The Ontario Trillium Foundation has announced grants totalling $822,606 for municipalities and non-profit organizations in Dufferin and Caledon. “Community groups across Dufferin and Caledon will be able to enhance their programs with their new Ontario Trillium Foundation grants,” Dufferin-Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones, said in a press release. “I am pleased that municipalities and nonprofit organizations in our community have access to lottery and gaming revenues to make their facilities accessible and enhance recreation and social services for our residents.” Four of the seven grants will go to Dufferin County. The Town of Shelburne will receive $34,000 over eight months to purchase accessibility upgrades and equipment for Grace Tipling Hall. The aim is to improve access to arts-and-culture activities for community members of all abilities as part of the town’s economic-renewal strategy. The Orangeville Curling Club will receive $58,000, over one year, to install a lift, new doors with automatic openers and upgrade washrooms. These renovations will make this well-used facility in Orangeville fully accessible to community members of all abilities.

Community Living Dufferin will get $76,900 over 10 months for automatic door openers and upgrades to washrooms. These renovations will make the facility in Orangeville fully accessible to community members of all abilities.

As well, a collaboration of local organizations — Dufferin Not-For-Profit Support & Capacity Building Project — has been awarded $150,000 from the Foundation to create a two-year pilot project to fund initiatives that will strengthen social service organizations in Dufferin County.

Representatives from Community Living Dufferin, The Rotary Club of the Orangeville Highlands, Headwaters Communities in Action and The Rotary Club of Shelburne have formed a Community Leadership Group to oversee the allocation of these funds to Dufferin social service organizations. “We have been hearing that many local agencies, such as food banks, are seeing increasing demand for service at the same time that donations and fundraising are decreasing,” said Mary Wheelwright, President of the Orangeville Highlands Rotary Club. “This project is something that our club is very pleased to be part of,” she added. The Orangeville Food Bank reported a 44 per cent increase in usage since January 2009, and the Shelburne Food Bank experienced a 60 per cent increase in usage over the same period. The Grand Valley Emergency Food Cupboard had a 44 per cent jump in usage since January 2009, and the Westminster United Church emergency food cupboard, milk program and used clothing cupboard experienced a 50 per cent increase in usage in the same period. This Trillium grant will fund projects that hope to stabilize and build the resilience of Dufferin’s notfor profits so they are better able to cope during these difficult economic times. “We also hope to draw on the network of skilled people within the local services clubs to help our not-for-profits access short-term volunteer help if required,” said Chris Mudge of Community Living.

To be succesful, this project needs to be about more than just providing money – it also needs to help facilitate positive change.” she added.

The idea for this project initially came from the Trillium Foundation, which is aware of urgent needs in Dufferin that require a quicker response than their own grant approval process – which can take five to six months.

Because funding for this grant came from the Waterloo, Wellington and Dufferin catchment area, the funds are above and beyond what Trillium has available to allocate within Dufferin County.

In the next few weeks, Trillium aims to expand its Community Leadership Group. “Our hope is to add representatives from other service clubs as well as members of the faith community to the Community Leadership Group” said Pat Webster of the Shelburne Rotary Club.

The three other Trillium Foundation grants in Dufferin-Caledon went to groups in Peel. They included LIFE Project – Ontario March of Dimes Peel Region, ($222,100 over three years.); Peel Children and Youth Initiative of the Peel Children’s Aid Society, ($65,000 over one year); Peel Elder Abuse Prevention Network Steering Committee, ($216,400 over three years).