2015 listing of grants from the Anglican Healing Fund made and administered by the Healing Response Committee to encourage and initiate programs which help educate and heal.
Aboriginal Front Door Society, Vancouver, BC
$15,000
Coming Together Healing Circles & Life Skills for Man, Women, Youth and Elders
The project will provide healing circles, traditional teachings, cultural activities and life skills program for the Downtown Eastside Aboriginal people. (Diocese of New Westminster)
Aboriginal Neighbours/Diocese of British Columbia, Victoria, BC
$15,000
Revitalizing Indigenous Living Languages: A Gift to Future Generations
This project focus is on a Mentor-Apprentice Program where a fluent speaker of a language is paired with one or more learners. The learners will spend 300 hours per year doing everyday activities in their language. The participants of this immersion program become the new speakers in the community and are often found working in the schools or Early Childhood Education programs. (Diocese of British Columbia)
Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation – Alexis Heritage and Language, Glenevis, AB
$15,000
ANSN Kinship Book
To create a kinship book that will include a collection of family histories, stories, maps and language references for kinship terminology and traditional teachings. Once complete, the community members will have access to information that will enable them to see and understand their connection to each other, to the land and to their language. The resource will be used as a literacy resource for schools and an historical reference for the community. (Diocese of Edmonton)
All Saints Anglican Church/Kakinow Ntomakanik, Winnipeg, MB
$15,000
Kakinow Ntomakanik/All My Relations
The focus on this inner city healing ministry is to work with elders, women and children living in poverty. The components of this work include: individual and group counseling, working with individuals living on the streets, support groups and workshops. The program works in partnership with other organizations; such as, the Agape Table – meals program. (Diocese of Rupert’s Land)
Anglican Parishes of the Six Nations, Ohsweken, ON
$15,000
Brightening the Spirit/Breaking the Silence
The project’s ultimate goal is to reduce the suicide rate and minimize the harmful consequences of suicidal behavior. This will involve determining culturally and contextually appropriate suicide prevention, intervention and postvention skills, strategies and methodologies. This project is phase I of a 3-phase project that will ultimately be community owned. (Diocese of Huron)
Anglican Parishes of the Six Nations, Ohsweken ON
$14,080
Brightening the Spirit-Breaking the Silence Suicide Awareness
This project is entering phase two of a 3-phase initiative. It is led by a group of community volunteers striving to create collaborative effort with existing community services to find solutions to reduce the number of suicides in the community. This project involves determining culturally and contextually appropriate suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention strategies. (Diocese of Huron)
Anglican Parish of the Six Nations, Ohsweken, ON
$14,770
Music for the Spirit
To offer a two-week music and cultural education program for young people in the Six Nations area. The music program will offer youth the opportunity to develop and enhance their music skills while at the same time learning traditional teachings through music, dance, storytelling and the art of making corn husk dolls. (Diocese of Huron)
Atira Women’s Resource Society, Vancouver, BC
$9,625
Aboriginal Women’s Outreach Program
To provide culturally appropriate support for Aboriginal women who have experienced violence and who live in the underserviced areas of the Fraser Valley. The project will help to increase the number of talking circles, support groups and expand services overall. The program offers needs-based support through home visits, crisis calls, advocacy, life skills-related programs, accompaniments and referrals. (Diocese of New Westminster)
Beh-Jip-Po-Nen Wejok-Ked-Wa-Gon Inc., Tobique First Nation NB
$14,812
Maliseet Language & Traditional Revitalization Project
This project will provide Elders’ nest language seminars, traditional-history and cultural-knowledge sessions, and survivor-healing-awareness presentations. The recruitment strategy for this project will involve at-risk youth and their immediate families. (Diocese of Fredericton)
Blue Sky Community Healing Centre, Thunder Bay, ON
$15,000
Gidinawemaagineanag – All Our Relations
The project will provide a safe and nurturing environment for the participants to share experiences, teachings, cultural practices, sharing circles, and support to one another. The project will engage a facilitator who will lead workshops while an Elder will provide one-on-one support for participants. This project was funded through a one-time Special Projects Grant. (Diocese of Algoma)
British Columbia Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres, Victoria, BC
$15,000
Healing Hearts II – Providing Traditional Healing Tools to Aboriginal Homeless and Low Income
Phase II of this project will create an opportunity for the participants to gather together for a 2-day workshop on traditional teachings and ceremonies. Traditional healing tools will be made available to the participants to help each other survive violence on the streets and within their homes. (Diocese of British Columbia)
Camp Mishakamaayashinoonini-wug, Wapekeka, ON
$14,872
