2021 Grants

$479,000 granted to 44 agencies

Spring 2021 Community Grants

Arts & Culture

Cantabile Choirs – $5,000

A Virtual Choir and Orchestra Collaboration

From the Mrs. Rupert Davies Fund, The Audrey and Peter Scholes Memorial Fund, Robert & Judith Mackenzie Fund

The request project is a co-production between Cantabile Choirs and the Kingston Symphony, for the creation of a Virtual Reality 360 video (commonly referred to in the arts as immersive video) performance of ‘Will Ye No Come Back Again?’ by local composer Mark Sirett, arranged for choir and orchestra. The choral and instrumental performances will be recorded virtually – musicians submit recordings of themselves filmed in the safety of their homes. The video-recorded musicians will be imported into the VR360 performance environment, The Spire (formerly Sydenham Street United Church).

Kingston Arts Council – $7,302

Improving Communications Accessibility in Kingston’s Arts Sector

From the Edward Ratcliffe Fund, The Audrey and Peter Scholes Memorial Fund

This Kingston Arts Council (KAC) initiative will support 1) expanding the accessibility of our organization’s website and pdf materials through the completion of a formal external audit and the implementation of identified actions; 2) growing accessible communications knowledge in our arts community through the delivery of a webinar focused on social media and website accessibility strategies and tools. Both the audit and webinar will be delivered by Accessibility Services Canada (ASC), a training organization that helps non-profits and businesses to understand and comply with provincial accessibility legislation.

Kingston School of Art – $4,700

Children’s Summer Art Camps Programming

From the Marion and John Dunn Fund, Sandiford Family Smart & Caring Fund

The Children’s Summer Art Camps Program provides arts instruction in a 1 day per week, 8 weeklong day camp structure to children ages 5-12 through July and August. Led by an Ontario College of Teachers certified teacher and assistants partnered with the Kingston School of Art and KEYS Job Centre, students explore various creative media, styles, projects, and themes. Camps include both indoor and outdoor activities, a wide variety of creative initiatives, and a supportive environment where students feel safe and encouraged to express and challenge themselves.

Theatre Kingston – $14,000

Theatre Kingston Fringe Festival

From the Valerie Robertson Women in Theatre Fund, The Audrey and Peter Scholes Memorial Fund

The 2020 Festival was postponed due to Covid-19 and the 2020 artists have waited until now to present their work. In 2021 we are adapting to be able to present theatre in safe ways for audiences and artists alike. Instead of a frantic ten-day festival of eighteen shows at three venues we are planning a one venue, month long festival to spread out performances and will produce a virtual venue of shows using new technology. These changes add new costs, extra administration, marketing and tech expenses, and limit audience numbers, thus effecting revenue for each company.

The Mess Studio – $6,162

The Mess Open Arts Studio

From the Arts & Culture Community Fund, Robert W. Clark Endowment Fund, L. Carolyn Dundas Fund in Support of Mental Health, The Audrey and Peter Scholes Memorial Fund

This operational grant will help with sustaining The Mess Studio as a unique community service for artists and community members. The Mess Studio is an open arts studio that provides opportunities to create art and build relationships. The community that we are building is one of diversity and inclusion inviting anyone with an interest in art and being in community to come, connect, and create.

Children’s Mental Health

Kingston Community Health Centres- Pathways to Education – $25,000

Supporting Youth Mental Health to Foster Educational Success

From the Theda Anderson Fund, Robert W. Clark Endowment Fund, The Henry Fund, Marion Meyer Opportunity Fund, The Audrey and Peter Scholes Memorial Fund, David Middleton North End Development Fund, The Bronskill Group Fund, Wilson Family Fund, Sunnyside Children’s Fund, Young Adults Mental Health Fund, The Diocese of Ontario Fearless Generosity Fund

The program will focus on providing psychological consultations and assessments for children and youth who are struggling to learn, stay in school, and/or experiencing significant mental health concerns. This project will also help identify supports both at school and in the community. We will identify high priority clients and partner with the Psychology Clinic and Queen’s University in order to provide these clients with psychological consultations and/or assessments in order to support their mental health, engagement in Pathways, and ultimately their learning and school participation.

