April 8, 2020: Oakville, Ontario: Oakville Community Foundation Announces First Round
of Grants from Oakville Resiliency Fund Phase I – Supporting our Community Heroes
The Oakville Community Foundation has created the Oakville Resiliency Fund to support our
local community during this State of Emergency and beyond when it is time to help our
charitable sector recover.
Since the WHO declared a pandemic, the Foundation has distributed over $100,000 in charity
grants, but a stronger response was needed as charities’ primary fundraising activities, their
events, have all been cancelled. At the same time, charities on the front lines face greater
demands for their services
“Today I am announcing that thanks to our incredible Fundholders, local philanthropists, and our
donors, we’ve raised over $600,000 to date for both phases of the new Oakville Resiliency
Fund. The Foundation will be distributing $400,000 in charity grants for Phase 1 focused on
Community Heroes,” said Wendy Rinella, CEO Oakville Community Foundation
Significant grants being distributed to charities on the front lines include:
● $79,000 to support the addition of four new hospital beds including $15,000 for the
Oakville Hospital Foundation’s COVID relief fund for hospital staff.
● $50,000 for Food for Life as it is leading the distribution of food to vulnerable people
regionally.
● $25,000 to Acclaim Health in their service to local seniors, in addition to $10,000 from
Fundholders.
● An additional $20,000 to Kerr Street Mission over the $22,000 granted by Fundholders
directly.
● Home Suite Hope and Children’s Aid Foundation are receiving over $20,000 each to
support their important transformational programs for single-parent families and youth
formerly in care.
The detailed list of identified priority charities who will receive grants from the Fund can be
found here. Community members are encouraged to support local charities many of whom are struggling at this time. As the Resiliency Fund grows, more grants will be distributed to charities.
“As a community foundation, we understand our role to support our community and the local
charities on whom so many rely particularly at this time. We are focused on responding to
critical needs now, but are looking to the future and finding ways to build recovery and
resiliency.” – Wendy Rinella, CEO Oakville Community Foundation
Our heartfelt thanks to: The Jackson Family Fund, The Larry & Gerry Wilson Family Fund, The
Kenny Family Foundation, The Walton Family Foundation, Kindred Foundation, The Frank
Lochan and Janice McDonagh Foundation, The Gregory Gittings Better Living Fund, AMPed for
Life Family Fund, The Lloyd Family Foundation, Noble Family Foundation, EveryChildNow,
Carmichael-Willis Fund, Stephen Goodrich Foundation, The Latham Family Fund, The Thomas
and Teresa Pugsley Foundation, Ross Family Fund, Cudjoe and Pendala Families Fund, Petrus
Fund, The LeVan Family Foundation, Veale Family Fund, The Ruby and Jack Jackson Fund,
DiCintio Clarkson Fund, The Havill Family Fund, John K.Macdonald Memorial Fund, Frackowiak
Family Fund, The Brian and Julia Hanna Family Fund and many additional local donors.
We greatly appreciate their leadership.
How have we determined the priorities and how will the Funds be distributed?
At a local level, Oakville Community Foundation has been working diligently to ensure that our
community’s charitable organizations and, in turn, our community’s most vulnerable, have
access to the funding, resources, and support they need in these uncertain times.
In order to provide the best possible support to our community, for the first phase of the fund,
The Foundation is working collaboratively with the Halton Granters’ Roundtable, and other local
Community Foundations to ensure resources are targeted and not duplicated. We are also
participating with the Regional COVID Community Response Action Table, whose members
include Halton Region Social Services, Housing and Public Health Departments, local
municipalities, United Way and other agencies.
Through collaborative discussions, a list of over 20 priority front line charities has been identified
that continue to be operational with direct service delivery. Funds will be distributed directly, no
granting application will be required. The Foundation will also absorb all credit card fees,
ensuring that 100% of the donations will be distributed to charities in need.
How Can You Help?
There is an urgent need in our community to provide more support to our charities, particularly
now as the charitable sector – like so many others – takes a significant economic downturn
during this State of Emergency
Please consider donating to any of the priority charitable organizations identified. If you’re
uncertain who to support, please donate to the Oakville Resiliency Fund knowing your support
will go immediately to where it is needed most in our community.
Donations can be made to the Oakville Resiliency Fund here.
How Else Is The Foundation Helping
For more than 25 years, the Oakville Community Foundation has been managing, investing,
and growing the generous funds and donations made by members of our community, so that
grants to local charities can be made year after year, continuously improving our community and
the lives of those who live here.
Information Sharing
The Foundation is sharing broadly our knowledge with the community about the needs,
as gleaned that have come from our charity survey, as well as through continued
dialogue with our charities.
Advancing Funds to our Charities
We have provided charities who were part of our GIVEOakville grants greater flexibility
and sped up the distribution of annual grants totalling $34,000.
Grants to our Pooled Agency Funds
For operating charities in our investment pool, The Foundation will provide each with a
grant equivalent to their March cost recovery fee to reduce the impact of losses in the
market. An estimated $17,000 is expected to be distributed under the Resiliency Fund.
