The Community Foundation for Kingston & Area (CFKA) awarded 16 grants totaling $165,478 to local charities which will directly benefit over 4,000 people, half of them youth, with thousands of others to benefit indirectly.

As is typical of Community Foundation granting, projects funded are from a wide range of fields of interest and of variable size, benefiting a large number of charities in Kingston and surrounding townships. Grants awarded ranged from $3,180 to the Open Voices Community Choir to enable them to offer a free show for 700 kids at the Grand Theatre entitled “What If Kids Ran the World?” to two projects totaling over $50,000 to address Children’s mental health.

One of those projects is a $26,680 grant to the Canadian Mental Health Association – Kingston Branch for a project “Kids Get Stressed Too”.

“Kids are not immune to stress. Anxiety and stress in childhood can lead to social withdrawal, difficulty in school, negative physical symptoms and long-term repercussions in adulthood. The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) – Kingston Branch is pleased to be able to offer our Kids Get Stressed Too! program in schools and on site for the next year.  Over 600 children will have the opportunity to participate in the Program.” Said Judi Burrill, Executive Director of CMHA Kingston about what the impact of this grant from the Foundation means to them.

Amongst the broad range of projects funded – from arts and culture to youth – the Foundation is pleased to fund three environmental projects totaling nearly $20,000, including a $11,944 grant to Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour for a project “Tracking and Talking About Turtles” which will help their 50 citizen-scientists collect and communicate data about the local turtle population. 

“Whether small or large we believe that all of these projects will have a positive impact in our community and look forward to hearing about how things go over the coming months “said Gayle Barr, Chair of the Foundation’s volunteer grant review committee.

Grants were awarded at an event May 14 where each recipient had the opportunity to speak for 60 seconds about their project and how it will benefit the community.

Funding for these annual grants comes from the income produced by the Foundation’s endowments, which have been established and and built by local donors.

The Foundation has two community grants rounds per year, to which all local charities can apply.  To date, the Foundation has funded 341 unique local organizations and invested over $2Million in local charities through its Community Grants Program alone.

The next application deadline for local charities is September 15, 2018.

Projects funded this granting round include:

Arts & Culture

HomeGrown Live Music Production, Planting the Seeds: Nurturing and Celebrating Home-Grown Live Music: $9,210

(charitable grantee is Joe’s MILL)

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

 

Acknowledging 10 years of community volunteerism, 10^th Anniversary of Home Grown Live Music Festival and Community Parade, Screening of “Kingston Live” and the Planting the Seeds events.  It is about sharing skills among accomplished and early-stage musicians, encouraging others to take up music, networking, consolidating community partnerships, playing music and recognizing our talented and generous music community.

 

 

Open Voices Community Choir, “What If Kids Ran the World?” Children’s Concert at the Grand Theatre, Princess Street: $3,198

From the Mrs. Rupert Davies Fund and the Larry Gibson Community Fund

 

Open Voices has invited 650 area Grade 3-6 kids to the Grand Theatre for Wednesday, June 6 for a concert called

What if Kids Ran the World. The children will be entertained and educated with songs about diversity, inclusiveness,

responsibility, the environment, social awareness, and First Nations. The LDSB is bussing all the kids in, and Open

Voices is picking up the rest of the tab.

Children’s Mental Health

 

Resolve Counselling Services Canada, Child and Youth Outreach: $24,648

From the Sunnyside Children’s Fund

 

Through the generous support of CFKA, Resolve Counselling Services is able to offer Child and Youth

Outreach Counselling.  Research tells us that eliminating barriers for youth and meeting them where

they already are helps improve access to counselling.  Funding for this program enables our

counsellors to reach diverse populations where they already are to support this initiative.

 

Canadian Mental Health Association- Kingston Branch (CMHA Kingston), Kids Get Stressed Too!: $26,680

From the Sunnyside Children’s Fund

 

CMHA Kingston will deliver “Kids Get Stressed

Too!” programs. The programs will support children in developing resiliency by teaching them coping

skills such as feeling good, optimism, self-confidence, emotional regulation and trust. Kids will

learn about stress in a fun, safe environment through a variety of activities and games at local

elementary schools and at the CMHA venue.

Community Development

 

Kingston Municipal Non-Profit Housing Corporation, Inner Harbour Community Garden Collaborative: $8,642

From the Peter Hartel Community Fund and the Smart & caring Community Fund

 

The Inner Harbour Community Garden Collaborative is a community partnership on behalf of Kingston

Municipal Non-Profit Housing Corporation, John Howard Society, Salvation Army, Loving Spoonful, Kingston

Community Health Centres and Extend-A-Family Kingston. This project provides accessible gardens which increases community engagement, pride and

collaboration, while providing access to healthy food.

Education & Literacy

 

PeaceQuest Kingston (PQ), Imagine Peace:  Kingston PeaceQuest Gathering: $3,906

(charitable grantee is World Federalist’s Association)

From the Ruth and Stu Barton Community Fund and the Neil Currie Davis Fund

 

Imagine Peace: PeaceQuest Kingston Gathering brings peace-builders to Kingston’s waterfront to mark the centenary of WWI’s end on November 11, 1918. Engaging regional leaders and many from across Canada, the event invites us to challenge fear and imagine a future marked by empathy and democratic participation; featuring discussion with regional panelists, Sen. Kim Pate and peace scholar Paul Rogers, it concludes with an afternoon concert at The Isabel.

