our community is grateful to the province for supporting this initiative, and to all of our staff and volunteers who made it happen.”

More great reading