.png)
Community Support Information
We Supported These Community Projects During 2025- 2026
Major Grant – Black Tie Bingo 2025 Charity of Choice
Youth HQ – Camp Alexo $30,000.00: In honour of our 30th anniversary event last year, our major grant was $30,000.00 for Camp Alexo. Camp Alexo is a summer camp, created in 1984, based on adventure, discovery, and play in group settings where children and youth can develop healthy relationships in a safe and unique nature setting. The camp is operated by Youth HQ and caters to underprivileged kids and families facing financial challenges in Central Alberta. Campers who attend Camp Alexo benefit from a variety of new experiences, learn lifelong skills, discover new interests and make new friends. Camp Alexo offers a campership fund for kids that can’t afford the camp and they provide free transportation from Innisfail and Red Deer to ensure every kid has a ride to camp and back.
Community Grants Christmas 2025
Salvation Army ($2,500.00): The Salvation Army is the largest non-governmental direct provider of social services in Canada. This donation will assist the Salvation Army in providing school lunches, diapers, personal care items, food hampers and beds for those requiring extra support during the year. Over 300 students benefit from meals each week thanks to the Salvation Army.
Safe Harbor ($2,500.00): With over 1300 regular clients, the Safe Habor Society provides emergency shelter, housing services, medically supported detox and an outreach and diversion team amongst their programs with the primary goal to transition clients out of homelessness. Our donation will support the ongoing operations of the society.
Central Alberta Women's Emergency Shelter ($2,500.00): CAWES operates the emergency shelter for women and children fleeing violence. In addition to the 40 emergency shelter beds (up to 28 days), the new facility includes 50 beds designed for stays up to 6 months as well as 17 suites (apartments) designed for stays of 6 months to one year. January 2025 will see phase 2 of the new shelter begin which will add 23 low-income apartments for rent as a further stage to support the clients of the shelter. This donation is to support shelter operations.
Red Deer Food Bank ($2,500.00): The Red Deer Food Bank provides many services across the City, with this donation focused on the Christmas Hamper program which provides food for a family for 7-10 days over the holiday season.
Central Alberta Outreach Society ($2,500.00): This donation is to support the annual adopt-a-family program for low-income families in the region. Over 200 families and nearly 500 children have their Christmas made brighter with support from programs.
Red Deer Christmas Bureau ($2,500.00): This organization provides more than 900 food hampers over 2 days in the holiday season as well as providing families with gifts for their children. The organization is entirely volunteer run and supports families throughout our region.
Victim Services ($2,500.00): The Red Deer Victim Services unit provide victims of a crime, misfortune or tragedy are helped by providing support (including financial), information and referrals. Support is provided through home visit(s), office visit(s), phone contact(s) and court accompaniment. This donation will help to provide comfort items for victims.
Community Grants Winter 2025
Red Deer Action Group- $2,500.00: Support services for vulnerable citizens, including the disadvantaged, disabled, elderly, and frail are provided. A key initiative is the Subsidy Ride Program which offers transportation and bus passes to attend appointments and events, educational trips, and various adult services for individuals with developmental disabilities.
Red Deer Festival of Performing Arts- $5,000.00: Red Deer Festival of the Performing Arts (formerly known as the Kiwanis Music Festival) has grown to become one of the most significant annual cultural events in Central Alberta. With a focus on performance and education for youth, it is estimated that some 200,000 performers have participated since the Festival began in 1964. We wanted to support something positive and proactive, as many organizations we support are reactive.
Community Grants Spring 2026
Red Deer Arts Council - $5,000.00: The Red Deer Arts Council is a non-profit organization that inspires, supports, and stimulates arts and culture through education, advocacy, and programming. This grant will provide support for a twice weekly arts-based program (Hub 3.0) for people with disabilities. This program helps participants to grow in confidence and enhances their foundational life skills as they participate in creative activities.
