York Region agencies using United Way grants to help residents through pandemic

Newmarket-based charities are among 15 local organizations that have received funding

Newmarkettoday.ca
Aug. 18, 2021
Elizabeth Keith

United Way Greater Toronto is helping local organizations by investing $1.2 million in COVID-19 relief grants.

In York Region, 15 agencies will receive the grants, which are designed to help organizations in the GTA respond quickly to the needs of people in their communities.

Among the grant recipients is the Newmarket Co-operative Homes Inc -- Trusteed by CHATS.

The agency has been providing $100 grocery cards to 35 racialized households so they can buy fresh food and basic necessities that aren’t always available at the Co-ops Food Bank.

Another local recipient is the York Region branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association, which supplied 100 grocery cards, 20 cellphones and 25 phone plans for vulnerable individuals experiencing mental health issues to help them access food and stay in touch.

Addiction Services for York Region also is benefiting from the grant.

The organization is providing eight weeks of grief counselling services for York Region residents who have experienced a loss due to the pandemic.

The following 12 agencies are also receiving United Way’s COVID-19 grants:

Aurora Seniors Association
Blue Door
CAYR Community Connections
Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation
Creating Alternatives Day Program
Home on the Hill Supportive Housing
Krasman Centre
Ontario Water Centre
Positive Community Development -- Trusteed by Delta Family Resource Centre
Routes
The Salvation Army of Central York Region
Yellow Brick House
On top of the 15 York Region-based agencies, another 16 organizations operating in the region also benefit from the grants.

One of those is the Ontario Learning Development Foundation Inc., which expanded its Peel-based programing providing culturally appropriate food to vulnerable Black families into York Region and Toronto.

Another recipient is ACCES Employment, which provides grocery cards and tablets to racialized newcomers experiencing food insecurity in Peel, Toronto and York Region.

The following 14 agencies operating in York Region are also grant recipients:

Asian Community AIDS Service
Centre Francophone du Grand Toronto
Eparchy of Mississauga
Eritrean Canadian Community Center Of Metropolitan Toronto
FCJ Refugee Centre 
Humanity First
KCWA Family and Social Services
Parents Engaged in Education
Refugee Women’s Network
Shine Through the Rain Foundation
Silent Voice
SMILE Canada - Support Services
Social Services Network
The Cross-Cultural Community Services Association

“While some of us are beginning to transition back to the life we knew before, far too many continue to feel the devastating impact of COVID-19, and will continue to for some time,” said Daniele Zanotti, president and CEO of United Way Greater Toronto. “Every day, we hear from residents and our network of frontline agencies about crisis calls for mental health supports, access to food and a good job. These COVID relief grants allocate resources to the people and place who need it most -- and now.”

The COVID grants were introduced at the end of June 2021 and will benefit a total of 126 agencies in the GTA.

The different organizations that received the grant all offer either food programs, homelessness programs, mental health programs, children and youth programs, and culturally appropriate supports.