In the heart of London, Urban Roots London stands as a beacon of hope, addressing vital issues of food security, well-being, education, and the environment. Founded on the belief that everyone deserves access to high-quality, nutritious food, Urban Roots is pioneering innovative solutions that extend beyond mere sustenance, emphasizing the right to choose food aligned with individual needs and preferences.
Read MoreRegional HIV/AIDS Connection is using their $67,000, one-year Community Vitality grant to collaborate with grassroots groups and community leaders to support the well-being of London’s 2SLGBTQIA+ community members, especially people disproportionately impacted by systemic oppression, by creating new joy-centred spaces, opportunities, and resources that provide connection, affirmation, and visibility.
Read MoreLIFE*SPIN’s “Food Foundations for Self-Reliance” project which aims to increase food security among low-income families by expanding the organization’s successful food-focused programs: Community Food Box and the Pocket-Sized Farm. LIFE*SPIN (Low-Income Family Empowerment Sole-Support Parents Information Network) has been at the forefront of providing programs and resources to enhance the lives of low-income families through education, advocacy, and community building since 1989.
Read MoreLibraries are traditionally seen as places of education, but as Michael Ciccone, CEO and Chief Librarian at London Public Library (LPL) explains, they are more than that: “London Public Library is deeply embedded, essential infrastructure that provides community gathering space that’s free, accessible, and open to the public". As the health and homelessness crisis in London has worsened in recent years, the downtown Central Library, in particular, has been serving an ever-increasing number of individuals whose needs its staff aren’t equipped or trained to serve.
Read MoreA Community Vitality grant of $63,000 over three years will help the London InterCommunity Health Centre expand its successful peer-led program for newcomer women by incorporating childcare.
Read MoreForest City Gallery (FCG), nestled in the heart of London, has been a vibrant hub for artistic expression since 1973. As the only artist-run centre in London and Middlesex County, FCG stands as a beacon for emerging and mid-career artists seeking support, mentorship, and a platform to showcase their work.
Read MoreWith their $150,000, two-year Community Vitality Grant, Changing Ways is continuing to employ a Community Engagement and Research Coordinator, a position initially established as a pilot project funded by the Government of Canada’s Community Services Recovery Fund
Read MoreAn innovative approach to mental health support influenced by a model created in Zimbabwe, known as the Friendship Bench, is coming to the London and Middlesex area. With a three-year $140,181 Community Vitality grant, the Canadian Mental Health Association Thames Valley Addiction and Mental Health Services (CHMA-TVAMHS) is introducing a new approach to support diverse French-speaking people, many of whom are newcomers to Canada from countries in Africa.
Read MoreFive organizations that are addressing London’s most pressing issues received over $1 million in grants from London Community Foundation’s Community Vitality Grant program. Funded by LCF’s Community Fund, this program supports high-impact, innovative, and collaborative initiatives that tackle issues identified in the Foundation’s Vital Signs report.
Read MoreIn 2022, LEN launched the Nonprofit Resiliency Project (NRP) to support low-income nonprofit organizations in London that provide housing for underprivileged individuals. The two-year $200,000 grant from the Community Vitality Grant program will allow LEN to propel its projects and maximize their environmental, social and economic impact.
Read MoreStrong Start provides programs and services aimed at helping children learn to read and acquire essential early literacy skills. The two-year $65,000 Community Vitality grant will enable Strong Start to make necessary changes to ensure that the program materials are more inclusive and representative of the diverse children, volunteers, and school communities served by Strong Start.
Read MoreIn London, Sakeenah has provided shelter along with essential support and services to women and children since it opened in February 2021. The two-year $245,593 Community Vitality grant will support Sakeenah in providing sheltering in its London home and remote casework services for women from diverse cultural, racial, and religious backgrounds who require safety and support.
Read MoreUnity Project operate with a peer-supported community model that aims to address the homelessness crisis, and they are recognized as leaders in adapting Housing First principles in emergency situations. The three-year $270,000 grant will support Unity Project’s indoor and outdoor Housing First emergency shelter program as they transition to new facilities.
Read MoreAlong with ten environmental partners such as the Ontario Farmland Trust and the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority, they’re reaching out to landowners across Elgin, Middlesex, Oxford, and Perth Counties with a mission to work with local communities to protect, conserve, and restore nature and food production systems. The grant will support TTLT and its partners in identifying a target of 5,000 local landowners to engage in the project which hopes to establish 18 new Conservation Easement Agreements (CEAS), resulting in the protection of over 1,000 acres.
Read MoreFood security is an urgent issue that demands attention, and in London and Middlesex County, this concern is particularly pressing. To take action, LCF and our donors have been actively engaged in addressing the issue of food security in our community. In 2022, The Acorn Fund for Youth supported LIFE*SPIN's London Promotes Health and Wellness (LPHW) program, providing crucial aid to pregnant and nursing moms.
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