MEDIA RELEASE
AUGUST 18, 2022
Capacity grants strengthen foundation of London shelter
London, ON – A $95,100 Resilient Communities Fund grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, and a further $45,000 grant from The Miggsie Fund – Lawson Foundation, are hard at work helping Unity Project to recover from the impacts of the pandemic, expand the charity’s capacity to support people experiencing homelessness, and help individuals obtain and maintain housing.
“This investment by the Ontario Trillium Foundation to help Unity Project for Relief of Homelessness recover and rebuild from impacts of COVID-19 is welcome news for many in our community,” said Terence Kernaghan, MPP for London North Centre. “Many will benefit from their resilience as they continue their incredible work responding to new realities and strengthening capacity.”
At the outset of the pandemic, Unity Project shifted their emergency shelter operations to a hotel where they expanded services to support more people, particularly those with complex housing and support needs due to medical conditions, and including couples and people with pets.
“The pandemic had an enormous impact on Unity Project, and left us financially vulnerable,” says Silvia Langer, Unity Project’s Development Director. “The OTF and Miggsie Fund grants will help us to implement a comprehensive plan to ensure our resilience and continue providing service excellence in housing-outcome focused emergency shelter, supportive housing and housing stability programming for adults and youth of all genders who are struggling to escape and avoid homelessness.”
With the infusion of these capacity-building grants, Unity Project is thrilled to announce the return of a beloved former staffer and volunteer, Anita Schipper, as Annual Giving Officer.
“The crisis of homelessness here in London is desperate,” says Schipper, “The deep compassion for our cause in this community drives me to make equally deep connections amongst us, and together we can help truly marginalized folks find relief of homelessness.”
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.
The Miggsie Fund – Lawson Foundation provides small, multi-year community grants to strengthen organizational capacity and funds projects that support a broad range of initiatives and activities that benefit the community in Elgin-Middlesex-London.
Learn more about Unity Project for Relief of Homelessness at www.unityproject.ca
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Media contact:
Silvia Langer, Development Director, Unity Project for Relief of Homelessness
519-494-4360, [email protected]
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