Staff
On October 29, Community Foundation Grey Bruce distributed grants totalling more than $215,000 at its Fall Grant Presentation and Annual Dinner, including $3,500 to the Backpacks For Learning program at Georgian Bay Secondary School.
The event was held at the Best Western Plus in Kincardine. The night began with a performance by Community Living Kincardine & District’s Lighthouse Players.
The annual fall event also featured a number of esteemed speakers. Kincardine Councillor Andrew White introduced the new Kincardine Community Fund which received $5,000 in seed funding from the Municipality of Kincardine. According to Councillor White, “The fund will enrich the quality of life for the people in the Municipality through support of community projects, programs and charities.” The Fund’s Management Committee hope to encourage donations from the community in order to reach $100,000 by the end of 2016.
Among the grant recipients was Georgian Bay Secondary School’s Backpacks For Learning program. The project addresses socio-economic and food security issues that students face in order to help them to be successful in school, in their communities, and beyond.
Jim Grant of the Saugeen Cottager’s Association Inc. (SCOI) announced a new education endowment fund of nearly $100,000 to support Saugeen First Nation students’ efforts to obtain their GEDs, opening the doors to increased employment opportunities and greater community stability. Saugeen First Nation Councillor Lester Anoquot spoke on behalf of Chief Vern Roote to express gratitude for the assistance and to praise the growing relationships between SCOI, the Foundation and the Band, as a result of this development.
Lana Splettstoesser of the Kincardine Kinetic Knights spoke to the $5,000 capital grant received to support the expansion of their youth mentorship programming. Miranda Miller of HER Grey Bruce spoke of their Get To Know FRO project, which created an educational resource for parents who receive child support. The group is also working to better understand the needs of disadvantaged families who rely on child support to meet their basic needs. St. John’s Ambulance, The Women’s Centre, Community Living Kincardine & District and others also discussed their funded projects.
In total, over $215,000 in grants was awarded to forty-two different community non-profit organizations to support projects, programs, and capital expenditures. All grants support the charitable sector’s vast and varied efforts to improve quality of life in Grey Bruce communities.
Prior to the evening’s festivities, Kim West, Chair of the Foundation’s Board of Directors stated, “These grant presentation events showcase the creativity in our community in addressing local need, and give vital opportunities for donors to see their generosity transformed into tangible action. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing the result of community philanthropy at work and getting to share in the celebration of our achievements with people from every corner of Grey Bruce and the First Nations Territories.”
Community Foundation Grey Bruce is a public charitable organization founded in 1994, with a mandate to strengthen Grey and Bruce communities through endowment building, grant making and community partnerships.
