United Way Chatham Kent United Way’s Funding into the Community

We have always been in the background helping our community.

It became very clear to United Way of Chatham-Kent early in the pandemic that the we needed to stay nimble and bring front-line social service organizations, charities, and grassroots groups together to get a forecast on what is happening locally. As we were working together to support those who were most in need, we learned that help came in many forms. Some lost most of their volunteer donor base and required helping hands to keep them moving forward. Most needed a way to keep their staff, clients and volunteers safe through personal protective equipment (PPE) and information on how to properly social distance. Others requested financial support to help launch new programs or change existing ones into a digital platform.

United Way was able to help support these requests and streamlined the grant request process to ensure those who needed funds now - received them as quickly as possible. The following is a list of local Chatham-Kent programs and services that have been funded since March 11, 2020.

Funded by the Government of Canada's
New Horizons for Seniors Program.

Victoria Order of Nurses (VON): $10,000

Funds will be used to support local seniors through the expansion of Virtual Visiting programming, a service which will allow nurses to chart electronically, provide seamless care, and reach patients in remote areas; while reducing the risk of infection by maintaining a safe environment for patients and nurses.

Canadian Cancer Society: $10,000

Funds will be used to expand the capacity of their Cancer Information Helpline and connect more individuals with trained mentors through their "virtual" peer match program. Canadian Cancer Society will also be using the funds to reduce anxiety experienced by Chatham-Kent residence who have cancer, provide critical digital connections through their online community, and equip their volunteers, staff members and the community with the most accurate information about COVID-19 and cancer.

Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB): $10,000

Funds will be used to support their established virtual programming, which reduces the impact of isolation for seniors with sight loss, and adapted their Vision Mate program to provide one-on-one support; whether over the phone, or in-person to assisted with errands such as grocery shopping or picking up prescriptions.

Family Service Kent: $10,000

Funds will be used to offer free counselling sessions for seniors. With this support Family Service Kent will be able to reach the seniors in Chatham-Kent, who may be struggling, isolated and may have limited supports available to them.

Active Lifestyle Centre: $10,000

Funds will be used to offer outreach through security check-in phone calls to residences, the Greeting Card program and delivery of comfort bags stocked with masks, hand sanitizers, a COVID handbook, activities and more.

Funded by ckgives.ca on behalf of the
Community Response Fund.

Chatham-Kent Women’s Centre: $6,000

Funds will be used to provide PPE for shelter workers and clients.

MOCK Employment & Social Services: $10,000

Funds will be used to provide individual health care needs to thous currently impacted by COVID and not covered through any other source.

Funded by ckgives.ca on behalf of the
Hunger Response Fund.

The Sandwich Guys (Outreach): $500

Funds will be used to help with transportation gaps and needs for ones identified in the community. (low-income families, youth, persons with disabilities and/or seniors 55+)

Funded by ckgives.ca on behalf of the
Homelessness Response Fund.

R.O.C.K. Missions: $10,000

Funds will be used to provide street outreach, food, medical, harm reduction, education and wellness checks to help people without a home with social distancing

Funded by ckgives.ca on behalf of the May 16 Miracle fund.

May 16th Miracle requested that funds raised in a community - stay in that community; to support the event, United Way of Chatham-Kent helped with the funds received within Chatham’s city limits.

Chatham Emergency Food Relief Programming: $45,855

The May 16 Miracle team allocated funds raised in Chatham to 31 front-line organizations who provide emergency food relief programs based on the number of people served on a weekly basis. The organizations are as follows: Outreach for Hunger, Salvation Army Chatham, SCC Student Union, Rock Missions, Women’s Centre, Street Frendz, Freehelp CK, St. Vincent de Paul, The Wish Centre, Campbell AME, Social Services, Hope Haven, The Sandwich Guy, School Within A College (SWAC), The Caring Kitchen (St. Ursula Church), Praise Fellowship Pantry, Shepherds Way Inn, Family Support Network, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Refuge, Hope Housing, Rain or Shine, St. Andrews / Victoria Ave United Churches, March of Dimes, Community Living, Blessed Sacrament Church, St. Agnes Church, and Student Nutrition Program.

Funded by the Government of Canada's Emergency Community Response Fund.

Funds through the Emergency Community Response Fund are in partnership with the Canadian Red Cross and Chatham-Kent Community Foundation.

Funded on behalf of United Way of Chatham-Kent's portion of the Emergency Community Response Fund.

*Programs that were funded in part by United Way and in part by Community Foundations

March of Dimes: $13,400 *

Funds will be used to support their social connections programming.

