Community Foundation Of Greater Peterborough Vital Signs Report Highlights Need To Advance Gender Equality

The Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough’s newly released Vital Signs report highlights the need to advance gender equality in our community.

CFGP board of directors. Photo courtesy of CFGP.

“The Kawartha World Issue Centre received a grant from the Foundation last year to conduct research into how our region is fairing on the issue of gender equality,” said Jennifer DeBues, executive director of CFGP.

Vital Focus: Gender Equality highlights some of the ways local women and gender diverse individuals have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, and how many are being left behind when it comes to accessing services and supports.

“The work of organizations and institutions locally needs to be informed by the voices of those left behind,” said Shaelyn Wabegijig, KWIC project coordinator. “There needs to be more accessible and flexible ways for those most impacted by inequalities to be heard and supported.”

KWIC executive director Sam Rockbrune says everyone has a role in advancing intersectional gender equality, and in order to address it we must address racial, social and economic inequalities.

The Vital Signs report ad grants to organizations like KWIC are ways CFGP spotlights these voices.

To get involved visit www.cfgp.ca or email info@cfgp.ca.

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Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough Granted $1.3 Million To Charities in 2021

The Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough (CFGP) granted $1.3 million to more than eighty charities in Peterborough and the surrounding area, the foundation announced on Tuesday.

File Photo.

2021 was the second year in a row that CFGP granted over $1 million.

“Our community has stepped up in a big way and I cannot thank them enough for contributing to charitable organizations that really need our help as we all continue to manage through this pandemic,” said Jennifer DeBues, executive director at CFGP. “The charities have been unable to fundraise in the ways they used to before COVID-19, so grants from foundations like ours are more important than ever.”

Charities that received funds crossed a variety of sectors like food insecurity, arts and culture, gender equity and COVID-19 community response initiatives.

“This kind of generosity really highlights the impact that the Community Foundation can have at the local level as we bring together donors from the community who care about a number of different causes and issues, ensuring their funds are distributed to those who need it most,” said Jenn Harrington, chair of CFGP board of directors.

DeBues says that a highlight of 2021 was when one donor donated $250,000 for food security grants.

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Local Organizations Receive Vital Community Grants to Combat COVID-19 Inequality

The Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough (CFGP) announced on Tuesday that Vital Community Grants totaling $90,000 will go to nine local organizations whose work focuses on supporting equity-deserving people who have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Photo courtesy of The Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough.

This year’s Vital Community Grants theme was an “Equitable COVID-19 Recovery”.

CFGP notes that some people have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 relative to others. Indigenous people, women, youth, people with disabilities and others facing systemic inequality have experienced a heightened chance of exposure to the virus, social isolation, lack of access to food, services and education, worse health outcomes, and adverse financial repercussions.

Nine local charities led by, serving and focused on equity deserving groups were invited to a participatory granting circle to discuss their applications and allocate the available funds. Participatory grantmaking is a decision-making process that invites those who are most knowledgeable about an issue to identify priorities and direct the available funds.

The recipients of 2021 Vital Community Grants are:

Heads Up for Inclusion

To support the Community Amigos Program by providing space for connection to reduce social isolation for people living with disabilities

Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Foundation

To support programs for in-care youth transitioning to independent living

Niijkiwendidaa Anishnaabekwewag Services Circle

To reverse the damage that was caused by residential schools and the pandemic by bringing in Elders and Traditional Knowledge Holders as well as language speakers

Peterborough AIDS Resource Network (PARN)

To assist in the reduction of financial and socio-economic barriers to people needing to engage in PARN’s programs and services

The Council for Persons with Disabilities

To engage more young people living with disabilities

The Elizabeth Fry Society of Peterborough

To launch and support a group counselling program that supports mothers and birthing parents who have lost custody of their children

TRACKS Youth Program (Trent Aboriginal Cultural Knowledge and Science)

To provide resources, workshops and activities to Indigenous youth living in the seven Williams Treaties First Nations in Ontario at no cost

YES Shelter for Youth and Families

To support the RISE Youth Housing program that helps youth between 16 and 24 resolve homelessness and find stability 

YWCA Peterborough Haliburton – Nourish Project

To support its civic literacy work including programs like Hungry for Income, a food insecurity training series

Donations to the COVID-19 Community Response Fund are still being accepted by the Community Foundation and will continue to be used to support charities with their pandemic recovery work https://cfgp.ca/project/covid/.

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Watch & Join In To The Entertainment Filled Community Event covAID On Saturday, May 16th

On Saturday, May 16th at 7 p.m., PTBOStrong invites you to tune into covAID, an entertainment filled evening to enjoy with the family at home with a mix of local musicians performing along with messages from community leaders and local celebrities.