Environment

 

The Friends of Frontenac Park, Celebrating “The Year of the Bird”: Education and Citizen Science for all Ages: $3,359

From the Environmental Legacy Fund, the Ruth and Stu Barton Community Fund and the Gordon Barr Ltd. Fund

 

Join the Friends of Frontenac Park to celebrate The Year of the Bird in 2018! Events to nurture

your enjoyment of our feathered friends are being offered throughout the year: Species

identification workshops, presentations on avian natural history, training in Citizen Science,

hikes with experienced birders during the Frontenac Challenge, and our popular Christmas Bird Count

for participants of all ages.

 

Algonquin to Adirondacks Collaborative, Connecting Kingston to the A2A Trail: $4,254

From the Douglas Branton Fell Memorial Fund, the Eddie Bak Memorial Fund and the Community Fund

 

The A2A Trail – A Pilgrimage for Nature – is a physical and symbolic link connecting Algonquin and Adirondacks Parks. Using existing trails and backroads, the Trail winds through diverse and beautiful natural environments, and past many historical and cultural landmarks. The Connecting the A2A Trail to Kingston project will define a connecting link between the main A2A Trail and Kingston, cumulating in a community trek along the link and a trail celebration in Kingston.

 

Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour, Tracking and Talking About Turtles: $11,944

From the David Middleton North End Development Fund, the Ross and Susan Kilpatrick Fund and the Community Fund

 

Turtles are our neighbours, yet we know so little about them. This CFKA-funded project, “Tracking and Talking about Turtles in our Midst”, intends to find out more about the turtles that live in Kingston’s Inner Harbour, telling others about these findings, and bringing more scientific rigor to the work of citizen-scientists.

 

Health & Social Services

 

Kingston 4 Paws Service Dogs (K4PSD), K4Paws Expansion Program: $5,000

From the Larry Gibson Community Fund

 

K4PSD trains and places service dogs with local individuals living with a number of physical and

mental challenges. The process takes almost 24 months with thousands of volunteer and trainer

hours. Once placed, these dogs provide individuals with physical assistance, a sense of safety and

independence.  To quote a recent recipient, “My husband says he got back his wife, I say I got back

my life”.

 

Loving Spoonful, Good Food Workshops at the Rideau Heights Community Centre (RHCC): $14,688

From the Sandiford Family Fund and the Smart & Caring Community Fund

 

Starting in April 2018, due to popular demand, Loving Spoonful is excited to run 39 creative

cooking workshops in the new Rideau Heights Community Centre. These programs will build food

access, food literacy and skills, and confidence, encouraging healthy food consumption through good

food workshops. Kids, families, adults, doctors, Indigenous and Newcomer groups, and beginner cooks

will build community connections while sharing skills and meals. We can’t wait!

 

Independent Living Centre Kingston, Access to Technology, One-to-One Support Program: $16,920

From the Helping Hand for those with Disabilities Fund, The Richard Moorehouse Fund and the Smart & Caring Community Fund

 

We currently have a computer lab that provides free computer/internet access to a variety of clientele in the north end of Kingston. One-to-one support assistance will provide opportunities for individuals who may be unaware of how to use a computer due to an obstacle from a disability.

 

 

Sexual Assault Centre Kingston, Enhancing Crisis Responders Suicide Intervention Skills: $5,917

From the Young Adults Mental Health Fund, the Larry Gibson Community Fund and an anonymous fund

 

The Sexual Assault Centre Kingston is excited to offer suicide intervention training to crisis line

volunteers throughout he Kingston community. This important opportunity will see 60 volunteers

trained in suicide intervention, at no cost. The volunteer crisis responders will likely encounter over 500 members of our community considering suicide in their volunteer responsibilities.

 

Heritage Preservation

 

Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston, Great Lakes Shipwrecks Kiosks: $5,694

From the Chown Fund, the David C. Riley Fund and the Community Fund

 

The Marine Museum of the Great Lakes  will develop two new kiosks to promote the museum’s

new Great Lakes Shipwrecks virtual exhibit. One Kiosk will be installed at the museum and another

will be moved around the Kingston community so people can explore the virtual exhibit and

appreciate these eerie artefacts of our maritime history.

Youth

 

Habitat for Humanity, Habitat Kingston Kids Summer Camps’: $16,600

From the Cameron and Laurie Thompson Fund and the Ontario Endowment for Children and Youth in Recreation

 

Habitat for Humanity Kingston Limestone Region will deliver two Habitat Kingston Kids’ Summer Camps for local children aged

8-12, from families otherwise unable to afford the cost of summer camps. Our camps will see the

children select, design and build a woodworking project in our Training & Event Centre, under

professional supervision.

 

Camp Outlook, Community Building Trip with Newcomers to Canada: $4,818

From the K-Town Tri Legacy Fund and the Smart & Caring Community Fund

 

Camp Outlook offers young people a chance to develop their inner strength, self-worth, and capacity to succeed. Since 1970, Camp Outlook has provided backcountry canoe trips at no cost to youth from the Kingston Area. We are excited to be offering a growing program this year to build community between newcomers to Canada and youth originally from the Kingston area on a nine-day canoe trip in Algonquin Provincial Park.