Toronto, July 12, 2023 – Covenant House was able to secure the latest information and digital technology during the pandemic mainly due to a $10,200 Resilient Communities Fund grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF). The grant helped the agency recover from the impacts of COVID-19 and build its resiliency by providing necessary training for staff who are not front-line workers to learn the tools and systems required for remote and hybrid work.
“I am so proud that Covenant House calls Toronto Centre home,” said Kristyn Wong-Tam, MPP for Toronto Centre. “For over 40 years they have been there for youth, not only to lift them out of crisis, but to support them until they are on solid ground. I am thrilled that they received this funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation to continue and broaden their critical programming safely as our communities contend with Covid.”
Funds from the OTF grant, which Covenant House received in 2022, were also directed to remodeling the agency’s physical spaces so that youth programming could take place on-site in compliance with public health distancing protocols.
“We are very grateful for the Ontario Trillium Foundation’s support because it has allowed us to smoothly pivot our operations during a public health crisis,” said Mark Aston, Executive Director of Covenant House Toronto. “This support is critical to our agency, helping our staff to efficiently provide essential services for vulnerable youth when they need it most.”
Covenant House helps youth ignite their potential and reclaim their lives. As Canada’s largest agency serving youth who are homeless, trafficked or at risk, we offer the widest range of services to hundreds of youth every day. More than a place to stay, we provide 24/7 crisis shelter and transitional housing on-site and in the community, along with education, counselling, health care, employment assistance, job training and more. Since 1982, Covenant House has supported more than over 100,000 young people.
The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF), an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations celebrates 40 years of grantmaking in Ontario and making a lasting impact in communities. Last year, OTF invested nearly $209M into 2,042 community projects and partnerships, which included funding for the Government of Ontario’s Community Building Fund. Visit otf.ca to learn more.
For more information, please contact:
Michael Sheiner
Associate Manager, Public Relations
Covenant House Toronto
Office: 416-204-7094
msheiner@covenanthouse.ca