Red Deer Symphony - $5,000.00: The Red Deer Symphony Orchestra is a community-oriented professional performing arts leader dedicated to engaging, educating, and inspiring Central Alberta through music. This grant supports the Music +Explorers, an in-school outreach initiative, brings professional musicians from the Red Deer Symphony into classrooms to deliver high quality and engaging musical experiences for students from kindergarten to grade 12. The Symphony hopes to provide programming for over 200 students in 2026.
Ten Peaks Innovation Alliance - $5,000.00: Ten Peaks is a not-for-profit with a mission to engage, inspire, and educate Alberta’s youth about energy, the environment, and our climate and how they can play an essential role in the future of our province. They offer a free 1-day conference for grade 7-12 students connecting them with industry, academia, government, non-government organizations and indigenous leaders along with the scientific community to expand their knowledge around energy, our environment and climate. The conference grows every year, held at RDP, and offers unique and amazing opportunities for youth. To date more than 4000 kids have attended and continue to be inspired about energy, environment and climate.
Central Alberta Women's Emergency Shelter ($10,000.00): CAWES offers a range of free and confidential services providing specialist support for victims of domestic violence for Red Deer and surrounding communities. The grant will help with the cost of food purchases; pantry supplies and related expenses to provide daily lunch and dinner in the emergency shelter and stock the on-site food pantry.
Canadian Mental Health Association - $5,000.00 The Canadian Mental Health Association provides recovery-focused services for people of all ages and their families. Funds from this grant will be used to maintain support for Amethyst House and Pathways, supportive living programs, along with the Alberta Brain Injury Network, and Recovery College programs.
Notre Dame $2,000.00: The local school has a unique Unified Sports program that creates inclusive teams by pairing students with and without intellectual disabilities to give all participants the opportunity to compete, connect, and succeed together. For many students, this is their first team, their first jersey, their first tournament, and even their first medal. It builds confidence, fosters genuine friendships, and creates a sense of belonging that carries into the school every day. This grant will be used to support purchasing equipment and hosting inclusive community events.
Youth HQ $2,500.00: In the spring season Youth HQ sought a grant to support the increased activities at the centre for their 50th anniversary in our community.
Lending Cupboard $5,000.00: The Lending Cupboard provides equipment to enhance quality of life by maintaining mobility, independence and dignity to people in Central Alberta. This grant is to support the increased activities in the community in celebration of their 20th year serving Central Alberta.
Dress For Success $5,220.00: Dress for Success Central Alberta empowers women to create long term financial independence by providing a network of support, workplace attire, career skills and tools for success. This grant will be used to assist in the launch of a bi-weekly drop-in program to provide women in Central Alberta with a welcoming, inclusive and low barrier space to access mental health wellness supports, career development and community connections.
Total Local Contributions for the 2025 – 2026 Rotary Year: $99,720.00
The Rotary Club of Red Deer is proud to support these diverse and unique projects during 2024-25
Rotary Career Opportunity Endowment Fund at the Community Foundation of Central Alberta
This year, the Rotary Club of Red Deer committed to ongoing capital funding for the endowment again with a commitment of $25,000.00 each year for 5 years. The fund provides scholarships to local graduating high school students from Red Deer Public and Catholic School Divisions with the criteria for the scholarship being:
• There must be a need for financial assistance in continuing studies.
• Student must have demonstrated leadership and motivational skills through participation
in student, community, and / or business activities.
• Academic achievement must be adequate to gain admittance to the school and program
of choice.
• Applicants must be planning on attending an institution located in Alberta.
This year, the fund awarded 10 scholarships of $5,000.00 each on June 9, 2025 from the endowment fund.
Salvation Army ($2,500.00): This donation will assist the Salvation Army in providing school lunches, diapers, personal care items, food hampers and beds for those requiring extra support during the year. Over 300 students benefit from meals each week thanks to the Salvation Army.
