Community Foundation of Halton North announces five more Grant Recipients
MILTON-HALTON HILLS: The Community Foundation of Halton North, through the Emergency Community Support Fund provided grants to ArtHouse, Diabetes Canada, Let’s Talk Science, Easter Seals Ontario, and The Darling Home for Kids
ArtHouse
For 11 years, ArtHouse has engaged hundreds of vulnerable young kids with on-site Programs at Subsidized Housing Locations, Community Hubs and in collaboration with Agency Partners throughout Halton. Our Goal – to support the Whole Child; creatively, physically, socially, emotionally, intellectually, educationally and nutritionally. Along with safe, FREE Arts Programming and strong role-model relationships, our work can include homework help, cooking, gardening and environmental education. ArtHouse is often the child’s only extra-curricular activity. In addition to transitioning quickly to Virtual Arts Programming, in late March, ArtHouse initiated a Weekly Emergency Meals Program in Burlington and Oakville, and now thanks to recent ECSF Funding from the CFHN, ArtHouse, in partnership with Food For Life, is ready to support Milton Families with dinners prepared from “fresh rescued food”. As ArtHouse states, “We are staying in touch. We are learning more about their needs. Many have become comfortable asking us for help as we facilitate links to other community services”. Please visit https://arthousehalton.com/
Diabetes Canada
Diabetes Canada is leading the fight against diabetes by helping people living with the disease lead healthy lives while we invest in research toward a cure. During this time of social distancing, Diabetes Canada is committed to providing an innovative and creative way to remain engaged with the type 1 diabetes community in North Halton. Virtual D-Camps is a chance to connect with fellow campers, parents, staff and alumni and be reminded of the healthy community of peers and role models living with type 1 diabetes. It will provide strong near-peer role models and a healthy dose of fun for kids without leaving the safety of home. For more information about Diabetes Canada, please visit: https://diabetes.ca/
Easter Seals Ontario
Easter Seals Ontario is committed to helping children, youth and young adults with physical disabilities. This help extends to the families as well. Through the generous support of donors and volunteers, Easter Seals provides quality services and programs and acts as an effective voice for the needs and interests of those we serve. ECSF support, through the Community Foundation of Halton North, will provide an online camp experience for 20 children and youth in North Halton. This virtual experience will mitigate lost opportunities due to COVID-19 after the cancellation of traditional summer camps. In addition, support will fund in-home equipment for 3 families in North Halton. Easter Seals will fund urgent requests for equipment in three categories: mobility (wheelchairs, walkers, and knee or ankle-foot orthotics); bathroom and toileting (commode, shower chair); accessibility (lifts, ramps). Equipment is tailored to the child or youth. For more information visit our website at: www.easterseals.org
Let’s Talk Science
Let’s Talk Science is committed to developing youth who are creative, critical thinkers and knowledgeable citizens prepared to participate and thrive in a complex global environment. An award-winning, national, charitable organization, Let’s Talk Science has provided engaging, evidence based science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs for more than 25 years. Let’s Talk Science has coordinated an initiative called The Horizon Project, which, with support from the Georgetown BreadBasket, will distribute 75 “unplugged” learning kits to at-risk youth in the community. The Horizon Project aims to send a caring signal to children in Grades 4-6 from low socio-economic families that learning is the key foundation for their futures and that they are capable of meaningful learning without computer technology. This project targets Grades 4-6 students to gain the greatest impact as this is an age when children typically are very engaged in school but they are at high risk of losing interest. Their curiosity is strong, their outlook towards school is usually very positive and their foundational literacy and numeracy skills are developing. They are able to work independently and their curiosity is piqued by science as they find it empowering to understand how their world works. For more information about Let’s Talk Science please visit: https://letstalkscience.ca/
The Darling Home for Kids
The Darling Home for Kids is a place of joy, filled with the smiles and laughter of children engaging in unique and enriching experiences. Located in Milton, the Home is a state of the art facility providing respite, hospice palliative, and residential care for children who are medically complex, many of whom depend on technology for daily living. The Home exists to fulfill a gap in the community, giving parents a much-needed break and helping to minimize the strain on hospital resources while also providing a bridge between hospital and home for families. The Darling Home for Kids provides care for the family as a whole, with comprehensive services facilitated by an in-house Registered Social Worker including an intake process, individual and group counselling, service navigation assistance, and crises, grief, and bereavement support. The Home serves approximately 70 families, all of whom are welcomed to take part in Family Support Programming. Parents, caregivers and siblings of medically complex children often experience psychological distress, exhaustion, isolation, anxiety, and depression. The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened stress levels for this vulnerable population. Community closures mean there is no break or support for parents who rely on these services for their livelihood. To meet the increasing mental-health needs due to COVID-19, these programs, such as Parents Connect and Siblings Connect, are now running virtually and on a more frequent basis. For more information about The Darling Home for Kids, please visit https://www.darlinghomeforkids.ca/
The Community Foundation of Halton North is non-profit charitable organization. CFHN is managed by a volunteer Board of Directors comprised of representatives from across the communities that make up Halton North. CFHN is one of 191 Community Foundations in cities, towns and rural areas across the nation. Community Foundations will be celebrating 100 years in Canada in 2021. These locally run, public foundations play a critical role in supporting community causes. More information about CFHN is available at www.cfhn.ca or by contacting Executive Director Sue Lawrenson at 905-864-9211.