An anonymous donor has provided $1 million to help reduce health inequalities in the tri-county area of southwestern Nova Scotia.
The Reciprocity Health Fund has granted more than $300,000 to 13 organizations in Shelburne, Yarmouth, and Digby counties. These local organizations work on improving key factors that affect health, such as income, food security, social connection, transportation, and access to care in the communities they serve.
The Reciprocity Health Fund is administered by the Community Foundation of Nova Scotia (CFNS) and has been made possible by an anonymous donor who wanted to have a positive impact on the health of people in and around the tri-county area of southwestern Nova Scotia and to reduce health inequalities in Yarmouth, Digby, and Shelburne counties.
The Reciprocity Health Fund made its first grant in 2022 and has since invested over $1 million in southwestern Nova Scotia. This year’s funded projects include food programs like backpack deliveries, community kitchens, and gardens, mental health support for youth, programs for 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, and transportation services for people facing isolation, poverty, or health issues.
The fund enables each of its recipients to improve services and resources to support the health of residents in the region. The fund attracts applications from charities, non-profits, municipalities, faith-based institutions, schools, and community groups partnering with these organizations. Supported initiatives include youth programs, rural transportation, support groups, physical fitness initiatives, and projects designed to reduce systemic health barriers.