St. Lawrence Youth Association – $10,000

Specialized Treatment Program (STP) for Youth

From the Sunnyside Children’s Fund

The St. Lawrence Youth Association proposes to offer a community-based specialized treatment program for youth ages 12-24 years who demonstrate significant sexual behaviour problems, concerning sexualized behaviour and/or who have offended sexually. Our community currently has a lack of accessible, free, low wait treatment options for youth with concerning sexual problems. The program will enhance local mental health services and reduce the risk of inappropriate sexualized behaviour and sexual assault.

Youth Diversion – $25,571

Enhanced Youth Justice Supports

From the Sunnyside Children’s Fund, Aaron and Norma Palmer Endowment Fund, Jim & Julie Parker Fund

Youth Diversion and Kingston Police have identified a gap in service connections since COVID-19 for youth related calls.  To ensure youth are connected to supports and services following police contact, we have partnered to actively work together and streamline the accessibility of our services. Youth Diversion will embed a staff member with Kingston Police to support the coordination and facilitation of pre charge diversion (EJM) and Intersections referrals from Kingston Police to Youth Diversion for children and youth between the age of 8 and 17.

Community Development

Cycle Kingston – $1,743

Gear Up! Covid-Safe Workstations

From the Marion Meyer Opportunity Fund, Opportunities Kingston Fund 

The funds requested will be used to purchase equipment to create three independent, Covid-friendly bicycle repair workstations for youth employees of our Gear Up! social enterprise. Prior to 2020, we typically repaired two bicycles simultaneously at two adjacent work stands with our employees sharing a single set of tools.

Kingston Community Health Centres – $20,000

Community Harvest FoodWrx

From the Richard Moorehouse Fund, Regina Rosen Smart & Caring Fund, Ruth and Stu Barton Community Fund, David C. Riley Fund, Aaron and Norma Palmer Endowment Fund, Cyril E. Wharrie and Evelyn D. Wharrie Fund, Cameron and Laurie Thompson Fund

Community Harvest FoodWRx is a multi-faceted social enterprise pilot, supported by Kingston Community Health Centres (KCHC), KEYS Job Centre, Dunin-Deshpande Queen’s Innovation Centre, No. 9 Gardens and Loving Spoonful. Participants will work as a team to develop and brand a product, in this case, soup.  Along the way, the participants will learn valuable job training skills, including sustainable agricultural training; production kitchen training, customer service, budgeting, marketing, and entrepreneurial training and mentorship. The soup created and prepared by the team will be sold at nominal prices at the Community Harvest Market; a sliding scale at KCHC’s Café 263 as well as through retail partners with a “BODO – Buy One, Donate One” initiative, which will be distributed through KCHC’s Senior Food Box program.

Kingston Interfaith Community – $3,000

Working to Build an Inclusive and Welcoming Community

Charitable Partner: Islamic Society of Kingston

From the James Brown & Joan Lee Fund, Ellen Shepherd Community Fund

The Kingston Interfaith Community is a network of 11 different faiths and spiritualities that has been growing since 2017. Their monthly meetings include discussion around racism, diversity, and inclusion in our community. The grant will be used to support their continued efforts to build bridges in the community and transcend boundaries between individual faiths and the broader community.

Education & Literacy

Frontier College – $10,000

Free Literacy Programming for Children and Youth in Kingston

From the Elisabeth Heney Fund for Literacy, Marion Meyer Opportunity Fund, Russell and Susan Park Memorial Fund, Kingston Whig-Standard Literacy Endowment Fund, Ruth and Stu Barton Community Fund

Frontier College and its local community partners will provide literacy support to children and youth in low-income neighbourhoods of Kingston. Our activities will include individual and small group tutoring through after-school programs designed to promote literacy and numeracy in a fun environment. Children at risk of falling behind will work with Frontier College’s carefully trained volunteer literacy tutors. For students who are struggling and who may have limited access to learning supports outside of school, the positive learning environment our volunteers create is critical for building their confidence and social skills. For 2021-22, we will determine the best mix of online and in-person programming depending on public health requirements.

Learning Disabilities Association of Kingston – $4,210

Online Outreach Initiative

From the Larry Gibson Community Fund, Aaron and Norma Palmer Endowment Fund

Learning Disabilities Association of Kingston’s (LDAK) Online Outreach Initiative was launched in October 2020. We recognized that in order to survive as a community service provider during Covid-19 all of our activities need to be moved online and expanded in range to address Covid-19 impacts on education. We contracted two professionals to provide technical and community outreach support, which was a key element in the success of the initiative.

Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston – $1,469

Aqua Scope

From the Chown Fund, Kingston Youth Science and Technology Fund

Granting funds will used to purchase Aqua-Scopes (underwater viewers) for the Museum’s educational shipwreck paddle tour (Get Wrecked) at Garden Island (via Wolfe Island). This program is delivered in partnership with Wolfe Island Boat Club. These viewers will also be useful for paddle tours the Museum has planned in the Inner Harbour and future shoreline and on-the-water educational projects. Aqua-Scopes allow individuals to view wildlife and artefacts below the water safely and efficiently by providing a conical ‘Aqua-Scope’ viewfinder to see underwater clearly.

Environment

Cycle Kingston – $2,000

Supporting Insurance and PPE Costs

From the Smart & Caring COVID-19 Fund, Larry Gibson Community Fund

Cycle Kingston typically hires two summer students as Cycling Ambassadors who deliver a slate of safe cycling programs, including making in-school presentations to 2000 students in May and June. They offer a summer cycling camp, and teach workshops to groups of children, teens and adults. They organize public outreach and attend festivals and events, often offering safe cycling circuits and lessons. They also promote safe cycling through social media.

Health & Social Services

Bereaved Families of Ontario – Kingston Region – $1,650

Diversifying the BFO Volunteer Base

From the Bill and Nancy Gray Smart & Caring Fund

This project aims to recruit new volunteers from diverse populations and communities (BIPOC, individuals identifying as LGBTQ+, people of different backgrounds/religions/cultures, people with disabilities, etc.) to provide grief support to the bereaved. Bereaved Families of Ontario works on a peer support model and having volunteers who reflect the diversity of our society will allow us to better serve the needs of our clients. This funding would remove financial barriers that may prevent new volunteers from becoming involved by offering free training and to reimburse the cost of attaining a CPIC.

Dawn House Services and Housing for Women – $10,000

Supportive Housing Program

From The Bronskill Group Fund

The supportive housing program supports women who were chronically homeless, challenged by poor physical/mental health and or addiction, by providing them with their own bachelor apartment and on-site supports. Supportive Housing Workers provide case management and assist women in addressing their needs/barriers and developing the skills required to live as independently as possible. Supportive Housing Workers assist women in articulating their needs, setting goals, realizing goals, connecting to community resources, and provide daily guidance and on-site counselling, medication management, assistance in making and getting to appointments, and problem-solving.

Queen’s University – Developmental Disabilities Consulting Program – $7,392

Group Therapy for Caregivers of those with Developmental Disability

From the Helping Hands for those with Disabilities Fund, The Audrey and Peter Scholes Memorial Fund

The main objective of this project is to provide families/caregivers both psychoeducation about anxiety and cognitive-behavioural tools to support their anxious clients with developmental disability. This application is to support the development, implementation and evaluation of the 6- session, 12-hour weekly group. The group will address areas of social development, mental health, anxiety symptoms and coping strategies or interventions to alleviate or reduce worries, fears or anxieties of their supported individual.

Sexual Assault Centre Kingston – $2,000

Examining Equity Factors in Service Access and Delivery to Black, People of Color (POC), and Newcomer Survivors

From the Richard Moorehouse Fund

Through this project, Sexual Assault Centre Kingston (SACK) will strive to prioritize equity, diversity, and inclusion, allowing them to offer more inclusive, culturally appropriate, and representative services to those in our community. SACK believe that all individuals deserve a safe place to heal from the trauma of sexual violence, and through this funding, they are working to reduce barriers that may prevent survivors from accessing support services through achieving the following main objective: 1) increase awareness of the programs available at the centre by connecting with survivors from key populations and organizations that serve them; 2) create a counseling program framework that is tailored to addressing the needs of survivors of color, as well as newcomer survivors.

