SASKATOON, December 11, 2013: The Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN) and Station 20 West announced an expansion of their partnership Wednesday, which will see greater collaboration on health education and outreach programs as means to address the root causes of health problems in Saskatoon’s Westside Core neighborhoods. In addition SUN announced the forgiveness of a $250,000 loan extended to the project in 2009.
“Station 20 West is really about building strong, healthy communities and taking action against health inequities at a grassroots level; something that is incredibly important to both SUN and our members,” says SUN President, Tracy Zambory. “Raising a community up and empowering them, through education, to be able to play an active part in their own health really fits with the holistic approach that is central to registered nursing care.”
A focus of this partnership will be exploring opportunities for cooperation on health education. This has been identified as a key component to addressing the socioeconomic conditions that are the cause of the health disparities currently seen between the city’s poorest and most affluent neighborhoods.
“We applaud SUN’s progressive community orientation and are very enthusiastic about our expanded educational partnership going forward,” says Valerie Veillard, Chair, Station 20 West Board of Directors.
Station 20 West opened its doors in fall 2012 with a vision to provide people living in some of Saskatoon’s most vulnerable communities, access to a basic necessity of life; food security. Today the centre meets multiple community needs; combining housing, employment, new mother and food security programs with neighborhood health offices.
“SUN’s initial commitment of a $100,000 donation and $250,000 loan in 2009 came at a critical time that helped propel Station 20 West forward,” says Veillard. “Today’s decision to forgive the $250,000 loan puts us in a good position to continue and further our goals of working with the community to address disparities as well as ensure the viability of the Good Food Junction Co-op – a not-for-profit grocery store serving Saskatoon’s core neighborhoods.”
“There is a lot we can learn from Station 20 West and I am so proud SUN will continue to stand behind this important project,” notes Zambory. “It’s certainly a sustainable and portable model for what we can and should be doing to combat health and social challenges in communities across the province.”
Station 20 West is a Community Enterprise Centre in the Heart of Saskatoon’s Westside Core Neighborhoods. The centre is part of a larger neighborhood revitalization site that includes 55 units of affordable housing and a library.
SUN represents almost 9,000 Registered Nurses (RNs), Registered Psychiatric Nurses (RPNs), Registered Nurse (Nurse Practitioner)s (RN (NP)s) and graduates in the province.