100% of funds raised during covAID will flow through the COVID-19 Community Response Fund—established by the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough and United Way Peterborough & District—to charities providing mental health supports in our community.

“I have so many friends and business owners in the community who are suffering from mental health issues that are compounded by this crisis,” says Tim Burke of PTBOStrong, who is co-organizer of covAID with David Koski. “I thought that covAID would be a great opportunity to bring Peterborough and the Kawarthas together for a special night while raising vital funds for the COVID-19 Community Response Fund.”

On May 16th starting at 7 p.m., connect to PTBOStrong on Facebook or watch on Cogeco’s YourTV to enjoy great entertainment from local community leaders, musicians, artists and celebrities while donating online here.

"The pandemic has shown how strong our community is at coming together,” adds David Feeley, Senior Manager at YourTV Peterborough/Lindsay. "Being involved in this project and broadcasting covAid is something YourTV couldn't be more proud of.”
 
Donations received during covAID will go to local charities to help them respond to increased demand for counselling and other mental health supports and to deliver those services in innovative ways during the pandemic.

“For people already living with mental health challenges, COVID-19 has made it even harder to cope. For others, isolation, financial worries and uncertainty about the future are triggering anxiety and straining relationships," says John Good of Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough. "The COVID-19 Community Response Fund is a partnership between the Community Foundation, United Way Peterborough & District and local donors—helping charities provide mental health supports in new ways amid challenging circumstances."

covAid organizers encourage people to use the hashtags #CovaidPtbo and #PtboStrong on their social media platforms in the build-up to the event, and that night, and share what community and mental health means to you during this pandemic.

You can also get your official covAID merchandise here. 100% of funds raised from merchandise sales will go to COVID-19 Community Response Fund.

Everyone who can is also encouraged to make a donation to coVaid now or that night in support of mental health.

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Community Foundation Of Greater Peterborough Has Granted $2.7 Million To Local Charities Since 2011

The Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough hosted its Giving Gala on Saturday, January 25th at the Peterborough Golf and Country Club, and more than 170 community-minded leaders and philanthropists attended the event.

The Community Foundation inspires giving to build a vital community for everyone. Working with donors and charitable organizations, the Foundation invests in the people, ideas and activities that support community vitality.

Community Foundation Board Chairs past and present gathered at the 2020 Giving Gala Peterborough on January 25th at the Peterborough Golf & Country Club (left to right: Alan Thomas, Diane Richard, Bill Lockington, Betty Morris and Janice Green).

“In 2019, the Foundation issued 95 grants with a value of more than $650,000,” says John Good, Director of Fund Development. “That’s a 10-fold increase from the $60,000 made in 2011, bringing the cumulative total of charitable grants made by the Foundation to over $2.7 million!”

The Foundation maintains 70 different charitable funds—a growing pool of endowed and long-term funds with a collective value in excess of $10 million. These funds address particular fields of interest or benefit particular charities, while others enable broad-based granting in the community from support for affordable housing, food security, health and well-being and education to arts, culture, recreation and the environment.

“The Foundation is relentlessly pursuing a future where everyone belongs,” adds Good. “Research indicates that this matters because when we feel like we belong we are healthier, we are more likely to step up and help others, our neighbourhoods are safer, and our community is more resilient in times of crisis.”

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Community Foundation Of Greater Peterborough Celebrates 10th Anniversary At Giving Gala

The Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough celebrated its 10th Anniversary Giving Gala on Saturday night (January 19th) at the Peterborough Golf and Country Club.

At the event, the Community Foundation recognized the leadership of Bill Lockington, of LLF Lawyers, with an appointment as Lifetime Honorary Director. Lockington chaired the Community Foundation’s first Board of Directors. He currently chairs the board of Community Foundations of Canada, and continues to be a tireless supporter of the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough.

Founding Board Chair Bill Lockington speaking at Giving Gala (photo courtesy Community Foundation)

The dream of creating a community foundation began with a small group of community-minded volunteers and $40,000 from the Peterborough Affordable Housing Foundation, which was winding down at the time.

The founding Board of Directors met in June 2009. With the support of local philanthropists, the Community Foundation made its first grant in 2011. Since that time, more than $2.1 million has been granted by the Foundation to projects that build community vitality.

Photo from Gala night courtesy Community Foundation

“The Community Foundation has emerged over a decade as a trusted steward of community philanthropy, and a significant investor in positive change in the City and County of Peterborough,” says John Good, Executive Director at the Foundation. “The stories we hear from the charities we fund are a powerful testament to the way that giving together creates lasting impact.”

The Community Foundation is grateful to the many sponsors, donors and volunteers who supported the 10th Anniversary Giving Gala—especially for the leadership of Graeme Ross and the team at RBC Wealth Management, the Foundation’s Community Benefactor sponsors.

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