Oakville, Ont., Sept. 25, 2020 – Today the Oakville Community Foundation (The Foundation) and Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton (CCAH) announced that 2,020 meals were provided for Halton community members as well as the production of more than 10 hours of online entertainment, thanks to a $45,000 grant from the Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF), funded by the Government of Canada. The Foundation played an integral part in determination and dissemination of these funds for charities.
The Beat the COVID-19 Blues program promised to produce online entertainment by professional artists and performers in Caribbean and African music traditions as well as 400 Caribbean meals. Instead, CCAH was able to more than quadruple the amount of meals thanks to a partnership with Food For Life and Milton Chef Melani Bastian of Caribbean Vibes.
Together, they were able to stretch their budget with both donated time and food to serve more Halton community members including residents and staff at The Village of Tansley Woods retirement and long term care home, Halton Women’s Place, Halton Community Housing, Halton Regional Police platoons, isolated seniors and for their own members to celebrate Emancipation Day.
“…Thank you for the donation of the delicious food the team members thoroughly enjoyed. It was so thoughtful and greatly appreciated and meant a lot to the Tansley team. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts,” team members at The Village of Tansley Woods wrote in thanks.
CCAH also received donations from Brampton-based restaurant Patty Genius and Burlington-based brewery Nickel Brook Brewing Co. for Jamaican patties, root beer, ginger beer and backpacks and goodie bag items to hand out.
“We’re very appreciative of all of our partners and performers for the Beat the COVID-19 Blues program and have had a great response,” said Andrew Tyrrell, President of the Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton. “We wanted to enhance the wellbeing of our community members during this time and make sure they still felt a connection to our community.”
The online entertainment is still available to view on the CCAH Youtube page and includes more than 10 hours of performances of Jazz, Caribbean, Calypso and Afrobeats from artists like Njacko Backo, Tiki Mercury-Clarke, John Campbell and more.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on vulnerable populations. Through the Emergency Community Support Fund, organizations, such as The Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton, have offered critical support during this time,” said Anita Anand, Member of Parliament for Oakville. “Thank you to The Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton for providing over 2000 meals and virtual Caribbean & African entertainment to keep our community connected while we stayed at home.”
“Canadians across the country face unique challenges during the pandemic, particularly those who are most vulnerable to the health, social, and economic impacts of COVID-19. For many Canadians who were already struggling, it’s even harder now, and they are turning more and more to charities and non-profit organizations for help,” said Pam Damoff, Member of Parliament for Oakville North-Burlington. “To ease that burden, our government created the Emergency Community Support Fund to ensure local community organizations like the Oakville Community Foundation and Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton could adapt and increase frontline services and supports for vulnerable Canadians during COVID-19. Thanks to both of these fantastic organizations for their incredible work in our community and for stepping up their efforts during the pandemic.”
Launched In May, The Foundation allocated $502,500 in grants to local eligible charities in Oakville to ensure our most vulnerable community members were safe and healthy.
The ECSF is a $350 million fund implemented by Community Foundations of Canada, the Canadian Red Cross and United Way Centraide Canada, in partnership with local foundations throughout Canada. It’s goal is to provide support to charities and non-profit organizations serving vulnerable Canadians.
For a full list of grants awards through The Foundation, visit our website here.
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Oakville Community Foundation
The Foundation is a registered charity with 25 years of experience Building Community Through Philanthropy. The Foundation has granted $46 million to charities since 1994 and supports investments of over $110 million in charitable assets. We welcome families, businesses and residents into our community and give everyone the opportunity to be a philanthropist. The Foundation is one of the largest members of a national network of more than 190 Canadian community foundations.
For more information please contact:
Taline McPhedran – Communications and Events Manager
taline@theocf.org | 905-844-3562 x309
