United Way Niagara funds 24 community service organizations through the Community Services Recovery Fund

United Way Niagara is proud to have worked with United Way Centraide Canada as part of the Government of Canada’s Community Services Recovery Fund.
This fund is being administered collaboratively by the Canadian Red Cross, Community Foundations of Canada, and United Way Centraide Canada to provide
funding to Community Service Organizations, including non-profit organizations, Indigenous Governing Bodies, and Registered Charities located in Canada.

The Community Services Recovery Fund responds to what Community Service Organizations need right now and supports organizations as they adapt to the long-term impacts of the pandemic. The Community Services Recovery Fund is a one-time investment of $400 million by the Government of Canada to help Community Service Organizations (charities, non-profits, Indigenous governing bodies) adapt, modernize, and be better equipped to improve the efficacy, accessibility, and sustainability of the community services that they are providing through the pandemic recovery and beyond.

The following projects are being supported in Niagara:

$73,220 was invested to fund Brain Injury Association of Niagara to to engage the ABI community, notably, those living with ABI who have become isolated due to COVID-19, to (re)connect them to our services and community resources. The project will modernize BIAN services to be relevant and accessible for the ABI community and begin the process of establishing collaborative working relationships with other CSOs in Niagara.

$8,000 was invested to fund Centennial Park Baptist Church to provide better worship and fellowship programs especially for youth and seniors in our community. The project plans to improve and correct deficiencies of their audio/video facilities.

$29,305 was invested to fund Cultural Communications Group (Niagara Regional Native Centre) to reach more youth by providing a different way to connect to community and culture. By expanding this program, we will reach more youth that eagerly wait the chance to take flight.

$74,800 was invested to fund Feed Niagara through Community Care West Niagara to lead 10 Feed Niagara agencies to advance strategic priorities, including optimizing opportunities for Niagara’s Food Security programs, identifying and eliminating duplication of services, and advocating to raise awareness of food insecurity issues throughout Niagara. This project will bring formal structure to Feed Niagara and will strengthen the individual and collective impact of each member agency.

$48,805 was invested to fund Femmes du Feu Creations to pilot the BELONGINGS WORKSHOP SERIES. It is a community arts pilot project, engaging Welland residents, with a focus on Indigenous, culturally diverse, racialized, newcomer, disabled and elderly residents: those disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. The project will support FdFC in testing a new model to strengthen our community outreach and programming capacities, and broadening our health and wellness impacts.

$98,686 was invested to fund Heart Niagara to pivot and adapt HeartCORE by increasing access to physical activity coaching, and education among 2SLGBTQIA+ and senior populations to improve physical and mental health while reducing isolation. The expansion of targeted population resources and coaching expertise will allow us to meet individuals where they are in their journey while increasing the positive impact of health and health equity.

$48,880 was invested to fund Heartland Forest to provide FREE bi-weekly nature activities, guided trail walks, Indigenous workshops and citizen science ecosystem conservation and restoration programming for all ages and all abilities. Heartland Forest operates as a social enterprise and by increasing the time consumers spend on our property we can increase revenue through our gift shop, café, park-side rental activities, programs and wood-crafting workshops.

$166,433 was invested to fund Hospice Niagara to pilot/evaluate a program to remotely monitor the physical/emotional health of terminally ill people living at home, improving health outcomes, patient experience and quality of life through early intervention of pain/symptoms of illness and to modernize technology enabling them to provide support to more people, earlier on in their illness trajectory, before a crisis occurs.

$71,740 was invested to fund Links for Greener Learning to pilot a hybrid model of Environmental (including local food) workshops incorporating both an in-person and virtual format. This program will help LGL increase its internal capacity to deliver on their mission in a way that is best informed, connected, and adapted to the current needs of our changing community.

$45,600 was invested to fund Literacy Council of Niagara West to purchase new computers, laptops, tablets, other equipment and software for their computer lab, and staff workstations, and provide equipment for loan to learners. This project will increase the capacity to reach and teach our community how to function effectively and independently in our digital age, to access information, and learn online if necessary.

