Seniors Community Grants to support four local programs

At the announcement at the Humane Society, from left, are: Jim Harrison (Mayor, Quinte West), Steve Ferguson (Mayor, Prince Edward County), Barbara Sweet (CEO, County of Prince Edward Public Library and Archives), Tyler Allsopp (MPP Bay of Quinte), Melanie Cressman (Executive Director, Humane Society HPE), Danielle Preston (Recreation and Volunteer Services Supervisor, H.J. McFarland Memorial Home/Prince Edward County), Dione Mills (Director of Long-Term Care, H.J. McFarland Memorial Home/Prince Edward County) and Dave Gallson (National Executive Director, Mood Disorder Society of Canada).

Tyler Allsopp, MPP for Bay of Quinte, announced four local organizations will be sharing $80,800 in Seniors Community Grants to help bring seniors together across the region.

“Seniors built our province and our communities. It is our responsibility to ensure they have opportunities to live a vibrant, engaged lifestyle as they age,” said Allsopp. “Bay of Quinte has an older population than the provincial average. The successful recipients of this funding have demonstrated their ability to provide meaningful programs that keep seniors connected and active.”

The successful recipients are:
• Humane Society Hastings Prince Edward – $25,000 for the Rescue Companionship Program
• County of Prince Edward – $25,000 for Purposeful Partnerships: A Dementi-Ability-Informed Volunteer Buddy Program
• Mood Disorders Society of Canada – $23,000 for Veteran Support to Promote Better Mental Wellness and Reduce Social Isolation
• County of Prince Edward Public Library and Archives – $7,800 for Stories Across Prince Edward County: Connecting through Books

The Seniors Community Grants is a unique Ontario government program designed to reduce social isolation, fight ageism and create positive connections. Since 2018, Ontario has invested more than $40 million dollars in more than 2,100 Seniors Community Grants.

” At the County of Prince Edward Public Library, we’re always looking for innovative ways to help people connect with one another,” said Barbara Sweet, Chief Executive Officer County of Prince Edward Library and Archives. “This project will enable us to host virtual book clubs and author events for seniors throughout the winter months using video conferencing, while also broadcasting these events on 99.3 County FM.

“By offering both online participation and radio broadcasts, we’ll make these programs accessible to an even wider audience, including those who may be unable to attend in person.”

The DementiAbility-informed volunteer program project is to pair older adults from the community with residents in the County’s long-term care home through purposeful “buddy” partnerships. Seniors will volunteer alongside residents in shared, strengths-based activities that foster connection, reciprocity, and meaning.

The program is to emphasize recognizing abilities, supporting autonomy, and creating joy. By redefining volunteering as a mutual relationship, the project aims to reduce social isolation, strengthen community inclusion, and enhance emotional well-being for both residents and community seniors.

“For seniors, especially in a rural community like Prince Edward County, meaningful opportunities to connect with others can make a real difference,” said Mayor Steve Ferguson. “These investments from the provincial government will help create spaces and experiences that bring people together, foster new friendships, and strengthen the sense of belonging.”

The Mood Disorders Society of Canada delivers specialized services to CAF veterans and their families targeting three enhanced wellness, strengthened resiliency, and
meaningful post-traumatic growth to help improve mental health, community engagement and quality of life.

The Humane Society Rescue Companionship Program is designed to address loneliness, social isolation, and emotional well-being among seniors, including veterans, by strengthening the human companionship and animal bond. This initiative simultaneously improves outcomes for senior animals by increasing fostering, adoption, and community visibility.