Guelph MPP and Ontario Treasury Board president Liz Sandals announced nearly $14,000 in funding for three local seniors’ projects on Monday. She made the announcement at Evergreen Seniors’ Centre.
The money is coming from the province’s Seniors Community Grant program, which is assisting 379 projects across Ontario this year. Sandals said the program has been so successful in its first two years that $2 million were added to its offerings here in the third year.
“It’s a program aimed at helping seniors keep active, connected, and engaged,” she said.
A number of municipal officials were on hand at the announcement, including Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie, deputy CAO Colleen Clack, and city councillors June Hofland and Cathy Downer.
The strong city contingent reflected the strong contribution from the program to a city project. A volunteer program at the city-run Evergreen Seniors’ Centre received $8,000, the maximum allotment from the Seniors Community Grant. The goal of the volunteer program is to develop orientation and training for volunteers, while enhancing a database for volunteer management.
Sandals also announced $2,990 for the Guelph Wellington Seniors’ Association, money to help facilitate skills development for 60 volunteer activity group leaders.
And the Volunteer Centre of Guelph Wellington received $3,000 to install a computer kiosk at the Evergreen Seniors’ Centre.
The Seniors Community Grant program supports that area of the non-profit sector that fosters social inclusion, volunteerism, education and community engagement for seniors in the province, whether at the local, regional or provincial level. The program help ensure that seniors fully participate in community life. The program has invested $5 million to support 923 projects so far. There are over two million seniors living in Ontario. The numbers are growing.
Sandals said the “glue that holds communities together” is its volunteers. In all communities, seniors are integral to volunteerism, and keeping them healthy and actively engaged in volunteer work is important for the wellbeing of communities.
Guthrie thanked the province for the support.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the impact the money will have on our community,” he said.