$21,900 was invested to fund MySchoolROCKS to launch re-designed innovative, experiential workshops that smartly leverage the creative power of the arts, fitness and technology, helping youth discover their untapped potential. The strategic revamping of MySchoolROCKS’ youth friendly activities will strengthen our community reach, impact, better utilize user-driven technology, and help promote youth leadership initiatives throughout Niagara.

$49,793 was invested to fund Niagara Falls Community Health Centre to update to a new phone solution that allows primary care providers to connect with patients from any location in clinic, home or community. This updated system will make the clinical team more available and more connected regardless of their physical location improving patient care in a new post-pandemic system.

$19,990 was invested to fund Niagara Worship Centre to provide technology & training to live stream, broadcast and record services with closed captioning and transcriptions. Modernizing recording from audio to video with closed captioning will increase accessibility to services for those who; have hearing impairments, are physically unable to attend, are learning English and allow us to keep running in the midst of unforeseen events.

$63,330 was invested to fund Niagara-on-the-Lake Community Palliative Care Services to provide the organization with the expertise needed to meet the expanding and changing needs for bereavement support in the community. It will redesign the training and delivery systems and build new programs and outreach for diverse communities.

$97,500 was invested to fund Project SHARE to reduce barriers to accessing emergency support services by increasing the home delivery program and exploring a satellite location to improve access to food for all Niagara Falls residents, including both non-perishable and perishable foods. This project will help the organization adapt & meet the growing need for services.

$22,050 was invested to fund The Bridge Church to gather the service providers responding to homelessness in our community in an intentional collaborative to 1) share what each is doing, 2) learn from each other, 3) support each other, and 3) problem solve and work together. This project will support this organization (and others!) to adapt to the growing needs post-COVID by working more collaboratively together.

$45,900 was invested to fund The Brown Homestead to create better quality digital content and programming that can be shared with audiences across several platforms. By creating virtual content and programming to compliment the onsite, in-person offerings, this will allow a larger audience to engage, creating a more sustainable future.

$46,351 was invested to fund The FORT to purchase a new suite of technology for two youth centres, including desktops, laptops, drawing tablets, monitors, and software programs like coding and Microsoft Office. FORT youth can then have access to up to date technology which will assist them in their educational needs, researching and obtaining employment, applying to colleges/universities, and games to ensure social inclusion and participation.

$21,000 was invested to fund The Gallery Players of Niagara to expand the Open Doors Community Concerts to feature low or non-cost tickets. The investment will diversify the audience by removing economic barriers, improving access, and bringing music to new Niagara venues. This enables the organization to adapt with increased flexibility and ensures more equitable ways for patrons to experience breathtaking music.

$45,400 was invested to fund The Willow Community Support Services to adapt programs, build peer networks, increase leadership and paid opportunities, and deliver creative and artistic programming that is informed and led by 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals. This work will increase the organizational capacity to adapt to the growing needs of the membership for low barrier, safe, and community informed spaces and meaningful activities.

$82,500 was invested to fund Up Skill Niagara (Niagara Women’s Enterprise Centre) to engage a consultant to review the program delivery model through engagement of past participants in a consultative process. Evaluating training and program delivery models, and pilot and evaluate new initiatives emerging from the process. This project will support the organization by emerging post-covid with a strong direction moving forward, learning lessons from our pandemic response.

$15,880 was invested to fund Welland Curling Club in partnership with Trustee Rotary Club of Welland to offer youth, the opportunity to participate in the sport of curling, through free time for High School Phys Ed classes and a March Break Camp for Grade 7 & 8 students. A number of High School teachers will be provided curling instructions skills and prepared to instruct utilizing a fully developed Curling Canada complete Teaching Curriculum.

$99,659 was invested to fund Welland Heritage Council and Multicultural Centre to expand capacity by providing online services. Funds will support the acquisition of necessary equipment to enable the organization to meet the current unprecedented client needs, today and in the future.

$30,855 was invested to fund Wellspring Niagara to expand the web-based digital platform, and integrate new technology to enhance and improve the experience for cancer patients, volunteers, staff, and program leaders. With improved technology and the necessary tools, Wellspring can implement a more efficient system by improving online registration, increasing program accessibility through hybrid sessions, improving data tracking and system efficiencies, and expanding fundraising and community engagement.