2015 Grants

$356,177 granted to 59 agencies

Fall 2015 Community Grants

Arts & Culture

Melos Music Society – $1,200

Baroque Idol

From the Edward Ratcliffe Fund

This grant will fund a local accompanist with experience in Baroque music for rehearsal and performance for the Melos Choir and Period Instrumental Ensemble’s 4th annual Baroque Idol Competition.

Ongwanada Hospital – $18,404

Circle of Friends

From the Larry Gibson Community Fund, Cyril E. Wharrie and Evelyn D. Wharrie Fund, Ruth and Stu Barton Community Fund, and the Community Fund

The grant supports this arts group where participants with varying levels of developmental disabilities can express themselves and develop personally through music and drama.

Children’s Mental Health

St. Lawrence College – $3,694

Anti-Bullying Initiative

From the Sunnyside Children’s Fund

This grantsupports the Pink Shirt Day event in February that raises awareness on the issues of social cruelty and bullying, aimed at decreasing its prevalence.

Community Development

Big Brothers/Sisters – $14,000

Seniors-Youth Engagement

From the Sunnyside Children’s Fund

This new opportunity for those aged 45 and older to help positively impactlocal youth by becoming a senior Big Brother/Big Sister.

Code the Change: Queen’s Chapter – $1,212

Code Jam

From the Gordon Barr Ltd. Fund and the Community Fund

Code Jam, a one day event where students create websites, databases and other personal software at no cost for local non-profits.

Education & Literacy

Kingston Region Spelling Bee – $1,100

2015 Spelling Bee

From the Ontario Endowment for Children and Youth in Recreation Fund

This annual local competition for students aged 6 to 14 receives $1,100. Students learn spelling tips and develop confidence in public speaking.

Seniors Association – $13,078

Literacy and Community Engagement

From the Kingston Whig Standard Literacy Endowment Fund, the Theda Anderson Fund and the Elisabeth Heney Fund for Literacy

This grant supports a new initiative to develop and deliver instruction of English as a second language specifically targetting older adults through workshops and field trips.

Health & Social Services

Loving Spoonful – $24,992

Good Food Programming

From the Alcan Endowment Fund, Gordon F. Tompkins Funeral Home Children’s Endowment Fund, Larry Gibson Community Fund and Anne and Bill Patterson Community Fund

This grant supports Good Food for All, which brings good food and food programming to youth, families and the broader community at the Robert Meek Centre.

Loving Spoonful – $11,993

Healthy Cooking

From the Ruth and Stu Barton Community Fund and the Community Fund

This grant supports healthy cooking programs for adults at the Kingston Community Health Centre, building food skills, confidence, friendships and community around good food in Rideau Heights.

Northern Frontenac Community Services – $7,500

Replacement Vehicle

From the Richard Moorehouse Fund, the Eddie Bak Memorial Fund and the Community Fund

This grant will go toward the purchase of a replacement vehicle to provide outreach playgroups and youth recreation programs to residents of small hamlets and villages throughout Frontenac County.

Partners in Mission Food Bank – $25,000

Fresh Foods

From the Tragically Hip Community Fund, William Cherry Fund and the Community Fund

The grant will support expanding the variety of fresh foods to include fresh apples, oranges, carrots and potatoes year-round in clients’ monthly hampers.

Queen’s Good Times Diner – $1,000

Good Times Diner Soup Kitchen

From the Alcan Endowment Fund

Good Times Diner is a student-run organization created with the intent to provide an immensely vital service: to serve and provide free and nutritious meals to low-income members of the Kingston community. The soup kitchen serves balanced meals to 30-60 patrons twice a week, 50 weeks a year. Provided funding would be used for the purchase of food and other expenses associated with the operation of the soup kitchen (such as cooking utensils and cleaning supplies). Good Times Diner has a huge impact on the quality of life not only for our patrons, but also through our student volunteers through opportunities for skill development, networking and new experiences.

Southern Frontenac Community Services – $21,702

School Portables

From the Russell and Susan Park Memorial Fund, Michael Potter Memorial Fund, Ronald & Mildred Grant Family Fund and the Community Fund

This grant supports the purchase, relocation and retrofit of three former school portables to its new Grace Centre site in Sydenham, allowing for expanded services.