Camp Mishakamaayashinoonini-wug Land-based Family Healing and Cultural Training Initiative
The project is to host a 5-day community healing and cultural camp. The primary focus of the camp is to provide a reconnection to the language through on-the-land traditional activities and traditional teachings. All the activities will be recorded, documented and preserved for the future use by the community. (ISMM)
Coast Salish Employment & Training Society, Duncan, BC
$15,000
Songs are our Prayers; Songs are our Medicine
The project will offer a 3-week healing program for women’s that is intended to help revive ceremonial knowledge through songs, traditional teachings and stories. The women will learn about the link between violence and sexual abuse, family and community dysfunctions and the link to the legacy of the residential school system. (Diocese of British Columbia)
Committee on Abuse in Residential Schools, Whitehorse, YT
$15,000
National Truth & Reconciliation Closing Event
The project will enable six residential school survivors to attend the Truth and Reconciliation Commission closing event in Ottawa. (Diocese of Yukon)
Committee on Abuse in Residential Schools, Whitehorse, YT
$15,000
To Host a Two-day Conference
The project is to host a three-day healing conference. The focal point of the conference will be on how to move beyond pain and trauma of the past and focus more on healthy lifestyles. The conference will invite speakers, workshop leaders and Elders who will lead sessions on storytelling, traditional teachings and healing circles. (Diocese of Yukon)
Cree Nations Treatment Haven, Canwood, SK
$13,800
Project – Lead By Example
The project will create a permanent exhibit about the trials and accomplishments of Freda Ahenakew. Freda Ahenakew, an author and an academic, was born in Ahtahkakoop, Saskatchewan and attended St. Alban’s Residential School in Prince Albert. The aim of the centre is to have a living memorial to the survivors of the residential schools and to show the strengths, achievements and the resiliency of the people. (Diocese of Saskatchewan)
Curve Lake Cultural Centre, Curve Lake, ON
$4,000
Hundred Years of Loss: Residential School Symposium
To host 100 Years of Loss, Residential School Symposium with a focus on bringing together intermediate and secondary school students, along with the general public in Peterborough, Ontario and area. The mobile exhibition and workshops promote an understanding of the history and legacy of residential schools and educates young Canadians, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal about the on-going impact. (Diocese of Toronto)
Diocese of Niagara, Youth Synod in Action (YSiA) program, Hamilton, ON
$3,027
YSiA TRC Witness
To assist a small group to attend and participate in the 5-day TRC closing program events in Ottawa. The program will include KAIROS’ Intergenerational Gathering, the Walk for Reconciliation, educational events hosted by the TRC, and the closing ceremonies of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. (Diocese of Niagara)
Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre Association, Vancouver, BC
$15,000
The Circle of Healing: Cultural Recovery and Resiliency for Aboriginal Women
This program provides traditional healing activities and leadership development for aboriginal women, who are survivors or descendants of the residential schools survivors. (Diocese of New Westminster)
Eagle Speaker Community Connection Society, Calgary, AB
$13,500
Reconciliation
To create a new graphic novel-inspired, educational, multi-media resource that will address the ongoing inter-generational impact of the residential school system. The resource will provide an engaging, easily accessible source of information for young Canadians. The multi-media resource will be in the form of a publication, interactive website, e-book, online course and newsletter. (Diocese of Calgary)
Ehattesaht Chinehkint Tribe, Zeballos, BC
$14,660
Ehattesaht Chinehkint Family Language Immersion & Nest Camp
To hold a 10-day language immersion and healing camp. The project will focus on working with five families who have indicated interest to work toward family based fluency, and address the trauma of language loss. The 10-day event will include: orientation, in-residence immersion camp, and re-enforcement immersion camp sessions. (British Columbia)
Elizabeth Fry Society of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON
$15,000
Continuation of Walk a Mile in our Moccasins Healing Circles for criminalized or at risk descendants of Residential School Survivors
To offer healing circles for women who are criminalized. The healing circles will address the trauma caused by the Residential School experience. The project will introduce women who are estranged from family and community to culturally specific and appropriate ways to reconnect with culture and to assist with healing. (Diocese of Ottawa)
Gabzendung Group Neesh
$5,548
To enable a number of survivors of residential schools to attend the Truth and Reconciliation Commission closing event in Ottawa. (Diocese of Algoma)
Hamilton-Wentworth Chapter of Native Women Incorporated, Hamilton, ON
$13,375
Celebrating the Knowledge of the Grandmothers
The project will provide access to traditional teachings, ceremonies and artistic work/craft through community elders, traditional teachers and artists. The program will include; ceremonies, stages of life teachings, medicinal plants, songs, bead and leather work, shawl making, drum-making, food and meal preparations. (Diocese of Niagara)
Hesquiaht Language Program, Port Alberni B.C.
