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Edwin Binney’s community garden has exceeded 10,000 lbs of produce harvested this season; United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes announced Monday. The community garden is in its second year of production, and provides food to 11 local food banks, 10 charity organizations, as well as additional clients and school groups from May to October. The garden came about through community consultations with local stakeholders, Crayola Canada and Fleming College becoming lead partners with UWCKL.

Last year, the final total was 5,500 lbs of produce donated. This year, the size of the plowed area was expanded in order to produce larger yields, and multiple crops were planted in succession throughout the season.

Reaching the milestone was an important moment for UWCKL’s team, explains Executive Director Penny Barton Dyke, “We have had a fabulous team working to create substantial leaps in the yield this year in anticipation of greater need for fresh food during Covid-19.  Our team is excited about reaching this milestone and they worked tirelessly through some tough weather and within COVID-19 restrictions.”  “Knowing this garden is helping people is what drives all of us,” she adds.

As the season wraps up, their team is as busy as ever. Not only is work at the garden continuing to prepare for its third season, but UWCKL’s work in providing funding to community programs is facing greater demand than ever, explains Shantal Ingram, Community Investment Coordinator. “Donations to this year’s campaign will help UWCKL address essential needs in the City of Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton County during the COVID-19 pandemic and as we recover and rebuild over the long term. Every donation will make a difference to the lives of your friends, neighbours and colleagues who are experiencing challenges due to the pandemic.”

More information on Edwin Binney’s Community Garden can be found at https://ckl-unitedway.ca/edwin-binney-community-garden/

A local community agriculture initiative, Edwin Binney’s Community Garden, exceeded 5,000 lbs of produce donated as of last Wednesday, United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes announced.

The garden is in its second year of production, last year the final harvest total was 5,500 lbs. Currently the total is 5,944 lbs, and their goal is to double the amount harvested. All of the produce grown at Edwin Binney’s Community Garden is donated to 10 local food banks and 11 non-profit organizations.

United Way has recently started 3 pilot projects to deliver produce to clients in the City of Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton.

Through a collaboration with Community Care City of Kawartha Lakes, called Garden at Your Table, produce from Edwin Binney’s Community Garden has been delivered directly to 50 clients in the City of Kawartha Lakes.

In addition, Fresh Produce Fridays, a pilot led by UWCKL delivers produce to three social housing units in Lindsay. An extension of this project in Haliburton is already in the works.

“Agency partnerships are critical to help people immediately in tough and unusual times,” writes Penny Barton Dyke, Executive Director of UWCKL.

“Edwin Binney’s Community Garden has many partners with each contributing and dovetailing to bring knowledge, land, access to products and the opportunity to bring fresh produce to kitchen tables. This is an agricultural and education project that is building sustainable practices and partnerships,” she adds.

To access programs, donate, or learn more about the work of UWCKL and Edwin Binney’s Community Garden, please visit ckl-unitedway.ca, email office@ckl.unitedway.ca or call (705) 878-5081

On May 19, United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes launched a call for applications for the Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF). The fund provides financial support to charities and other qualified donees adapting their frontline services to support vulnerable Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ECSF is funded by the Government of Canada and is being administered in collaboration with United Way Centraide Canada, Community Foundations of Canada and the Canadian Red Cross.

Today, United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes is pleased to share an update on the recipients of this funding. Over the past month, United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes has received numerous applications for community programs and services that support vulnerable community members. To date, 17 organizations have been approved for a total of $217,625.

City of Kawartha Lakes

• Community Care City of Kawartha Lakes, $20,000 for the Community Dental Clinic
• A Place Called Home, $20,000 for the Emergency Homeless Shelter
• Canadian Mental Health Association $10,000 for Mental Health Case Management
• Special Olympics Ontario – Kawartha Lakes, $10,000 for Mental Health & Wellness
• John Howard Society City of Kawartha Lakes, $20,000 for the Community Intervention Program (round 1 of funding)
• Five Counties Children’s Centre $10,450, for the Help at Home Program (round 1 of funding)
• Boys and Girls Club for the City of Kawartha Lakes, $18,000, for Summer Camp programs (round 1 of funding)

Haliburton County

• Rotary Club of Haliburton, $5,000 for Basic Needs Bags
• Kawartha North Family Health Team, $18,450 for “Getting Ahead in a Just-Gettin’-By World”
• Central Food Network, $10,000 for Heat Bank Haliburton County
• Point in Time, $20,000, Haliburton County Youth Hub (round 1 of funding)
• Haliburton Highlands Health Services Foundation, $19,925, Mental Health Services and Virtual Supports (round 1 of funding)
• SIRCH $15,000, Community Kitchen (round 1 of funding)

Cross-jurisdictional

• Easter Seals Ontario, $7,600 Equipment Funding Program
• Kawartha Haliburton Victim Services, $10,000 for Hotel/Motel Emergency Voucher Program
• Junior Achievement of Peterborough Lakeland Muskoka, $16,500 for digital programming
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton $8,500, Group Virtual Programs (round 1 of funding)

United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes is proud to support the important investment of $281,682.00 into our local communities, applications for funding closed on July 20, 2020, some are still under evaluation.

