More than 40 community groups are benefitting from a cash infusion from The Chatham-Kent Community Foundation as well as from the South Kent Wind Community Fund, a donor-advised fund of the CKCF.
The cheques – totalling more than $350,000 – were presented at the agency’s recent annual general meeting.
CKCF executive director Chris Pegg said the foundation is pleased to have granted over $574,000 in the last year, with $350,000 going to 40-plus charities as part of the Spring Grant application process.
Pegg said the foundation invests money received from donors and then distributes five per cent of the annual earnings to community groups and causes.
According to Pegg, the CKCF fund, now worth $12 million, has been helping the community for the past 33 years.
Wheatley’s Village Resource Centre was the top recipient in the Spring Round, receiving $30,500 to purchase equipment and supplies, to pay honorariums for instructors, and to fund life skill courses. (This includes a contribution from South Kent Wind.)
The Canadian Red Cross Society has received $20,000 to run the Let’s Go Home with the Homeward Bound program. (Includes contribution from South Kent Wind.)
A total of $21,900 has been allocated to the Children’s Treatment Centre Foundation of C-K to set up three locations in Chatham-Kent that will allow children and adults access to amphibious wheelchairs, including the purchase of Mobi mats. The three-year grant, which includes a contribution from South Kent Wind, will see $7,300 distributed annually.
A $20,000 grant has been made to the YMCA of Southwestern Ontario to make improvements to automatic pool equipment. Funding includes a contribution from the Ontario Endowment for Children and Youth in Recreation.
The Municipality of Chatham-Kent is getting $15,000 to establish a public art grant for $5,000 over three years. Funds will be matched by the municipality.
The Tilbury Solid Rock Cafe Youth Centre has received $15,600, which includes contributions from South Kent Wind and the Donald A. Cottingham Fund; Squash Ontario is getting $15,000 to go towards building two concrete squash and pickleball courts in Dresden; Restorative Justice Chatham-Kent is receiving $14,000 to fund the Positive Strides program; Four Counties Health Services Foundation is getting $12,000 for equipment purchases; Rotary Club of Dresden Service Fund, $10,560 for roof repairs; Blenheim Youth Centre, $10,500 to support summer programming; Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Foundation, $10,000 to purchase an operating room surgical table with bariatric extensions; and First Presbyterian Church received $10,000 to buy supplies for the free breakfast program.
Other groups benefiting from funding include FreeHelpCK, $10,000 to build and stock free food pantries; Kiwanis Club of Chatham-Kent (Dollywood Foundation), $10,000 to mail out 5,000 books; Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority, $10,000 for supplies and upgrades for the C.M. Wilson Learning Centre; NeighbourLink Chatham-Kent, $10,000 to send needy children to Kenesserie Camp; Reach Out Chatham-Kent R.O.C.K Missions, $10,000 to establish a drop-in centre and purchase supplies; Society of St. Vincent de Paul, St. Joseph and St. Ursula, $10,000 to purchase supplies for a food insecurity outreach program; and Sydenham Field Naturalists, $10,000 for two Miyawaki Forest projects.
A total of 18 other groups received grants of less than $10,000, covering a wide range of causes and initiatives. A number of the grants also received contributions from or designated funds, made by, or in honour of specific donors.
The CKCF will accept applications for the Fall Grant round between Aug. 15 and Sept. 20 at ChathamKentCommunityFoundation.ca.