$15,000
Language Nest Immersion Teaching and Online Resources
The short term goal of this project is to train Hesquiaht language speakers to become language teachers, while the long term goal is to increase the total number of Hesquiaht language speakers. The aim is to move all the semi-fluent speakers up to the category of fluent speakers within the next decade. (Diocese of British Columbia)
Indigenous Spiritual Ministry of Mishamikoweesh, Kingfisher Lake, ON
$15,000
Women’s Traditional and Life Skills Teachings
To host a 5-day women’s gathering that will incorporate cultural recovery, traditional knowledge, intergenerational learning, language recovery and biblical teachings. (ISMM)
The Legacy of Hope Foundation, Ottawa, ON
$13,000
We Were So Far Away: Bringing the Northern Experience of Residential Schools to Canadian Youth.
To develop a printed and downloadable bilingual workshop guide that will include: statement of purpose, history of Indian residential Schools with a particular focus on the north, a government apology discussion guide and other activities. The guide will complement the book ‘We Were So Far Away’, the Inuit Experience of Residential Schools. (Diocese of Ottawa)
Liard Aboriginal Women’s Society, Watson Lake, YT
$15,000
Healing the Legacy of Residential School through Traditional Sewing & Crafts
The project will offer monthly 5-day workshops on traditional sewing and craft work. The sessions will create a venue for the participants to share their stories of trauma stemming from the residential school system, learn some language related to the sewing projects, while continuing their healing journey in a safe place. (Diocese of Yukon)
Liard First Nation – Justice Department “Dena Keh”, Watson Lake, YT
$10,656
National Truth and Reconciliation gathering in Ottawa
The grant will enable four survivors of the residential schools along with family members to attend the Truth and Reconciliation Commission closing ceremonies in Ottawa. (Diocese of Yukon)
Metlakatla Governing Council, Prince Rupert, BC
$14,934
Metlakatla Culture/Language Initiative (Parents/Grandparents)
This language and culture project will focus on a community traditional celebration feast and the Sm’algyax language required to plan and organize such a celebration feast. The participants will learn protocols, teachings, songs, drum, dance, how to weave cedar hats and baskets. The participants will be taught to speak in sentences in the Sm’algyax language as they learn the process of planning a traditional celebration feast. (Diocese of Caledonia)
Michikan Education Authority Bearskin Lake, ON
$14,030
The late Alex Fox Memorial Camp
The project is to host a 5-day camp for students of Michikan Lake School along with their Elders. The aim of the cultural camp is to promote a reconnection to the land through traditional land activities, language, family values and spiritual beliefs. (ISMM)
MIKI’SIW Metis Association, Comox, BC
$7,200
Visiting Elders: An intergenerational approach to culturally safe and supportive healing
The project will create a Visiting Elders Program at the in-patient psychiatry unit at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Amethyst House, an addiction treatment centre for women. The program is designed to offer opportunities for patients and residents to learn from Elders and engage in a variety of traditional activities. (Diocese of British Columbia)
Mishko Bimaadziwin Family Support Services, Thunder Bay, ON
$15,000
Bimadji Aawasowin
The project will offer an Ojibwe language program that will be open to anyone who wants to learn the Ojibwe language. The language classes will run once a week for a year. (Diocese of Algoma)
Mohawk Council of Kanesatake, Kanesatake Mohawk Territory, PQ
$15,000
1990 Commemoration and Honoring of Residential School Survivors and past attendees to Residential Schools
The project will bring together survivors, inter-generational relatives, friends and community members to honor the Indian Residential School Survivors at a Traditional Gathering Weekend. A memorial monument will be setup displaying the names of the people from Kanesatake who attended residential schools. (Diocese of Montreal)
Naadmaagit Ki Group/ For Youth Initiative, Toronto, ON
$15,000
Ki Bimaadiziwin (The Land is the Good Life)
This project will work with urban aboriginal youth, who have been affected by the legacy of the residential schools, to explore culturally based ways to reconnect with the land in the city. They will work with aboriginal elders and teachers to explore past, current, and potential indigenous relationships with the land. The participants will help develop sites in the city where indigenous plants and animals can thrive. (Diocese of Toronto)
