Oshawa’s Boys and Girls Club of Durham thanks Province for Trillium grant

The executive director of the Boys and Girls Club of Durham said a $51,700 grant from the provincial government’s Resilient Communities Fund has had an “incredible impact” on the Oshawa-based youth organization.

“This grant has allowed us to install room dividers in both our Games Room and Gymnasium at our Eastview location, providing a safer opportunity for children, youth, and members of our community to participate in BGC Durham programs,” Kathleen Hutton said, adding that the grant ensured the organization would be offering a “safer environment” as they continue to navigate the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. “It will also allow us to offer increased rental space to members of the community.”

Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries Minister Lisa MacLeod, Lorne Coe, MPP for Whitby, and Trillium Foundation Vice-Chair Mary Henein met online with representatives from the Boys and Girls Club to see how the Trillium Foundation grant has made a difference for young people in Durham Region.

The Resilient Communities Fund was launched to support the non-profit sector to recover and rebuild from the impacts emerging from COVID-19 so they can effectively meet the needs of communities across Ontario.

The Fund provides grants of up to $150,000 to eligible non-profit organizations to cover a broad and flexible range of needs, such as:

• Mental and physical health and wellbeing supports for staff or volunteers
• Support to adapt or re-imagine program delivery and services to meet the needs of communities, employees and volunteers, incorporate new health and safety processes or purchase new technology and personal protective equipment
• Renovations and facility updates to meet the changing needs of the communities they serve.

“Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, our government has supported those struggling the most,” MacLeod said. “This funding helps non-profits like BGC Durham adapt to the challenges created by the pandemic – ensuring they can provide the best service possible to the people in the Region of Durham and make a positive difference in the lives of individuals and families.”

The grant was used by BGC Durham, formerly known as the Boys and Girls Club of Durham, to hire part-time staff needed to ensure high-level cleaning protocols were looked after and help with screening participants and visitors to the building, in addition to the room dividers.

The grant was awarded in 2020 and the work was completed last December.

“COVID-19 has been a challenge for so many not-for-profit tourism, culture, sport and recreation organizations,” said Coe, who represents the neighbouring Whitby Riding. “Organizations such as BGC Durham are the bedrock of our community and I was pleased to …hear from BGC about how this grant has helped them weather the storm, to ensure that the children and youth in Durham Region continue to have the opportunity to safely reconnect.”

BGC Durham has been around for nearly 60 years and is committed to providing a safe, supportive environment where children and youth can experience new opportunities, overcome barriers, build positive relationships, and develop confidence and skills for life. The Club offers a variety of programs both in-person and virtually, as well as Youth Justice Services and a full Aquatics program.

BGC Durham’s first fundraiser of 2022 will take place March 24, with Chef@Home and chef Andrea Nicholson of Butchie’s Restaurant of Whitby.