Osprey Community Foundation

Changes Coming to Osprey’s Senior’s Grants

June 15, 2023

June 15th, 2023

Seniors’ programming and support, acute health care services and animal welfare. These were some of the charitable interests of an anonymous Nelson area philanthropist.

This philanthropist trusted the Osprey Community Foundation to be the vehicle that would ensure her legacy would provide support to these interests in perpetuity. She established the Sheba Fund in 2001 and in 2006, through a bequest in her will, the Fund grew to almost $3.5 million.

Since then almost $1.5 million of income earned from the Sheba Fund has been distributed back into the community.  Not only that, the contributed $3.5 million remains in the Osprey endowment in its entirety and will continue to earn income to support the causes that meant so much to the donor.

In 2005, Osprey and the Friends of Nelson Elders in Care Society (FONE) formed a partnership. For the next 18 years FONE administered a grants program using a portion of Sheba’s generated income earmarked for Seniors’ programs to support a wide range of seniors’ services.

From renovations to the Nelson Senior Citizens Branch 51 Centre to bingo prizes at Mountain Lakes, dedicated FONE volunteers have ensured that our seniors’ community has benefited from this Donor’s legacy.

FONE was established after the closure of Willowhaven when residents were relocated. The Willowhaven Residents’ Society wanted to ensure that the assets of the Society would remain in Nelson for the use of seniors in this community. As a registered charity, FONE has helped fund numerous projects that enhance the lives of local seniors, whether they are living in facilities or in their own homes.

This spring, after consulting with its membership, FONE announced that it was no longer able to administer the grant program. Osprey will assume administering the program. The purposes of these grants will remain the same, to enhance the lives of local seniors, but the administrative process will change. Osprey intends to open grant applications for seniors’ related programs and activities this fall. Check out our website in early September for more information.

A big thank you to FONE volunteers past and present for partnering with Osprey and for their commitment to improving the lives of Nelson and area seniors.