Lacombe based A Better World continues to seek nominations and applications for their Neighbours chapter.

Its mission is to help people locally who fall through the cracks, those who are marginalized for a reason beyond their control.

Project Co-ordinator Ronda Ziakris says the idea started in 2011, she had young children, wanted to give back, but it wasn't feasible for her to travel with A Better World to developing countries.

Her son was very sick at birth and diagnosed with a disability and she was grateful for the community support her family received.

“We have been very fortunate in the resources that we have been granted to us and have never felt like we are one of those families that have fallen through the cracks. However, along the way we’ve met a lot of families that just for whatever reason, don’t have access to the resources and so have just kind of vowed that when we got back on our feet that we would find a way to try to give back to our community that had shown us a great deal of support”.

Ziakris says Neighbours has now taken on one project a year.

“They have mostly been personal home renovations. People either apply or have been nominated to be the recipients of the renovation and so we have done everything from renovating a home to accommodate for a disabled persons caregiver to renovating a home for to accommodate for a hospice situation. Each project has usually involved a wheelchair ramp”.

Most recently they took on a community project in Sylvan Lake, where they helped the local food bank renovate a new space so they could move out of the basement of a local church and serve more people in need.

Ziakris says most projects run between $60,000 and $80,000, and are possible through the generous support of local businesses and caring volunteers.

For more information or to apply or submit a nomination visit Neighbours Project.