Ontario grants support programs for seniors
Administrator | Jul 12, 2024 | Comments 0

Todd Smith, MPP Bay of Quinte shown with Janice Maynard, PEC councillor, Krista Richardson, adult services co-ordinator, Quinte West Public Library, Jeri-Lynn Thomas, CEO, Quinte West Public Library, Peter Landry, Chair, Prince Edward County Community Care For Seniors Association, Bob Mullin, Warden, Hastings County, Barbara Sweet, CEO PEC Libraries and Jim Harrison, Mayor Quinte West.
Representatives from four regional groups met Bay of Quinte MPP Todd Smith at the Consecon branch library Thursday to share in $60,400 from Ontario’s Senior Community Grant Program.
“The Bay of Quinte area has a large and growing seniors population,” said Smith. “They’ve contributed much to our communities and it is important we continue to promote their social inclusion and wellbeing. Fortunately, great partners from local organizations and municipalities constantly strive to deliver meaningful programming to that end.”
Smith noted the area has long had a higher percentage of seniors than the provincial average, and that continues to be a growing demographic.
Through the Seniors Community Grant, Smith announced four allocations of funds:
– $25,000 to Community Care for Seniors to survey its audience and create strategies to attract new volunteers and clients;
– $10,800 to the Prince Edward County Public Library to expand Friends of the Library groups to all six of its branches and to enhance program delivery in those communities.
– $13,462 to the Quinte West Public Library to start an intergenerational cooking program with classes for seniors to share meals and food literacy, budgeting knowledge and recipes with newcomers and youth.
– $11,138 for Hastings County to provide access to fitness and wellness programs for seniors and older adults living in community and geared-to-income housing settings and to support transportation to those programs.
Debbie MacDonald Moynes, PEC Community Care for Seniors Executive Director, is grateful to receive the funding “to determine why current clients and volunteers choose our agency, then target future communications and public relations in this new post-pandemic world. In this way, we can better serve the community of Prince Edward County.”
Barbara Sweet, the Chief Executive Officer of the Prince Edward County Public Library & Archives, spoke to the long-standing Friends of the Library groups in Ameliasburgh, Consecon, Milford and Wellington, a brand-new group in Bloomfield, and plans to launch a new group at the Picton branch.
“These Friends help keep our six branches vital community hubs through their support and advocacy. This project will both attract new members and enable the Friends to offer a series of special programs for older adults at each branch.”
Across the province, up to $6 million is being distributed through the Seniors Community Grant Program to support 282 projects. Organizations were able to apply for up to $25,000 per project that provides seniors opportunities for greater inclusion, volunteerism and community engagement.
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