Heritage Preservation

Frontenac County Schools Museum – $3,330

Preserving and Protecting Kingston’s Educational Heritage

From the Douglas Branton Fell Memorial Fund

The funds will be used to purchase necessary equipment and materials needed for the Frontenac County Schools Museum’s staff and volunteers to continue working towards its collection’s digitization and inventory project. The Schools Museum’s collection consists of thousands of objects and archival materials that tell the story of early education in Kingston and area. Equipment such as a new DSLR camera, photography lights, and a high-quality scanner will allow the museum to share more of its collection online in a digital format that will be of higher quality than its current equipment can offer.

Kingston Indigenous Languages Nest (KILN) – $15,495

Ndoo-miijminaanin (Our Foods)

Charitable partner: Loving Spoonful

From the Ruth and Stu Barton Environmental Fund, Environmental Legacy Fund, Tha’teioneniienawa’khontie: In the Spirit of Cooperation Fund, Smart & Caring Community Fund, The Tragically Hip Community Fund

Ndoo-miijminaanin is an Indigenous Food Sovereignty (IFS) project that breathes life into our relationship to land, our languages, cultural ways, and foods as we get our hands into the soil and garden as a community.  Five family-oriented sessions from May to October will occur in the garden at Walking the Path of Peace Together (WTPPT) land (HWY 15), bringing ceremony into our gardening practice. Community members guided by First Speakers will prepare garden-focused language materials in Anishinaabemowin and Kanien’keha in online language-mentoring sessions. KILN and our partners will share reflections, vision, and articulate a set of food sovereignty goals in a final session Gdoo-naabndamwinaanan (Our Dreams) including access to land base(s) for tapping maple trees, berry picking, gardening, manoomin (wild rice) gathering, hunting, fishing, and community food-sharing.

Recreation

Extend-A-Family Kingston – $10,000

COVID-19 Recovery

From the Helping Hands for those with Disabilities Fund, Smart & Caring Community Fund

We are excited this grant will enable us to secure additional staffing required to safely welcome back participants for direct in-person services in Extend-A-Family Children’s Program. Staff will ensure correct screening, drop off and pick-up procedures, support cleaning and sanitizing, ensure record keeping and adapt program as required. We will also offer virtual programs for those who are unable to return in-person.

Youth

Boys and Girls Club of Kingston & Area – $7,500

Academic Boost Summer Camp Program

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

The Boys and Girls Club (BGC) Academic Boost Summer Camp will implement a one-week long structured educational program based on the model of the BGC’s Reading Clinic program by integrating academic learning and education concepts into arts, science, technology and sport based activities. The aim of this program is to produce immediate educational gains and long term school engagement. This program will support children ages 6-11 across all socio-economic, gender, racial, ethnic, and national backgrounds.

KEYS Job Centre – $15,000

New Horizons Leadership Group for Newcomer Youth

From the Smart & Caring Community Fund

This grant will help support the Newcomer Program for 6 months as it continues from its successful pilot project. In November 2019, KEYS established the New Horizons Peer Mentoring Group (NH PMG) for young refugees (age 18-29) who arrived in Kingston alone. This program was established in response to the needs expressed by single-arrival refugees to build stronger relationships between themselves, make Canadian friends, explore fun activities in Kingston, as well as share information and experiences about establishing a new life alone in Kingston. NH PMG is coordinated by two KEYS Staff in collaboration with a Youth Leader Group (currently, 4 members) who are “paid” in honoraria. The Youth Leader Group and Staff coordinate weekly events open to about 30 newcomer youth (and growing).

YMCA of Eastern Ontario – $10,000

Subsidized Program Access

From the David Middleton North End Development Fund, Jim & Julie Parker Family Smart & Caring Fund, Ruth and Stu Barton Community Fund, Ross and Susan Kilpatrick Fund, Eric Dewar Neuman Fund

The Subsidized Access Program covers participation with all YMCA camp programs including the Work Hard Eat Well food and physical literacy program at Rideau Heights Community Centre located in north end Kingston and Y Penguin program for kids with physical disabilities. All kids and youth, regardless of age, race, religion, gender, ability, or economic circumstance may register without fear of not being able to pay full or partial fees.

Fall 2021 Community Grants

Arts & Culture

The People’s Theatre Kingston – $4,500

Incubator Lighting Equipment

From The Audrey and Peter Scholes Memorial Fund and the Kingston Youth Science and Technology Fund

The lighting equipment is a complete kit for an eight pack of Elation SIX037 can lighting fixtures and would be used as a way to transform the Theatre Incubator space to a Theatre Space capable of hosting kid’s camps, readings, and workshop productions of new plays. This space would be available to the Theatre Community of Kingston for rehearsals, workshops classes, and productions.

