OTF Grant gives CMHA Youth Awareness Program funding to adapt virtually

In 2020, CMHA Grey Bruce received a  Resilience Community Fund grant of $137,900 from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. On Wednesday, MPP Bill Walker stopped by to meet with the organization to hear from them about the difference this grant has had. The grant was used to help CMHA Grey Bruce adapt its youth awareness programs to virtual in-classroom presentations. The funding was integral to ensure youth awareness programs could continue during the pandemic.

              (L) MPP Bill Walker (Bruce-Grey Owen Sound), Jackie Ralph and Clark MacFarlane

The funding provided by the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) has provided additional resources to support our youth experiencing mental health challenges during the extenuating time of Covid-19, and will benefit our community in numerous ways, both now and in the future. Thank you to members of CMHA for adapting and ensuring services were available when needed and for all you do to serve the people of our community in their time of need,” said MPP Bill Walker, Bruce-Grey Owen Sound.

In addition to the two additional staff that CMHA was able to hire, it was able to engage community champions in Grey Bruce, adapt in-person classroom presentations to virtual and pre-taped formats, and create take home kits for children, youth, and families over the holidays.

“The impact of this Ontario Trillium Foundation grant has been astounding,” said Clark MacFarlane, CEO of the Canadian Mental Health Association Grey Bruce Mental Health and Addiction Services. “This grant has allowed our youth awareness programs to keep up with the demand of classroom presentations in our community, and we are thrilled with the positive impact that it is making on our youth.”

CMHA Grey Bruce is committed to providing presentations to youth across Grey Bruce. If you wish to book a classroom presentation, please email jralph@cmhagb.org.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations. Last year, nearly $112M was invested into 1,384 community projects and partnerships to build healthy and vibrant communities and strengthen the impact of Ontario’s non-profit sector. In 2020/21, OTF supported Ontario’s economic recovery by helping non-profit organizations rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19. Visit otf.ca to learn more.