Native Child & Family Services of Toronto, Toronto, ON
$15,000
Aboriginal Child & Youth Camp
The project is to continue providing summer camps for children, youth and families residing in the City of Toronto and the surrounding area. The focus of the camps is on traditional teachings, healthy life styles, healthy family relationships and healing. This camp is a unique opportunity for children, youth and families to experience camp in a wilderness setting. (Diocese of Toronto)
Native Men’s Residence, Toronto, ON
$15,000
Ngim Kowa Njichaag (Reclaiming My Spirit)
This project is designed to support aboriginal men to reclaim their cultural identity. The project provides a range of activities; such as, ceremonies, traditional counseling, traditional teachings, drum-making workshops, drumming circles and sharing circles. Some clients may not ever had the opportunity to access traditional ceremonies and practices due to the effects of the residential school system. (Diocese of Toronto)
Neskantaga First Nation-Health/Social Services Program, Lansdowne House, ON
$15,000
Maamaw Peemoosayta Gathering Project
This project is designed to bring education and awareness to the on-going negative impacts of the residential school system. The project will consist of a community gathering with a focus on networking, sharing information and in-depth discussions on ways to bring about community healing. All the data gathered will be used for strategic planning to address social problems; such as, suicides and other self-destructive behaviours. (Indigenous Spiritual Ministry of Mishamikoweesh)
Northern Lights Métis Council, Cochrane, ON
$9,630
The Healing Garden
The Healing Garden will be centred on the existing aboriginal healing programs in the community. The concept of the garden will be rooted in traditional Aboriginal philosophy that teaches that all are welcome in the circle. All community members will be welcomed to participate. (Diocese of Moosonee)
Northlands First Nation Health, Lac Brochet, MB
$15,000
Healing the Trauma of Residential School
This 3-day community healing gathering is a follow-up to the 2013 gathering. The gathering will include guest speakers, workshops, traditional and cultural healing activities and will end with a community feast. (Diocese of Brandon)
Okanagan Indian Band, Vernon, BC
$15,000
Herstory – It is time for Convocation, Reflection and Promulgation
The aim of the project is to re-unite the story tellers of Herstory. Herstory is collection of stories told by residential schools women survivors from five Interior Salish Nations. This project will provide an opportunity for the participants to reflect and share how the initial project has affected their lives and how it has promoted further healing. (Diocese of Kootenay)
Oneida Nation of the Thames First Nation, Southwold ON
$15,000
Reconnection, Restoration & Healing
The aim of this project is to develop a community language resource to ensure the preservation of the Oneida language and Oneida traditions. The project will involve researching, collecting of data and documenting the data from a variety of sources in the community and at Six Nations. Upon completion, the resource will be made available to the Oneida community. (Diocese of Huron)
Port Alberni Friendship Centre, Port Alberni, BC
$15,000
The Animal Kingdom Reconciliation Dance Group-Spiritual Teachings Proposal
This project will focus on cultural recovery for urban aboriginal youth, adults and elders who have endured multi-generational trauma due to the loss of language and culture through the residential school system. The project will offer workshops on the history of the First Peoples, traditional cultural practices and teachings, ceremonies, chants and prayers and dances and drumming. (Diocese of British Columbia)
Quuquuatsa Language Society, Port Alberni, BC
$15,000
Healing Our Voices & Revitalizing Our Nuuchahnulth Language
The project aims to promote and provide opportunities for community members to reclaim their ancestral language. The project will increase the language skills of the people by providing tools for the participants to speak, read and/or write in the language. (Diocese of British Columbia)
Reconciliation Canada – A New Way Forward Society, Vancouver, BC
$15,000
A New Way Forward: Walk and Panel Dialogue