Spinal Cord Injury Ontario – $12,320

Peer Support

From Helping Hands for those with Disabilities Fund and the Tragically Hip Community Fund

The Peer Support Program receives this grant to provide family and one-on-one support and group education for people with spinal cord injury and other physical disabilities.

Heritage Preservation

KCHC Pathways to Education – $5,273

The Wawahte Educational Documentary Project

From the Woodbury Enterprises WE Care Youth Fund, David Middleton North End Development Fund and an anonymous fund

The Wawahte Educational Documentary Project receives this grant to provide Kingston youth with access to the stories of three Residential School survivors as told in the book Wawahte.

Recreation

Kingston Goalball Club – $9,260

Goalball Growth and Expansion

From the Larry Gibson Community Fund and an Anonymous Fund

The grant supports the growth and expansion of Goalball, a team sport for people with visual disabilities, encouraging fitness and enhancing social and team building skills.

Youth

Boys and Girls Club – $4,000

Transportation Program

From the Alcan Endowment Fund

The grant supports a multi-year grant for providing transportation from schools to the Boys and Girls Club.

Boys and Girls Club – $25,000

Youth Programs

From the Alcan Endowment Fund, Bill and Gladys Kelly Community Fund, Ontario Endowment for Children and Youth in Recreation Fund and the Community Fund

Youth Programs provides age and developmentally appropriate programming to youth aged 13+ for 22 hours per week at no cost to the participants.

Cycle Kingston – $17,750

Youth Run Bicycle Shop

From the Marion and John Dunn Fund and the Ontario Endowment for Children and Youth in Recreation Fund

This grant supports hiring youth to operate a used bicycle store in the spring of 2016. Youth staff members will receive job and life-skills training.

KCHC – $2,880

Dare to Stand Out: Kingston Youth Diversity Conference

From the Sunnyside Children’s Fund

The conference is a full day of engaging workshops, speakers, activities and resources designed specifically to develop youth leadership skills and to deal with and to address issues of homophobia, transphobia, exclusion, discrimination and any kind of intersectorial violence. Youth will be empowered by giving them the tools and skills they need to raise awareness about all kinds of discrimination and to promote diversity. Funds will be used to buy materials for workshops, transportation for facilitators and participants, honorarium for Immigrants Services Kingston and Area (ISKA) youth who will be in charge of planning and organizing the conference, snacks, lunch, t-shirts for organizers, swag bags, sound system, printing.

Kingston Community Health Centres – $2,800

Go Farther Project

From the Assante Financial Management Fenlon Division Fund, Marion Meyer Opportunity Fund, Young Adults Mental Health Fund and Larry Gibson Community Fund

The Go Farther project provides young people with the support they need to navigate the challenges and complexities of post-secondary life.

Kingston WritersFest – $4,000

Merilyn Simonds Protege Project

From the McArthur Connidis Arts Fund, Edward Ratcliffe Fund and Ruth and Stu Barton Community Fund

This grant supports a mentorship program where two grades 9-12 students are matched with professional local writers for four months to develop a publishable piece of writing.

Winter Warmth – $10,000

Winter Warmth 2015-2016

From the Dr. Samuel S. Robinson Charitable Foundation

Winter Warmth works with school social/youth workers to ensure no child goes without needed clothing and footwear.

Spring 2015 Community Grants

Arts & Culture

Agnes Etherington Art Centre – $3,489

ArtZone

From the Edward Ratcliffe Fund and the Marla and Gregg Rosen Fund

ArtZone is a free drop-in after-school art program for youth ages 14-18 to be offered in the beautiful André Biéler Studio of the Agnes Etherington Art Centre. Local artists will facilitate this program for artistically-inclined youth who want to explore materials and ideas in-depth, encouraging creative expression and building skills. This ten-week pilot program will run from September to December 2015, on Thursdays, 3 to 5 pm.
(This is a combined arts & culture and youth project!)

