Stark Family Fund grants more than $110,000

The Stark Family Fund, held within The Community Foundation for Kingston and Area, will be granting $112,127 to support nine initiatives by local charitable community service organizations in Prince Edward County and area. The foundation expects the grants to directly impact 26,497 individuals, including 5,802 youth.

Bloomfield’s Stark sisters and spouses.

The Stark fund was created in 2002 with a $1.2 million gift from the last two surviving members of the Stark family – Ival and Ruth. The five sisters also include Leata, Keitha and Sylvia. They were lifelong residents of Bloomfield and without heirs, decided to establish an endowment fund supporting the family’s strong sense of civic responsibility especially in the areas of education, health, social sciences, animal welfare and culture, in Prince Edward County.

Stark Family Fund 2023 recipients:
· Brain Injury Association Quinte District, “Helmet Lending Program for PEC Residents”
· Community Living Prince Edward, “Kids Night/Day Out – An Innovative Respite Solution”
· County of Prince Edward Public Library and Archives, “Discover – Learn – and Grow with Prince Edward 4-H and the Library”
· Hospice Prince Edward, “Dinner for One”
· Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation, “Direct Patient Care Equipment for Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital”
· The Regent Theatre Foundation, “Cinema Screen Setup Re-Structure to Support Community Rentals & Improve Safety”
· Rotary Club of Picton, “Presentation of bursaries to 8 new graduates of Prince Edward Collegiate Institute (PECI)”
· South Shore Joint Initiative, “Return of the Monarchs 2023”
· Trenton Memorial Hospital Foundation, “Give the Gift of Sight”

“We’re honoured to be the stewards of the Stark Family Fund, and to continue to fulfill their vision to enhance the community health, resilience, and vibrancy of Prince Edward County”, said Stacy G Kelly, CFKA’s executive director. “A very special thanks to the eight County-based volunteers on the selection committee, chaired by Linda and Tim Beatty.”

About this year’s grants and recipients:

Arts & Culture (1 project)
The Regent Theatre Foundation: Cinema Screen Setup Re-Structure to Support Community Rentals & Improve Safety, $23,804
Motorizing their movie screen and wall mounting their speaker system will enable the Regent to improve safety standards and reduce setup/takedown costs. Eliminating the expense of extra crew call will help maintain current low rental rates for community groups wishing to rent the theatre for cinema screenings/events and contribute to the long-term sustainability of The Regent Theatre.
Impact: 9 Individuals Directly, 2,600 Indirectly (including 1,200 Youth)

Community Development (1 project)
Community Living Prince Edward: Kids Night/Day Out – An Innnovative Respite Solution, $7,529
CLPE serves over 120 children/youth and their families in Prince Edward County. One of the greatest needs families express is the need for respite, which provides short-term relief for parents/caregivers who have a child with a disability to rest and rejuvenate. This project will provide families/caregivers with a regular, consistent respite option called Kids Night or Kids Day Out. They will provide in-person respite one evening a month and one day per month with qualified staff at a centralized location. CLPE staff will also create Respite Kits to distribute to families, providing an in-home respite option. Impact: 50 Individual (including 40 Youth)

Education (3 projects)
County of Prince Edward Public Library & Archives: Discover – Learn – and Grow with Prince Edward 4-H and the Library, $7,000
Funding will allow 4-H programs to be offered at the library, with offset membership costs to ensure everyone is included. This project helps children and youth become involved in their community, learn new skills, and meet others. The project will enhance library programs with the expertise of 4-H to help engage children and youth in learning in a fun way, building confidence and academic success.
Impact: 100 Individuals (including 80 Youth)

South Shore Joint Initiative: Return of the Monarchs 2023, $1,500
The COVID-19 pandemic caused disengagement with the learning process for many children. Providing enriched learning experiences as we recover from the pandemic will help to renew children’s interest in learning. This program provides curriculum-based learning opportunities for various grade levels in an entertaining way to encourage an interest and provide a vehicle for increased outdoor activities in the educational arena and at home. Impact: 300 Individuals (including 210 Youth)

Rotary Club of Picton” Presentation of $5,750 to eight new graduates of Prince Edward Collegiate Institute (PECI), $5,750
This project provides $1,000 bursaries to five PECI graduates who are attending post-secondary education in the fall, and $750 bursaries to three graduates who are attending Loyalist College. This assistance provides a financial boost to students in need in our community who have demonstrated need of financial support. Impact: 8 Youth

Health & Social Services (4 projects)
Brain Injury Association Quinte District: Helmet Lending Program for PEC Residents, $4,982
This program provides helmets to the students and residents of PEC so that they can safely participate in winter sports. The students that use the helmets do not have helmets of their own and without this program, they would not be able to participate in the school activities. This program will provide them with the opportunity to participate in school activities without causing a financial burden on the families of these students, and ensure that they are not excluded from activities because they do not have the proper safety equipment.
Impact: 2,000 Individuals (including 1,900 Youth)

Hospice Prince Edward: Dinner for One, $7,560
Hospice Prince Edward recognizes the isolation that seniors face following the pandemic, and especially if that isolation is compounded by a loss of a spouse, partner, or loved one. Meal times can be especially lonely when on your own. “Dinner for One” will educate seniors in how to prepare healthy meal options in small portions, encourage the development of social networks where there is the commonality of loss, and perhaps new friendships of hope will develop. A virtual option through zoom is available for those who prefer to be at home. Impact: 30 Individuals

Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation: Direct Patient Care Equipment for PECMH, $33,623
As part of Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation’s continued effort to offer the very best standard of health care to the patients at PECMH, two new ventilators are required. Having this equipment will help ensure PECMH’s Emergency Department remains equipped with lifesaving equipment in Prince Edward County. Equipment needs for the hospital are compiled each year, and each item is rated based on whether it is critical/essential/important for patient care, and how damaging failure would be to a patient or to the ability to provide services. The ventilators have been identified as critical.
Impact: 20,000 Individuals (including 3,564 Youth)

Trenton Memorial Hospital Foundation: Give the Gift of Sight, $20,378
Impaired vision as a result of cataracts greatly impacts the quality of life for those living with them. As a result of COVID-19, cataract surgery was put on hold for a significant amount of time at TMH, causing a backlog of patients that had their surgeries cancelled or postponed. Additional cataract trays will keep the hospital’s efficiency high and costs low, with the greater number of patients in our community having access to cataract surgery close to home in a timely manner and reduce the surgical backlog.
Impact: 4,000 Individuals

The Community Foundation for Kingston & Area strengthens our community by connecting the generosity of donors with the energy and ideas of people and charities addressing local community needs. For more information visit www.cfka.org