Loads of Love: $7,500 *

Funds will be used to reopen the thrift store.

Westover Treatment: $20,000 *

Funds will be used to provide outreach programming.

Family Service Kent: $32,250 *

Funds will be used to offer a Coordinated System that will increase access to food and support service navigation, especially in smaller communities, through a coordinated delivery system and a mobile market.

Active Lifestyle Centre: $12,500 *

Funds will be used to offer outreach programs, services, health services (footcare) and support to the older adult population of Chatham-Kent that is 50+.

The Mental Health Network of Chatham-Kent: $20,000 *

Funds will be used to provide outreach through Warm Line, a pre-crisis telephone support service that operates from a mental health, recovery-based peer support perspective.

Victoria Order of Nurses (VON): $50,000

Funds will be used to support the Kids' Circle program that specializes in illness and bereavement support for children and teens (4-18) in one to one and group sessions.

Chatham-Kent Drug Awareness Council: $10,000

Funds will be used to promote education and knowledge exchange to our community to help prevent, treat and reduce the harms associated with substance use.

Easter Seals Ontario: $8,761

Funds will be used to provide mobility and accessibility equipment to children and supporting their families in the Chatham-Kent region facing increased challenges due to the COVID19 crisis.

Chatham-Kent Children’s Services: $23,348

Funds will be used to support the Autism Transitional Classroom providing short-term placement for students in Chatham-Kent with very severe developmental disabilities-Autism and Intellectual Disabilities.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Chatham-Kent: $26,700

Funds will be used to support virtual outreach programming to the doubly vulnerable youth to decrease likelihood that it will take them years to recover from the impact of social distancing during COVID-19.

Funded by the Government of Canada's Emergency Community Response Fund.

Funds through the Emergency Community Response Fund are in partnership with the Canadian Red Cross and Chatham-Kent Community Foundation.

Funds on behalf of Chatham-Kent Community Foundation's portion of the Emergency Community Response Fund.

*Programs that were funded in part by United Way and in part by Community Foundations

March of Dimes: $13,400 *

Funds will be used to support their social connections programming.

Loads of Love: $7,500 *

Funds will be used to reopen the thrift store.

Westover Treatment: $20,000 *

Funds will be used to provide outreach programming.

Family Service Kent: $32,250 *

Active Lifestyle Centre: $12,500 *

Funds will be used to offer outreach programs, services, health services (foot care) and support to the older adult population of Chatham-Kent that is 50+.

The Mental Health Network of Chatham-Kent: $20,000 *

Funds will be used to provide outreach through Warm Line, a pre-crisis telephone support service that operates from a mental health, recovery-based peer support perspective.

Chatham-Kent Women's Centre: $3,000

Funds will be used to provide PPE for shelter workers and clients.

Mental Health Network of Chatham-Kent: $10,000

Funds will be used to provide food packages to their clients.

Family Service Kent: $7,500

Funds will be used to provide the community's most vulnerable frozen meals at a subsidized rate.

Starlight Children's Foundation Canada: $1,500

Funds will be used to provide play from home care packages.

Chatham-Kent Hospice Foundation: $5,000

Funds will be used to provide wage support.

Learning Disabilities Association of Chatham-Kent: $5,926

Funds will be used to provide literacy programming to school aged children.

YMCA of Southwestern Ontario Chatham-Kent: $ 7,840

Funds will be used to provide activity toolkit.

YMCA of Southwestern Ontario Chatham-Kent: $ 2,450

Funds will be used to provide support to seniors through check in phone calls and care packages.

Victoria Order of Nurses (VON): $2,500

Funds will be used to provide a virtual visiting program between local youth and seniors.

NeighbourLink: $10,000

Funds will be used to provide outreach programming.

Funded by the Government of Ontario's Social Service Emergency Response Fund.

Chatham Hope Haven: $5,000

Funds will be used to provide food and toiletries to homeless men on an as needed or individual basis.

Word of Life Church Soup Kitchen: $5,000

Funds will be used to help the kitchen meet the increased need in the community as they are now open six days a week.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Chatham-Kent: $10,000

Funds will be used to provide a virtual mentoring program for the most vulnerable.

Family Service Kent: $10,000

Funds will be used to support a transportation subsidy for seniors and persons with disabilities in C-K so they will be able to access grocery runs or delivery free of charge.

Family Service Kent:$10,000

Funds will be used to support the partnership bundle to allow Family Service Kent to fill in identified gaps or expand on existing programs in the community. Include participation with CHAP and Meals on Wheels.

Changing Ways: $5,900

Funds will be used to support the Caring Dads programming.