(Above) The National Advisory Board (NAB) visits Victoria Citadel and tests out their bike-lending program. From left, Ana Tomas, NAB member; Commissioner Floyd Tidd, territorial commander; Paul Koreen, NAB chair; and Ricardo Stanford, NAB member

In 2021, the Canada and Bermuda Territory introduced innovation grants, a call to action for ministry units across the territoryto think creatively about their service to their communities. In the first year, $2 million was allocated to the grants, funding 42 new projects. The following year, $3 million was distributed to 64 different initiatives that introduced original, exciting programs and offerings to the communities in which The Salvation Army serves. Now, as we enter 2023, another round of grants will open to proposals, with a commitment of $4 million in funding.

“These grants are a great opportunity for ministry units to respond to dreams and ideas that may have only been conceptual had they not had the funds to do it,” says Major Doug Binner of the mission department, territorial headquarters, who chaired the innovation grant committee in 2022. He now passes leadership over to Lt-Colonel Tiffany Marshall, assistant secretary for mission.

“A key to the innovation grant program is to learn from innovators across the territory and identify new ways to advance our mission in all expressions of The Salvation Army, in our corps, community and social services. This is an area we hope to build upon this year,” says Lt-Colonel Marshall.

The innovation grants were initiated to give the territory opportunity and resources to be more creative in ministry. New and innovative projects continue to emerge across Canada and Bermuda, such as feeding programs, seniors’ groups, connection centres, community gardens, cooking classes and art collectives.

"This most recent round of proposals had all kinds of very creative and interesting ideas,” says Major Binner. “Many of them were rooted in the theme of connection—connection with community, with specific groups of people and with The Salvation Army.”

One initiative that offers connection to people in Victoria is the new bike-lending program at Victoria Citadel, which received an innovation grant in 2021 and launched “Wheels for Family Wellness” in 2022. 

Wellness on Wheels

After conducting a community survey to determine what families in Victoria needed most, the Next Steps Resource Centre at Victoria Citadel determined that one of the top needs was free or affordable activities for families.

“Parents want their children to do fun things and be active, but many can’t afford it,” says Major Catherine Burrows, corps officer. “We asked ourselves, ‘What can we do that is cost-friendly?’ and we prayed about it.”

When the territorial call for innovation grants came in 2021, Victoria Citadel proposed a new program that would benefit families looking for new and affordable experiences, connect them with The Salvation Army and contribute to overall health and wellness. Wheels for Family Wellness allows families, and anyone else wanting an adventure, to borrow bicycles and other equipment such as helmets, safety kits and locks from the resource centre for up to two weeks, with an option to extend the loan if the bike is not spoken for.

“Riding a bike is considered such a normal experience for children, but if you’re disadvantaged or low income, you may not have the same opportunity,” says Michelle O’Connor, resource centre co-ordinator. “When we began researching what bike programs existed in Victoria, we found bike rentals where you use your credit card, put down a deposit and pay for use, but there was nothing in the city for free.”

After submitting their proposal in July 2021, the resource centre at Victoria Citadel received approval from the innovation grant committee for more than $56,000 to launch Wheels for Family Wellness, with an official grand opening in June 2022.

"We purchased 25 bikes from a local vendor to keep the funds within our own community,” says O’Connor. “The grand opening was a success and we loaned out every bike, but we also noticed a few gaps in what we offered. We needed more bikes for children and women, because most people who came through were single moms with young kids. So, we purchased six more bikes.”

Wheels for Family Wellness is an initiative that will help improve mental and physical health, create bonding opportunities for families and connect people with other resources available to them through The Salvation Army in Victoria. 

For Any Need

Wheels for Family Wellness is open to anyone in the community, no matter the need.

“One family has a daughter who is in the process of transitioning between a child-size bike and the next size up. She’s not quite ready or comfortable on the larger bike, so her parents did not want to purchase a new one yet,” explains O’Connor. “They borrowed a bike from us to help her get used to it. She’s been practising for a few weeks now.”

Another family from Ukraine who visits Victoria Citadel for assistance lives nearly two hours away, a journey that includes a 40-minute walk to the bus stop. The parents borrow bikes and a tag-along trailer for their toddler, so they can ride their bikes together to the bus stop.

Sonia, a resident of Vancouver who borrowed bikes and equipment for her family of four, thanks The Salvation Army for providing her family not only with experiences, but with memories.

“We realized how much we absolutely love bike riding as a family and exploring new trails, or even the downtown roads,” says Sonia. “It is a very different experience from driving in a car or walking. This is an incredibly kind and generous program to borrow bikes from their bike-lending library, like a library book. We created memories that will last a lifetime, all thanks to The Salvation Army.”

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