The Walk for Reconciliation is designed to engage people from diverse backgrounds and faiths to walk together, and renew and revitalize new and existing relationships among Aboriginal peoples and non-Aboriginal people. ‘The Walk for Reconciliation’ will make a powerful statement that people in Canada are moving towards healing and reconciliation together. (Diocese of New Westminster)
Saanich First Nations Adult Care Society, Brendwood Bay, BC
$15,000
Our Traditions Reborn
The project will offer an intense language and culture program that will focus on Coast Salish history, teachings and ceremonies. Elders will provide the history, the importance of language and culture, and will demonstrate how the loss of language/culture has impacted their own lives. The aim of this project is to promote a deeper understanding of self, family and community. (Diocese of British Columbia)
Selkirk First Nation, Pelly Crossing, YT
$14,572
Final National Truth and Reconciliation Event
The grant will enable eight people to attend the closing Truth and Reconciliation Commission event in Ottawa. Attending will be six Selkirk First Nation frontline workers and two community members. (Diocese of Yukon)
Spanish Indian Residential Schools Legacy Association Inc., Massey, ON
$15,000
2016 Spanish Indian Residential Schools Gathering
To host a 3-day gathering of former Spanish Indian Residential Schools students, members of their family and other interested persons from First Nation communities. The event will provide opportunity for the participants to discuss, reflect and celebrate the relationships that were forged during the school years. Today these relationships remain and they continue to form a foundation for healing and reconciliation. (Diocese of Algoma)
Tsawout Learning House, Saanichton, BC
$13,500
Passing on Traditional Teachings
The project will offer a 3-week summer language and culture camp for children, youth and interested family members. The camp will focus on the SENĆOŦEN language to be taught by language teachers and Elders. Along with the language, the Elders will provide traditional teachings and storytelling. First Nations Artists and Crafts persons will share their expertise in beading, drum-making and traditional games. (Diocese of British Columbia)
The Valerie, Ruth & Pamela Dudoward Foundation, Vancouver, BC
$14,400
Journey of Healing
The project will enable a number of survivors who attended the St. Michaels Residential School in Alert Bay to visit the post-demolition site. To support long-term healing, healing and cultural activities will take place on a regular basis throughout the year. (Diocese of New Westminster)
Wasauksing First Nation, Parry Sound, ON
$9,500
NOODJIMOWIN – HEALING
The goals of this project are: to create a plaque with the names of Wasauksing children who attended residential schools; to beautify and landscape the area where the monument will be placed; to send a delegation to the Pottawatomi gathering in Wisconsin. The gathering in Wisconsin provides an opportunity for members to come together and celebrate their Potawatomi heritage. (Diocese of Algoma)
West Region Child and Family Services, Inc., Erickson, MB
$15,000
Reclaiming Our Voices 17th Annual Women’s Gathering
To support the annual gathering of aboriginal women who have been affected by alcohol, drugs, and/or family violence and who are working towards healing themselves so they can be reunited with their children, who are in the care of child welfare. (Diocese of Brandon)
Whitehorse Aboriginal Women’s Circle, Whitehorse, YT
$15,000
Reunion to Revitalize our Resilient Spirits
The project will host a 2-day gathering for participants who were involved in the 2014 ‘Finding our Faces and History through Photographs’ project. The gathering will take place out on the land where traditional practices will be followed. The gathering is intended to nurture and build a stronger bond among the participants so they can move forward together in their healing journeys. (Diocese of Yukon)
Wish Drop-In Centre, Vancouver, BC
$14,900
Aboriginal Health & Safety Project
To provide support to marginalized aboriginal women involved in the street-based sex trade, with practical support that will help stabilize their lives and increase their capacity to resist violence. Individualized support program includes: finding emergency shelter, finding long-term housing, accompanying women to medical appointments, assistance in leaving abusive relationships, navigating the court system and income assistance. (Diocese of New Westminster)