Kingston Canadian Film Festival – $1,000

Alanis Obomsawin Exhibit

From the Gordon Barr Ltd. Fund and the Skolnick Family Fund

The Kingston Canadian Film Festival will present an exhibition of the work of Alanis Obomsawin, one of the most acclaimed Indigenous filmmakers in the world. In addition to an incredible body of work (50+ films and counting), she has created landmark documentaries such as Incident at Restigouche (1984) and Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance (1993). The exhibition will include posters and short films that will both celebrate Obomsawin and her prolific career and introduce audiences to her work and the themes of Indigenous sovereignty and resilience captured in her work.

Queen’s University, The Isabel Bader Centre for Performing Arts – $10,000

Sounding Thunder: The Song of Francis Pegahmagabow

From the Edward Ratcliffe Fund and The Audrey and Peter Scholes Memorial Fund

This is a musical journey into the life of the renowned Ojibwe World War One sniper and decorated officer of the Canadian Military, Francis Pegahmagabow, Sounding Thunder. Sounding Thunder: The Song of Francis Pegahmagabow is written by local Ojibwe poet Armand Garnet Ruffo and composed by Tim Corlis. It is a complex work divided in three acts, exploring Pegahmagabow’s early years immersed in the world of the Anishinaabe spirits, his accomplishments in the trenches of WWI, and his political life as Chief of Wausauksing Ojibwe and founder of Canada’s Indigenous political movement.

PeerLess Productions – $2,500

We’re All In Jeopardy

Charitable Partner: H’art Centre

From The Audrey and Peter Scholes Memorial Fund

PeerLess Productions proposes to devise, rehearse, and perform a multimedia theatrical event entitled, ‘We’re All in Jeopardy’, which dives into the unique situations experienced by seniors and members of the disabled population who experience barriers in participating in the arts during the pandemic. The play will be developed by the group of PeerLess Artists joined by three senior artists and three neurodiverse artists. Free streaming, pay-what-you can performances, tours to retirement homes, and ASL interpretation will be offered to reduce barriers for attendance.

Radioland Media Collective – $5,500

The Makers and Shakers Society Audio Drama

Charitable Partner: Skeleton Park Arts Festival

From the Community Fund, the Neil Currie Davis Fund, and the Eric Dewar Neuman Fund

The Makers and Shakers Society is a fictional audio series in six 30-minute episodes meant to be broadcasted on CFRC radio and distributed as a free podcast in the spring of 2022. Produced in Kingston with local actors and crew, it imagines how the current generation will deal with the climate catastrophe in the next few decades. As part of the production process, Radioland Media will offer voice acting workshops in the community and provide professional training for six young media production interns. The audience is anyone who gets excited about topical stories, challenging themes, and formal experimentation.

H’art Centre – $8,400

H’art Studio: Reconnect to Purpose

From the Community Fund, the Larry Gibson Community Fund, the Phil Quattrochi Memorial Fund, and the Ellen Shepherd Community Fund

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, most H’art Studio artists-participants (adults with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities) were forced to stay home. In July 2020, H’art Studio re-opened to in-studio instruction. There is still a waitlist of returning and new participants seeking enrolment. With this support, H’art Studio will reduce the waitlist by creating 20 more spaces for adults with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities who wish to return to in-studio participation. To safely accomplish this with the current health measures in place, H’art Studio has secured new space and will hire an additional instructor.

Children’s Mental Health

Sistema Kingston at Queen’s University – $13,110

Sistema Kingston Winter

From The Audrey and Peter Scholes Memorial Fund

Modelled on the Venezuelan El Sistema, Sistema Kingston’s philosophy is built upon five principles: positive social change through music, ensemble based activities, high degree of frequency, accessibility, and building community. Sistema Kingston is delivered by Teaching Artists who are passionate about music, teaching, and social justice. Through this project, students not only learn to play a musical instrument, but also develop personal and social skills that support academic work and well-being. Their concerts will bring the community together to celebrate the commitment, hard work, and the successes of young students.