Blue Skies Fiddle Orchestra – $5,425

From the Valley to the Sea 2015

From The Mrs. Rupert Davies Fund, the McNevin Family Fund and The Ruth and Stu Barton Community Fund

The Blue Skies Community Fiddle Orchestra is a fun and affordable teaching orchestra open to everyone- even fiddles are provided! In July 2015, the orchestra will travel to Kings County Prince Edward Island to learn and perform in a musical heritage exchange. This exchange will help preserve and strengthen our Eastern Ontario fiddling traditions and inspire young fiddlers to deepen their knowledge and skills from the renowned Celtic, Acadian and Old Time fiddlers who gather at the time of the Rollo Bay Fiddle Festival. Feet will be stomping to a new beat when they return!

Independent Living Centre – $5,000

Art and Self Exploration

From the Edward Ratcliffe Fund

The Art and Self-Exploration project provides opportunities for people with disabilities and people with mental health challenges, through visual art, for self-expression, awareness and direction. Individuals benefit from a process which allows them to gain skills and a sense of achievement, providing ownership of their successes and communicate what is sometimes difficult to put into words.

Kingston Chamber Choir – $1,629

Sound System Improvement

From the Mrs. Rupert Davies Fund

Professional sound recording of each concert in the four-concert season to be used by KCC artistic director and choristers to improve the overall choral sound of KCC which will ultimately improve the choir, resulting in increased concert attendance numbers and more collaborations and performances. A new, wireless microphone that will belong to the KCC to ensure the KCC always has a microphone for use at concerts and to ensure the microphone in one that does not malfunction. This will ensure concert audiences can always hear the artistic director and guest speakers.

Kingston School of Art – $3,500

Gallery Lighting

From The Ross and Susan Kilpatrick Fund, the Neil Currie Davis Fund and the Community Fund

The Window Art Gallery, operated by Kingston School of Art, will enjoy new, efficient, professional quality gallery lighting, in order to better display art by Kingston artists, and to enhance the art experience of visitors to the gallery. The Window Art Gallery provides Kingston’s only community art space, staffing and sales services for local and regional artists. With new lighting installed, the gallery will sparkle!

Neilson Store Museum & Cultural Centre – $5,646

Dry Stone Wall Festival Initiative

From The Amherst Island Fund, the Ellen Shepherd Community Fund and the Tragically Hip Community Fund

The Canadian Irish & Dry Stone Walling Associations are holding and International Dry Stone Wall Festival on Amherst Island to celebrate & commemorate Canada’s rich Irish Cultural heritage. The Irish Ambassador to Canada, other VIPs, members of the Associations, and celebrated Dry Stone Wallers and Stone Carvers from around the world will be attending. There will also be music, dancing and story-telling. Amherst Island contains Canada’s largest concentration of historic Irish dry stone walls. The Neilson Store Museum and Cultural Centre on Amherst Island will use funds provided by the Community Foundation to enhance the festival by providing free education workshops for families & children; a time capsule for the Irish Ambassador to install in the new “sampler wall” that will showcase examples of traditional Irish dry stone walling techniques; a permanent interpretive panel; photographic record for archives, exhibits & promotion; and for self-guided dry stone wall tour pamphlet. The intention is to continue this Festival tradition as an ongoing celebration and educational event.

Children’s Mental Health

Canadian Families and Corrections Network – $2,375

Strengthening Families Affected by Incarceration Day

From the Terry Harris Endowment Fund and the Sunnyside Children’s Fund

Canadian Families and Corrections Network, the Community Foundation for Kingston and Area, Kingston Frontenac Public Libraries, the Correctional Service of Canada, and Sesame Street are teaming up to host a ‘Strengthening Families Affected by Incarceration’ Day. The intent of this library event is to raise awareness, education and tolerance; and to decrease bullying and isolation for innocent children in our schools who may have crime in their families. This event is open to ALL families who want to talk, read and play together at Sesame Street activity stations with their favourite Sesame Street characters. Come and join us!

Queen’s Conservatory of Music – $10,000

Sistema Kingston

From the Sunnyside Children’s Fund

Queen’s Conservatory of Music, in collaboration with the Joe Chithalen Memorial Musical Instrument Lending Library (Hoe’s M.I.L.L.) and First Avenue Public School (LDSB), is excited to launch Sistema Kingston (SK), an intensive after school music program for at-risk children that focuses on positive social change through the pursuit of musical excellence. Through free, group centres music instruction, SK will emphasize teamwork, and personal persistence, and foster creativity and personal responsibility in all of its activities. Using the Venezuelan El Sistema as its model, SK aspires to bring social change to inspire children to reach their full potential as individuals, musicians, and citizens.