“The impact of this investment is threefold;” writes Penny Barton Dyke, Executive Director of UWCKL. “Organizations in our area will be able to help people, especially citizens at risk, with some supports more rapidly; assist in connecting people to agencies that will help them now and going forward; and lastly help strengthen the capacity of our community by working collaboratively.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic has been especially difficult for vulnerable Canadians who are relying on the services of community organizations now, more than ever before. The Government of Canada is pleased to support a wide range of charities and non-profit organizations through the Emergency Community Support Fund to ensure no-one is left behind,” says the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister for Families, Children and Social Development.

Call for Applications – Emergency Community Support Fund

United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes has extended the application deadline for the Emergency Community Support Fund. Applications will be accepted until the end of day, Monday, July 20, 2020.

United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes is now accepting applications for the Emergency Community Support Fund to help charities and non-profit organizations serve and support vulnerable Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic. This funding has been made available by the Government of Canada and funding streams are being administered by United Way Centraide Canada, Community Foundations of Canada and the Canadian Red Cross in communities from coast to coast to coast. United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes is proud to support this important investment by the Federal Government.

Who can Apply?

United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes will fund organizations that provide direct services to vulnerable populations who are impacted by COVID-19.

Your organization is eligible to receive funding if your organization has a charitable number, or is otherwise a qualified donee, and is providing supports and services to meet immediate community needs related to the COVID-19. United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes may also partner with nonprofits, through agent agreements, delivering services that align with our organization’s charitable objects].

This funding is intended to support frontline community service organizations providing services to support vulnerable Canadians, including low-income seniors, women, children and youth, persons with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ2S+ community, refugees, Indigenous peoples, members of racialized communities, and more

Funds may be used for immediate needs and priorities related to the impact of COVID-19. This includes, but is not limited to, services such as:

• Preparing and delivering meals and/or food hampers
• Supporting individuals in accessing income supports and financial coaching
• Providing home care or personal support for seniors, elders, and persons with disabilities
• Mental health & wellness supports, including crisis counselling and peer support
• Personal safety supports, including for those living in or escaping situations of violence
• Access to safe transport for essential appointment and errands, and
• Others

What Types of Activities could be Funded?

• Community outreach and engagement
• Developing and/or delivering new programs, services or delivery models as a result of COVID-19
• Sharing information and knowledge
• Engaging and recruiting volunteers

How to Apply

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until Monday, July 20^th, 2020. We anticipate a high volume of requests and are working to ensure that all requests are reviewed as quickly as possible.

Click to access application form.

Questions?

Please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions (2) ECSF Applicant guide_EN

For questions not addressed in these resources, please contact Shantal Ingram, Community Investment Coordinator at communityinvestment@ckl.unitedway.ca for assistance.

United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes has announced the cancellation of this year’s annual Crayola Sale. The event has taken place every fall for over 30 years and raised more than $1 million for United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes.

Representatives of both UWCKL and Crayola Canada say that the decision to cancel this event, like many others that have recently been postponed or cancelled was based on safety and health concerns due to the ongoing pandemic.

“While the decision to cancel the annual sale was a difficult one, the health and safety of staff, customers, and volunteers is our highest priority, says Paul Murphy, General Manager of Crayola Canada. “The cancellation of the sale does not alter Crayola Canada’s commitment to our relationship with the UWCKL. We look forward to continuing to work with them and to finding new ways to support their efforts within our community.”

“Crayola Canada has and continues to support our community work. In the 30 years of working together with Crayola Canada employees, we have formed a deep bond and we have continued our work to help people in our community,” says Penny Barton Dyke, Executive Director of UWCKL.

“We are proud to continue projects such as Edwin Binney’s Community Garden, and the Crayola Sale and we are working together to find creative solutions during this trying time. It is paramount that we all continue to find ways to keep one another safe and to support our communities,” she adds.

The event’s organizers are currently working toward an alternative to the annual Crayola Sale.

On May 19, United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes launched a call for applications for the Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF). The fund provides financial support to charities and other qualified donees adapting their frontline services to support vulnerable Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ECSF is funded by the Government of Canada and is being administered in collaboration with United Way Centraide Canada, Community Foundations of Canada and the Canadian Red Cross.

Today, United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes is pleased to share an update on the recipients of this funding. Over the past month, United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes has received numerous applications for community programs and services that support vulnerable community members. To date, seven organizations have been approved for a total of $93,875.

City of Kawartha Lakes

• John Howard Society City of Kawartha Lakes, $20,000 for the Community Intervention Program
• Five Counties Children’s Centre $10,450, for the Help at Home Program
• Boys and Girls Club for the City of Kawartha Lakes, $18,000, for Summer Camp programs

Haliburton County

• Point in Time, $20,000, Haliburton County Youth Hub
• Haliburton Highlands Health Services Foundation, $19,925, Mental Health Services and Virtual Supports
• SIRCH $15,000, Community Kitchen

Cross-jurisdictional

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton $8,500, Group Virtual Programs

United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes is proud to support the important investment of $281,682.00 into our local communities, applications for funding remain open and will be evaluated on a rolling basis until the deadline of July 10, 2020.

“The impact of this investment is threefold;” writes Penny Barton Dyke, Executive Director of UWCKL. “Organizations in our area will be able to help people, especially citizens at risk, with some supports more rapidly; assist in connecting people to agencies that will help them now and going forward; and lastly help strengthen the capacity of our community by working collaboratively.”

Media Contacts:

Mallory Cramp-Waldinsperger

Projects and Communications Coordinator

office@ckl.unitedway.ca