Big Brothers Big Sisters Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington – $25,000

Big Bunch Mentoring – Additional ACES Support

From the Woodbury Enterprises We Care Charitable Youth Fund, the Robert W. Clark Endowment Fund, the Bill and Gladys Kelly Community Fund, the Ontario Endowment for Children and Youth in Recreation Fund, and the Sunnyside Children’s Fund

This project will provide on-site, cost-free programs for children facing Adverse Childhood Experiences such as exposure to abuse, violence, poverty, crime in the home or the community and identity challenges and mental health issues, among other barriers. Participants are primarily children on the Big Brother Big Sister waitlist, facing increased vulnerability without a mentor buffer. This program is in response to a greater community need as well as to build staff capacity to amplify service based on experience and learned efficiencies.

Community Development

Wintergreen Studios – $3,396

Outdoor Classrooms

From the Community Fund, the Ronald & Mildred Grant Family Fund, the Marin Pest Management Fund, the William Cherry Fund, and the McArthur Connidis Arts Fund

Wintergreen Studios plans to reimagine their outdoor spaces for the long-term, to meet the changing needs of the organization and the communities to which they serve, in part by building two 10’ x 10’ roofed gazebos. Throughout the pandemic, Wintergreen Studios did not have sufficient indoor space to safely accommodate groups. With the Outdoor Classrooms project, Wintergreen Studios would not only be able to offer most of their regular programming safely outdoors, but the renovated space will become the central location for workshop delivery.

Education & Literacy

Learning Disabilities Association of Kingston – $11,110

LDAK Literacy Pilot Program

From the Larry Gibson Community Fund, the Gordon F. Tompkins Funeral Home Children’s Endowment Fund, the Marion and John Dunn Fund, the Elisabeth Heney Fund for Literacy, and the Kingston Whig-Standard Literacy Endowment Fund

The Learning Disabilities Association of Kingston will be piloting a training and tutoring program for Kingston elementary school students who experience reading difficulties or Dyslexia with low or no-cost one-on-one tutoring in Structured Literacy and to promote wider use of Science of Reading Literacy programming into all classrooms in Kingston. This pilot project is designed to address low literacy through multi-level interventions and will be offered in both English and French.

Queen’s University Biological Station – $16,650

Braiding Indigenous and Scientific Perspectives through Land-Based Learning at Elbow Lake

From the Community Fund, the Ruth and Stu Barton Environmental Fund, the Douglas Branton Fell Memorial Fund, and the Marion Meyer Opportunity Fund

Over the past year, the Elbow Lake Environmental Education Centre developed a new educational program for Grade 7-10 that brings Indigenous knowledge of nature to the forefront. These new lesson plans focus on some of the most pressing environmental issues, showcase Indigenous knowledge and science, and develop hands-on nature-based learning opportunities for teachers and students. The funds will be used to provide an honouraria for Indigenous Knowledge Keepers and Elders, hire a Teaching Assistant, and reduce transportation costs for students.

Environment

Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre – $5,309

Virtual Wildlife Presentation for School Groups

From the Eddie Bak Memorial Fund, the Ruth and Stu Barton Community Fund, the Frank & Sarah Good Memorial Fund, and the McNevin Family Fund

Love Wildlife is an interactive education program that raises awareness of human impact on wildlife and offers practical ways of reducing harm. As part of this program, virtual presentations will be offered to grade K-12 school groups, reaching more than 4,000 students. Teachers will have four virtual presentations to choose from with topics on how to support wildlife each season, how to make a wildlife-friendly schoolyard, how to become a wildlife rehabilitator, and how to help species-at-risk in our community. The presentations are designed to cultivate empathy and compassion for wildlife.

Health & Social Services

New Leaf Link – $15,000

Program and Operations Manager

From the Eric Dewar Neuman Fund, the Aaron and Norma Palmer Endowment Fund, the Anne & Bill Patterson Community Fund, and the Sandiford Family Fund

The newly funded position of Program and Operations Manager will manage participant recruitment, community liaison, and daily program planning and operations for New Leaf Link (NeLL). This position is crucial to NeLL’s COVID-19 recovery plan in order to attract and recruit new participants to their program and to continue to deliver high-quality programming. The Program and Operations Manager will perform a variety of adminstrative, program planning, and operational roles and support with the year-round delivery of programming for individuals with a diverse range of physical and intellectual disabilities and learning styles.