Community Development

Farmers’ Market Association of Kingston – $4,000

Making a Year Round Market

From the David Middleton North End Development Fund

The Memorial Centre Farmers’ Market has been tremendously successful over the past three years. Now is the right time to plan for what will become a Kingston fixture: a year-round, all-local market the community can rely on for their fresh, local food needs! Funding will be used to plan a sustainable year-round market through consultations to ensure the market meets the community’s needs. Funding will also be used to create promotional materials to advertise the market.

Howe Island Garden Buds – $2,393

Howe Island Community Development

From The Howe Island Community Fund, the Frank and Sarah Good Memorial Fund and the Community Fund

The Howe Island Garden Buds are thrilled to be spearheading the Howe Island Community Development Project, which will be an enduring legacy on the island. The enriched environment will highlight the natural surroundings, beautify the island & develop public access to the waterfront where the Bateau Channel meets the St. Lawrence River.

The Limestone Players – $5,000

Purchase of a Passenger Van

From the Larry Gibson Community Fund and an Anonymous Fund

A local group of young adult actors with learning and developmental challenges known as the Limestone Players will now be able to increase the geographical scope of their performances and educational opportunities through the purchase of a passenger van made possible in part by the Community Foundation for Kingston and Area.

Environment

Algonquin to Adirondacks Collaborative – $5,000

A2A Trail

From The Environmental Legacy Fund, the Larry Gibson Community Fund and the Chown Fund

The Algonquin to Adirondacks Trail will eventually reach from the Adirondack Mountains to the Algonquin highlands, across a critical link for the wildlife movement in North America. The trail will begin being built in the precious pinch point of the Kingston area, already a trails destination for residents and visitors alike. This project will see local partners collaborate on the design, location, mapping, and communications project – keep your eyes open for further announcements through summer 2015!

Elbow L. Environmental Education Centre, Queen’s U. Biological Station – $4,000

Environmental Outreach Assistant

From the Douglas Branton Fell Memorial Fund

The Elbow Lake Environmental Education Centre is the public outreach arm of the Queen’s University Biological Station, providing outdoor programs to enhance biodiversity conservation teachings in the community. This fall, we welcome an Environmental Outreach Assistant to our team, and encourage all local high schools to visit the ELEEC and experience our expanded selection of curriculum-based programs. Put the principles of ecological diversity and scientific investigation into hand-on practice in a stunning natural setting – you’ll be amazed by what you discover at ELEEC!

Frontenac Stewardship Foundation – $7,430

Frontenac Invasive Species Program, Elbow Lake Demonstration Site

From The Ruth and Stu Barton Environmental Fund, The Douglas Branton Fell Memorial Fund and the Ruth and Stu Barton Community Fund.

The Frontenac Stewardship Foundation in partnership with the Nature Conservancy of Canada, Queen’s University, County of Frontenac and the Elbow Lake volunteer roster for the local community are establishing an Invasive Species demonstration at the Elbow Lake Environmental Education Centre (Hewlett Packard Lane, Perth Road). This partnership will provide the community with the tools and information to combat this growing problem of invasive species. Some of the target species in question include Purple Loosestrife, Dog Strangling Vince, Lilac, Zebra Mussels, Emerald Ash Borer and many more.

Health and Social Services

Autism Ontario Kingston Chapter – $4,675

Directory of Services

From the Richard Moorehouse Fund

Autism Ontario Kingston will collect and maintain information about a wide range of both general community and Autism related services, both publicly and privately funded, available for adults with Autism and their family members/caregivers in Kingston, Frontenac and surrounding areas. This information will be available free and online.

Canadian Diabetes Association – $4,800

Camp Banting – Camp for Kingston and area Children with Type 1 Diabetes

From the Cameron and Laurie Thompson Fund

The Canadian Diabetes Association’s camping tradition began in 1953 with the opening of Camp Banting in Eastern Ontario. Since then our camping program has grown extensively, and the Association now operates 12 overnight camps across Canada. The Association is the only organization to offer overnight camp specifically designed for children with type 1 diabetes. The focus of these camps is to provide children living with type 1 diabetes the opportunity to enjoy an authentic camp experience while having all of their diabetes needs monitored by a team of trained medical professionals and where they can learn to best self-manage their disease.

