New Salmon Arm non-profit offers programs for Indigenous women, families, youth and children

A new Shuswap non-profit’s cup is a little more full thanks to a donation from a local business.

Rise Up Indigenous Wellness is a non-profit society that aims to support Urban Indigenous women, families, youth and children in Salmon Arm and surrounding area. The organization recently received a $1,000 donation from Shuswap Coffee Company owner Tara Shantz. According to Rise Up executive director Launa Payne, the donation will allow the organization to continue offering family food security for an additional eight weeks.

Run by program director Sherrelle Anderson, a member of the Saddle Lake Cree Nation and Payne, of Xaxtsa band Statliam Nation, Rise Up offers holistic health programs and services with a focus on land connection. Some of the programs it has facilitated include “Cook With Kids,” a program geared towards using nutritious local foods to connect parents and children; and “Land is Medicine,” a program that focuses on incorporating traditional land knowledge while encouraging physical activity and community connections.

Rise Up also offers Indigenous camps and workshops, as well as support for families in crisis.

We strive to remove barriers to wellness through support, community connection and referrals, said Anderson and Payne.

Shuswap Coffee Company has partnered with numerous groups and non-profits, assisting them with raising funds.

Read more:Affordable housing secured in Enderby

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