Sexual Assault Centre Kingston – $14,740

Crisis and Support Program Expansion

From the Ruth and Stu Barton Community Fund, the Larry Gibson Community Fund, the Russell and Susan Park Memorial Fund, and the Assante Financial Management-Fenlon Division Endowment Fund

Sexual Assault Centre Kingston runs two ongoing crisis and support programs: the telephone crisis line, and the chat/text crisis line. These services provide confidential and non-judgmental support for survivors of all gender identities. These crisis and support programs are available for individuals to talk through the emotional, physical, mental, spiritual, and relational effects of experiencing sexual or gender-based violence with trained volunteers. The funds will be used to enhance their volunteer program by providing honorariums, increasing engagement events and training opportunities, and adding an Emergency Coverage Team.

The Epilepsy and Seizure Disorder Resource Centre of South Eastern Ontario Inc. – $7,500

Project UPLIFT

From the Anonymous #2 Endowment Fund, the Helping Hands for those with Disabilities Fund, and the Richard Moorehouse Fund

The Project UPLIFT program teaches skills for managing and improving stress, mental health, and quality of life. The goal of Project UPLIFT is to empower individuals with epilepsy to improve their own mental health through mindfulness and cognitive-behavioural skills. UPLIFT is delivered in a virtual group setting. Methods taught include challenging thoughts, behavioural activation, coping, problem-solving, and mindfulness. Epilepsy South Eastern Ontario’s intends to provide this program three times throughout the year to individuals living with epilepsy and their caregivers.

Outreach St. George’s Kingston – $15,000

Lunch by George Professional Management and Strategic Planning

From The Audrey and Peter Scholes Memorial Fund, the Dr. Samuel S. Robinson Charitable Foundation, the Cameron and Laurie Thompson Fund, and the Smart & Caring Community Fund

For the past 36 years, Lunch by George made a significant difference to individuals who experience food insecurity by providing hot and nutritious meals as well as a consistent and safe space. For many individuals, this is their only hot meal of the day. The funds will be used to purchase food and supplies. During the pandemic, the numbers of clients who have used this service has tripled over the past two years while food donations have reduced and additional resources are required to purchase supplies such as take out containers and disposable utensils. It is anticipated that the meals served next year will almost double in quantity.

Lion Hearts Inc. – $25,000

Community Food Redistribution Warehouse (CFRW)

From the Anonymous #2 Endowment Fund, the Michael Potter Memorial Fund, the Cyril E. Wharrie and Evelyn D. Wharrie Fund, The Audrey and Peter Scholes Memorial Fund, and the Smart & Caring Community Fund

The goal of this initiative is to provide the space, staffing, and infrastructure needed to collect and redistribute food donations to local frontline agencies that provide food and meals as a part of their program. There will be an increase in fresh and frozen food distributed to frontline agencies, enhancing the nutritional support they provide to at-risk clients. In addition, this injection of food will allow agencies to redirect funds from their food budget to other priority areas.

Addictions & Mental Health Services – KFL&A – $12,161

Lyons St. Community Garden

From the Community Fund, the Smart & Caring Community Fund, the Peter Hartel Community Fun…d, and the Bill & Nancy Gray Fund

This project will restore and remediate underutilized Addiction & Mental Health Services in Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington (AMHS-KFLA) property by creating an interactive greenscape for clients of AMHS-KFLA who experience serious mental health disorders and substance use by creating a dedicated and safe space and healthy activities for clients to learn, participate, and heal. The property will include a vegetable garden, food forest, and a ‘little forest’ inspired by the ‘Miyawaki Method’, as well as sensory and pollinator gardens.

Recreation

Seniors Association Kingston Region – $6,970

Here We Grow with Kingston East

From the Community Fund, the Theda Anderson Fund, the Seniors Community Grant Fund, and the K-Town Tri Legacy Fund

The objectives of this program are to expand programming to older adult residents in Kingston East to promote relationship building and decrease social isolation by providing opportunities for older adults to maintain their health and physical well-being. The primary audience consists of older adult residents of Kingston East and surrounding areas. It is anticipated that the Seniors Association will run approximately 20 programs per 10-week sessions, with approximately 160 participants per session. The funds will be used to purchase equipment such as laptops and sporting equipment to support program delivery and promote activities at the new community centre.

