Fort St. John Co-op donates $50K to local non-profits

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The Fort St. John Co-op has given $50,000 in funds to five local non-profits. 

According to a press release, the Co-op has distributed the cash to non-profit organizations in Fort St. John and Fort Nelson through its 2025/2026 Community Support Fund. 

The funds will be split between the Fort St. John Child Development Centre, Fort St. John Hospital Auxiliary, Fort St. John Men’s Shed, Northern Rockies Child Development Association and Northern Rockies Seniors Society. 

The recipients for this year were selected due to their contributions to healthcare, seniors’ care, childcare, mental health and community wellbeing. 

This ensures Co-op profits are reinvested locally to “strengthen families, enhance access to vital services and support economic and social progress,” the release said. 

The release added that every year, non-profits are invited to apply in October and November for funding. 

Brad Lussier, general manager at Fort St. John Co‐op, said: “Our Community Support Fund exists because we believe in locals supporting locals. 

“By partnering with these organizations, we’re not just giving funds, we’re helping to turn Co‐op profits into meaningful improvements for the people who live right here in our communities.” 

He added: “These projects reflect our deep commitment to the care, connection and community spaces that our members and their families rely on every single day.”

The recipients of the 2025/2026 community support fund are: 

Fort St. John Child Development Centre ($10,000): The funds will be used for repairs to the society’s outdoor playground and equipment, including gym mats, dividers and a pool platform. Additionally, it will go towards its early intervention program, such as therapy assessment kits and speech language resources.

Tana Milner, executive director for the Child Development Centre, said: “These items directly support our ability to provide high-quality [and] responsive programming…we are deeply thankful for their commitment to strengthening our community through their generosity.”

Fort St. John Hospital Auxiliary ($20,000): The funds were used to buy a 75-inch TV and a custom cabinet for the Peace Villa. Additionally, the funds will contribute towards a new bariatric hospital bed for the trauma and ICU departments at the Fort St. John Hospital. 

Rosemary Landry, president of the Fort St. John Hospital Auxiliary, said: “A dedicated bariatric bed in the trauma unit will ensure the room is ‘patient ready’ in an already stressful situation; we will no longer need to source an appropriate bed from another department.” 

She added: “The 75-inch entertainment cabinet and TV will allow for bigger gatherings and interactive social events for Peace Villa residents. These activities help build the sense of community and overall wellbeing.” 

Fort St. John Men’s Shed ($9,000): The funding, Co-op said, will help the non-profit get a dedicated workspace for members to collaborate on community projects, fostering mental health and social connection through meaningful work. 

Northern Rockies Child Development Association ($5,000): The press release said the funds will be used to modernize lighting in its main office to create a brighter, more welcoming environment for families and staff. 

Northern Rockies Seniors Society ($6,000): Funds from the Co-op will be used for a significant upgrade to the kitchen, to allow the society to expand its Meals on Wheels program. 

“This generous support will allow us to move forward with important kitchen renovations that will enhance the service we provide to our Meals on Wheels clients,” said Michele Mitchell, executive director of Northern Rockies Seniors Society.

“…We will also be connecting our existing equipment to our generator, ensuring that warm nutritious meals can continue to be delivered even during power outages.”