Safe Harbor ($2,500.00): With over 1300 regular clients, the Safe Habor Society provides emergency shelter, housing services, medically supported detox and an outreach and diversion team amongst their programs with the primary goal to transition clients out of homelessness. Our donation will support the ongoing operations of the society.
Central Alberta Women's Emergency Shelter ($2,500.00): CAWES operates the emergency shelter for women and children fleeing violence. In addition to the 40 emergency shelter beds (up to 28 days), the new facility includes 50 beds designed for stays up to 6 months as well as17 suites (apartments) designed for stays of 6 months to one year. January 2025 will see phase2 of the new shelter begin which will add 23 low-income apartments for rent as a further stage to support the clients of the shelter. This donation is to support shelter operations.
Red Deer Food Bank ($2,500.00): The Red Deer Food Bank provides many services across the City, with this donation focused on the Christmas Hamper program which provides food for a family for 7-10 days over the holiday season.
Red Deer Christmas Bureau ($2,500.00): This organization provides more than 900 food hampers over 2 days in the holiday season as well as providing families with gifts for their children. The organization is entirely volunteer run and supports families throughout our region.
Victim Services ($2,500.00): The Red Deer Victim Services unit provide victims of a crime, misfortune or tragedy are helped by providing support (including financial), information and referrals. Support is provided through home visit(s), office visit(s), phone contact(s) and court accompaniment. This donation will help to provide comfort items for victims.
Red Deer Community Band Society-formerly the Red Deer Royals- $3,000.00: They are raising
funds for new uniforms. They have approx. 100 members, and uniforms are approx. $1,500.00
each.
The Central Alberta Regional (Rotary) Science Fair- $2,500: In conjunction with the other Rotary Clubs in Red Deer, we support the promotion of science education and research skills in today's students. Students from Grade 5 to 12 are invited to participate in our fair, and the top 6 students in Grade 7 to 12 are eligible to participate in the annual Canada Wide Science Fair held in May.
The Sendero Centre (formerly the CASAC)- $7,000.00: This is for education for grades K-12 in regard to the prevention of various forms of violence and harassment including sexual violence.This program is completed in schools and the request from schools is growing.
Red Deer Action Group- $2,500.00: They provide bus passes for people with disabilities, the elderly, and the disadvantaged so they can attend appointments and events.
Red Deer Festival of Performing Arts- $3,500.00: Red Deer Festival of the Performing Arts (formerly known as the Kiwanis Music Festival) has grown to become one of the most significant annual cultural events in Central Alberta. With a focus on performance and education for youth, it is estimated that some 200,000 performers have participated since the Festival began in1964.
YMCA Northside-$3,500.00: This donation is support the Free Food Friday Program. They feed up to 90 youth supper on Friday night. This program has a great impact on the community which is seen and felt locally.
Central Alberta Women’s Emergency Shelter- $10,000.00: This donation is to support their Outfitting our New Shelter Campaign. This is a $2M campaign to furnish their new space.
Bethany Care Foundation - $5,000.00: This is for an arts program for the seniors who are residents. The program is run by youth volunteers as a great opportunity for young and old and to bring the two together
Between Friends - $5,000.00: Between Friends provides quality social, recreation, and development opportunities so that people with disabilities can connect, grow, and belong. This gift is to support Camp Bonaventure which serves youth ages 5-17 with disabilities at their Red Deer camp.
Red Deer Arts Council - $5,000.00: The Red Deer Arts Council is a non-profit organization that inspires, supports, and stimulates arts and culture through education, advocacy, and programming. This gift is to support a music program at the twice/week camp.
Afro Caribbean Centre - $5,000.00: These funds will support the 3rd Annual Festival running August 9-10 in Red Deer. This event has good attendance and brings the community together in appreciation and celebration of the many African cultures which call our region home.
Red Deer Symphony - $5,000.00: The Red Deer Symphony Orchestra is a community-oriented professional performing arts leader dedicated to engaging, educating, and inspiring Central Alberta through music. These funds will go towards assisting them with improving their website and improved ability to accept payments online.