London Community Foundation doles out nearly $1 million to organizations tackling critical needs

London, Ont. -

Nearly one million dollars in grants has been given out to five London organizations addressing pressing needs in the community for this year’s London Community Foundation’s (LCF) Community Vitality Grant program.

The funding covers a wide range of issues including; environment, help for Indigenous youth, food security and skills training for adults with disabilities, housing and supports for vulnerable populations, support for newcomers, and pairing mentors with children facing adversities.

The funding targets issues identified in the foundation’s Vital Signs report.

“Our recent Vital Signs report highlighted the need to work together to create change and this year’s recipients demonstrate just that,” said LCF’s Grants Committee Chair Dania Ajami in a media release announcing the grant recipients.

“Representing collaborations that are fostering connections between diverse groups in our community, each one of these initiatives shows promising impact while tackling community priorities in innovative ways.”

This year, the foundation received a total of 30 requests.

2021 Community Vitality Grant Recipients:

Big Brothers Big Sisters of London and Area

Building Capacity

$51,056, over 1 year

Big Brothers Big Sisters of London and Area will create a new staff position – a Volunteer Coordinator – to address their volunteer intake bottleneck and eliminate the waitlist of children in need of an adult mentor - which is especially important amid the added stressors of the pandemic.

Carolinian Canada & Yotuni Social Enterprise

Tsi’thotuhutsya:te (The Creators Land) Community Healing Gardens Project

$200,000, over 2 years

Yotuni Social Enterprise and Carolinian Canada will partner to create Tsi’thotuhutsya:te (The Creators Land) Community Healing Gardens Project, a social enterprise that will employ Indigenous youth to create gardening kits to be sold to community members – enabling land-based wellness and learning at home with Indigenous food and plants.

Hutton House Association for Adults with Disabilities

Cavendish Community Food Hub

$230,744, over 2 years

Hutton House will establish the Cavendish Community Food Hub – a full-scale, accessible urban farm located in Cavendish Park in London’s Kensington Village area on land provided by the City of London. With community partners like the Nathan T. Deslippe Memorial Fund developing a model for indoor hydroponic gardens, Greenhouse Academy providing greenhouse and landscaping training, and Beautiful Edibles assisting with programming, the Cavendish Community Food Hub is a joint effort to address food security in London through both agriculture and education.

John Howard Society of London and District

Breaking the Cycle of Post-Incarceration Homelessness

$300,000, over 2 years

John Howard Society of London and District will continue to address post-incarceration homelessness by providing emergency hotel stays alongside access to supports for reintegration including mental health addictions, basic needs, system navigation and finding long-term housing solutions for individuals recently released from custody who are facing homelessness – an underserved and often ignored population.

Muslim Resource Centre for Social Support and Integration

Helping Arabic Newcomer Families with Different Abilities to be Empowered (HAND2E)

$209,000, over 2 years

The Muslim Resource Centre for Social Support and Integration will implement the HAND2E project, which will support Arabic families that are struggling to access supports and services for their differently-abled children due to cultural and language barriers – all while working with local service providers to develop culturally informed ways to better serve Arabic families.

- With files from CTV News London's Kristylee Varley