Extend-A-Family Kingston – $15,000

Extend-A-Family Kingston Adult Day Program Pandemic Recovery

From the Gordon Barr Ltd. Fund, the Community Fund, and the Larry Gibson Community Fund

Extend-A-Family Kingston (EAFK) Adult Program serves individuals with physical, developmental disabilities, and/or autism spectrum disorder and provides support with activities of daily living such as fitness, nutrition, recreation, and social skill learning. Many participants have behavioural, cognitive, sensory, and/or medical needs that cannot be accommodated in other programs. This grant will help EAFK adapt and recover from the pandemic so they can continue to provide in-persons support and virtual programs for individuals living with disabilities.

Youth

YMCA of Eastern Ontario – $10,900

Work Hard, Eat Well Program

The Bill and Gladys Kelly Community Fund, David Middleton North End Development Fund, the Dr. Samuel S. Robinson Charitable Foundation, and the Smart & Caring Community Fund

The Work Hard, Eat Well program is a physical and food literacy program that will be delivered with no fee to children and youth in the Rideau Heights community, benefiting their health and wellness. The focus of the overall program is physical literacy, intended to help children and youth reach the minimum physical activity recommended per week. As part of the food literacy portion of the program, a healthy meal will be served. This program will provide the opportunity for healthy lifestyle choices for children and youth, offering a different view to their future.

YMCA of Eastern Ontario – $13,500

Pathways to Education YMCA Membership Program

From the David Middleton North End Development Fund, the Alcan Endowment Fund, and The Tackaberry Heating Supplies Fund

The Pathways to Education Y Membership Program guarantees 50 Pathways to Education students full access to YMCA services and programming, including physical activity and instruction contributing to a physical education credit required for high school graduation. During the pandemic, many youth have not been able to meet the minimum level of physical activity, leading to physical and mental health issues. By removing barriers to accessing the YMCA program, students are able to participate in sport, recreation, and mentorship activities that contribute to better health and a more balanced lifestyle.

Rural Frontenac Community Services Corporation – $14,456

Building Rural Youth Resiliency

From the Sunnyside Children’s Fund and the Youth Community Fund

The Building Rural Youth Resiliency program will provide rural youth with programming in their communities to strengthen connection and engagement and increasing access to service that address mental health and substance use. The provided programs include a bi-weekly drop-in program in Parham and a monthly youth night in Cloyne. Youth will learn new skills, increase food security through the development of cooking skills, and be provided with appropriate referrals to youth servicing agencies for mental health and substance use.

Regina Rosen Food First Fund

Each recipient is given a $1,000 grant to support their efforts.

Rural Frontenac Community Services Corporation for emergency food vouchers for community members experiencing food insecurity.

Kingston Interval House to purchase food boxes from the Good Food Program for individuals living in supportive housing.

Martha’s Table to purchase supplies such as sanitizer, barriers/dividers and disposable utensils for a satellite drop in-centre.

HIV/AIDS Regional Services (HARS) to purchase food for take away meals at HARS.

Kingston Youth Shelter for groceries to provide food for individuals accessing shelter services.

YMCA of Eastern Ontario to cover the cost of groceries and supplies for children attending the “Work Hard, Eat Well” program.

The Kidney Foundation – Kingston Chapter to provide grocery store gift cards for dialysis patients who are struggling financially.

Kingston Community Health Centres – Pathways to Education to build meal kits for students to cook nutritious meals.

Youth Diversion for the purchase of snacks and meals for students in the SNAP program to support healthy development.

HIV/AIDS Regional Services (HARS) to purchase healthy fresh food for the Integrated Care Hub.

Helen Tufts Nursery School to purchase fresh and helathy foods for breakfast and lunch served daily at the school.

Community Living North Frontenac to empower adults living with intellectual disabilities to access good food, make healthy food choices, and cook independently.

❱ 2022 Grants

❱ 2021 Grants

❱ 2020 Grants

❱ 2019 Grants

❱ 2018 Grants

❱ 2017 Grants

❱ 2016 Grants

❱ 2015 Grants