In 2021, Moorelands Kids, a 110-year old non-profit that focuses on helping children and youth living with financial challenges and that are facing barriers, learned that it was successful in it’s application for a $250,000 Community Building Fund grant. The Government of Ontario program was delivered by the Ontario Trillium Foundation helped it secure much-needed staff supports and upgrade technology that has improved after-school and summer camp programming throughout the pandemic.
“The COVID pandemic has significantly affected vulnerable populations, including children,” said Vincent Ke, MPP for Don Valley North. “Thanks to the substantial investment from the Ontario Government, through the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Moorelands Kids is increasing its own organizational resiliency and capacity to support kids-in-need with meaningful access to safe spaces; skill-building opportunities and experiences; and strong, positive, caring relationships with peer and adult role models.”
Moorelands Kids has continued to operate facilities and deliver leadership programming to racialized and financially-marginalized children and youth in Toronto. As a result of the grant, it has adapted its leadership programming through the evolving challenges of the pandemic.
“The Community Building Fund grant was vital to our organization during these uncertain times,” said Lynda Tilley, Executive Director, Moorelands Kids. “In a shifting, changing world, the needs of children living with financial barriers grew. We are so grateful to the Ontario Trillium Foundation for empowering our young staff to achieve our mission. This grant ensures that our work to build resiliency in children moves forward.”
Moorelands Kids continues to deliver experiential and physically interactive programming for marginalized children and youth living in financial inequity from low-income neighbourhoods in Toronto, helping them to build resiliency, leadership competencies and healthy connections. Moorelands Kids knows that children and youth living with financial challenges face barriers that other kids don’t. To learn more, please visit our website at moorelands.ca and check out our Annual Impact Report.
The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) mission is to build healthy and vibrant communities across Ontario. As an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations, last year, OTF invested nearly $209M into 2,042 community projects and partnerships, which included funding for the Government of Ontario’s Community Building Fund. Since 2020, OTF has 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.