Loving Spoonful – $4,424

Gleaning: Increasing Healthy Food Access from Farm to Fork

From the Richard Moorehouse Fund

Everyone needs healthy food to thrive. So how do we get more healthy food to those 20,000 Kingstonians living below the poverty line? Gleaning! Loving Spoonful is bringing back the forgotten practice of collecting the food left in farmers’ fields, with help from the Community Foundation for Kingston and Area. Through this new initiative, the gleaned produce for over 8,000 meals will be delivers to 25 shelters and meal programs that serve those in need in Kingston. There’s room for everyone to be involved, so join in and celebrate healthy food for all.

Martha’s Table – $1,819

Hunger Through My Eyes

From The Tragically Hip Community Fund and the Phil Quattrochi Memorial Fund

Martha’s Table is pleased to open its doors to the public in a one of a kind gallery showing and open house on Saturday September 12. This unique opportunity will allow community members to tour Martha’s Table and to see how local Kingstonians have transformed the challenge of food insecurity into works of art. Many of the photographers will be on hand to discuss their work and perspective. We hope you can take this opportunity to visit and meet your community.

Martha’s Table Community Program – $4,404

Transportation Pilot

From The David Middleton North End Development Fund

Martha’s Table Community Program is providing bus passes to those of limited income and mobility issues to attend its programmes, mainly the drop in centre and Monday through Friday meal program. Our intent is to conduct a pilot project to determine the need/feasibility of purchasing our own vehicle for food/meal delivery and/or transportation to and from our facility. While many of our patrons live in the surrounding area, many more could benefit from transportation assistance and/or meal delivery due to mobility and financial constraints. We know the need is there.

Heritage Preservation

St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church – $1,683

St. Andrew’s Interpretive Signage

From the Douglas Branton Fell Memorial Fund

St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Kingston produced signage to complement its summer tour program which highlights historical, architectural, cultural and political features of the Church and Kingston. The bilingual signage further enhances the visitors’ experience by providing a code that is scanned and offers and audio description by historic personalities on the guests’ smart phone.

Recreation

Central Frontenac Railway Museum – $12,200

Heritage Play Structure

From The Ontario Endowment for Children and Youth in Recreation Fund

With the assistance of the Community Foundation for Kingston & Area (CFKA), The Central Frontenac Railway Museum wishes to announce the installation of a major play structure at the Heritage Railway Park in Sharbot Lake. Actual installation of the equipment will take place in the spring of 2016. The Railway Heritage Themed structure will consist of a steam engine, coal car and ramp surrounded by a safe engineered play surface. This highly visible addition to the park will attract children and youth to connect, through play, with the important railway heritage which is so evident in the area.

Limestone Advisory for Child Care Programs – $1,750

Family Game Night

From The Ontario Endowment for Children and Youth in Recreation Fund

Limestone Advisory for Child Care Programs – Family Game Night – Board Game Lending Library. “Win or Lose, we’re still a Family”

Seniors Association Kingston Region – $2,445

Older Adult Program Enhancements

From the Cameron and Laurie Thompson Fund and the Theda Anderson Fund

As you grow older, an active lifestyle is more important than ever. Regular exercise can help boost energy, maintain your independence, and manage symptoms of illness or pain. Exercise can even reverse some of the symptoms of aging. It’s inspiring to see a group of older adults participating in an exercise class. They are doing everything in their power to stay active. The Seniors Association Kingston Region, with the purchase of the new equipment, will help and support more older adults to continue on their healthy lifestyles journey.

Youth

Birdbone Theatre – $2,932

Shadowbox Theatre

From the Ontario Endowment for Children and Youth in Recreation Fund

Parallel tales of Monsters and Man in the Moon will roll enchanted upon looming canvas screens accompanied by soda bottle choirs and creaking hurdy gurdy- accordion orchestra. Birdbone Theatre joins forces with the grade 7/8 class of First Avenue Public School to invent and craft fantastic, mysterious and courageously experimental shadow puppet theatre for the people! Shadowbox Theatre will perform for Kingston audiences and as part of Skeleton Park Music Festival June 9th-14th. Tour dates TBA in May on birdbonetheatre.org