Present at the announcement and pictured above are Perbeen Mann, Christine Buttkus,
MP Sukh Dhaliwal, Dupinder Kaur Saran, Linda Annis and outreach librarian David Kerr.
A $23,697 grant from SurreyCares to Surrey Libraries will allow for an outreach librarian t
o begin visiting the food bank, modular housing sites, and shelters once a week with laptops to enable people facing barriers to technology to access online resources. The grant is made possible through the Government of Canada’s new $350 million Emergency Community Support Fund which saw over $900,000 allocated to SurreyCares.
“The COVID-19 crisis has increased the need for technology and access to information and resources for support services for employment, health, completing government forms and applying for benefits,” said Christine Buttkus, Executive Director of SurreyCares. “This program provides significant support for some of our most vulnerable population giving access to both technology and information while also providing one-on-one assistance.”
Surrey Libraries is a valued community institution and one of the most-used community services in Surrey. The Library welcomes around 2.7 million visits to its nine branches each year, and over two million visits to its online resources. Surrey Libraries runs hundreds of programs and services for children, youth, and adults to support their diverse learning needs. Serving the community since 1983, Surrey Libraries strives to be a leader in supporting creativity, connectivity, literacy, and lifelong learning.
“Many people in our community rely on Surrey Libraries every day to get access to information and resources,” said Neelam Sahota, Chair of the Board of Trustees for Surrey Libraries. “We appreciate this grant as it will enable the Library to continue to connect people, spark curiosity, and inspire learning.”
The Emergency Community Support Fund is being delivered through a national partnership with Community Foundations of Canada, United Way Centraide Canada and the Canadian Red Cross.
"We’re grateful to the Government of Canada for this much-needed boost benefitting local charities," said John Lawson, Chair of SurreyCares. “Charities and non-profit organizations have been leading the charge to assist those who need it most in the fight against COVID-19. We know the need for funding is still significant and we’re continuing to advocate for additional emergency funds.”