Urgent Needs Fund: Results
The stronger the sense of connection, the more resilient the community. In challenging times our most vulnerable can fall through the cracks. We want to help make sure everyone in our community is supported.
Funded Programs: Through the United Way Urgent Need Fund
To see if these programs & services can help you, call 211
FOOD SECURITY
Addressing food insecurity through Community Table food hamper program and emergency funding to help individuals suffering loss of income.
165 Food Hampers delivered per week
RESEARCHING EFFECTS
Researching needs of rural hospitals, medical clinics, long term care facilities and frontline health-care workers in Huron arising from COVID-19.
SUPPLYING FOOD BANKS
$18,802 to the Huron County Food Bank Distribution Centre to purchase added food, helping Perth and Huron food banks meet increased demand.
Supporting 26 Food Banks
CLINICAL COUNSELLING
Counselling services to support the mental health and well-being of small business owners and entrepreneurs in Stratford, St. Marys and Perth County.
26 people have accessed counselling by May
CONNECTING THROUGH ISOLATION
Connecting local residents virtually; including seniors, people with mental health and addiction issues, youth, LGBTQ2S+, newcomers and women.
GROCERY DELIVERY
Funding to help deliver meals to seniors and those with mobility and health challenges through the Huron-Perth ‘Meals on Wheels’ program.
1,142 Meal delivered by May
ENABLING REMOTE SERVICE CAPACITY
Funding for technology to deliver reintegration planning services remotely for those in conflict with the law.
STUDENT NUTRITION
Providing funds for groceries through Social Services in Perth and Huron.
HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION
Improving technology to provide remote services and purchasing PPE’s for in-person service to maintain homelessness prevention for youth.
TECHNOLOGICAL SUPPORT
Supporting purchase of tablets to loan to clients who need for schoolwork, applying for assistance and ordering food during physical distancing measures.
10 Families have borrowed tablets
ENABLING REMOTE SERVICE CAPACITY
Improving technology to continue delivering at-home services to seniors and persons with disabilities.
Connected with 91 Seniors in April
RESEARCH: SECTOR RESILIENCE
The Social Research and Planning Council with the University of Guelph is launching a Huron Perth community research effort: Stronger Together: Building Resiliency in Huron Perth in response to COVID-19.
211 AWARENESS
Increase 211 local awareness. To help connect newly vulnerable people that need help during the Covid 19 crisis with local service providers.
Community Connection
Funds for Comfort Kits for individuals experiencing isolation and loneliness.
TECHNOLOGY ACCESS
Funds received to purchase wi-fi connectable technology for those in need.
Additional Actions
MAINTAINING ACCURATE SOCIAL SERVICE LISTINGS
We’re working with community partners and frontline agencies ensuring that as agencies respond to COVID-19 needs
records are kept up-to-date within the 2-1-1 database. Locally we have made 705 updates.
CONNECTING VOLUNTEERS WITH THOSE WHO NEED HELP
There are amazing people rallying to support others and they need our help too. United Way Perth-Huron launched the helpdolocalgood.ca portal and a Facebook group in partnership with municipalities and local libraries to: (1) provide and maintain valid and credible resources and (2) connect volunteers to those needing help
ENABLING SECTOR COLLABORATION
Hosting weekly virtual meetings for regional social service agencies to provide a forum for connection, collaboration and problem solving. 40 non-profit participate.
ADVISING AS A SOCIAL EXPERT
The Executive Director and Social Research and Planning Council staff providing expert advice when decisions and challenges arise in the social service sector.
Helping Seniors
United Way Perth-Huron has issued grants totaling over $50,000 to agencies in Perth and Huron Counties on behalf of United Way Centraide Canada and funded by the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program.
The focus is on vulnerable seniors (55+) impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic including, but not limited to, seniors living on low or fixed incomes, those with compromised health, and those who are isolated from family, friends and community as well as caregivers.
Seniors are worried about being isolated from their community, getting their hot meals delivered, filling their prescriptions, doing their shopping or seeing their doctors. They are also concerned about being alone and even more isolated in their homes during this pandemic. This fund will provide urgent funds to help ensure they have the supports they need.
About the New Horizons for Seniors Program
The New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) provides grants and contributions for projects helping improve the well-being of seniors and fostering their social inclusion. To provide immediate essential services to seniors impacted by COVID-19, the Government of Canada is providing $9 million under the NHSP to be distributed through the United Way Canada network. Funds will help organizations supporting seniors dealing with the impact of COVID-19.
Subsidized Respite Services
Funds to help provide subsidized respite services in the home to help prevent caregiver burnout. ONE CARE Home & Community Support Service.
270 hours of subsidized respite to help support care providers
Community Meals
Funds to subsidize and deliver affordable home-style meals to older adult residents. Town of St. Marys.
1,368 subsidized grocery/meal deliveries made to seniors
Mobile Food Bank
Funds to purchase food —serving over 100 households in four communities each month. Huron County Food Bank Distribution Centre.
8,043 lbs. of nutritious food provided to seniors
Meal Delivery
Funds to provide delivery of meals to clients and caregivers. VON Canada Perth Huron.
133 care packages, meals and gift cards provided
Grocery Shopping
Funds to assist with subsidies or provide access to food. Town of St. Marys.
1,368 subsidized grocery/meal deliveries made to seniors
Food Delivery Costs
Funds to cover delivery cost for approximately 2,000 seniors with compromised health. ONE CARE Home & Community Support Services.
981 subsidized grocery deliveries & 103 subsidized grocery orders
Resident Well-being
Funds to help support Telephone Reassurance check-in calls through Community Support Services program for at-risk residents. Town of St. Marys.
329 connected made for well-being support
Grocery Gift Cards and Delivery
Funds used to provide grocery gift cards as well as grocery delivery service to clients. VON Canada Perth Huron.
133 care packages, meals and gift cards provided
Care Packages
Funds to provide care packages to ensure food security, personal wellness, cleaning essentials and activity kits. VON Canada Perth Huron.
133 care packages, meals and gift cards provided
Out of the Cold – Heart to Home
In conjunction with the Out of the Cold-Heart to Home program funding will help to provide a safe place for people experiencing homeless to get warm and shower when the alternative shelter is not open.
Hearty Meals
Funding to provide a safe and warm place for individuals experiencing homelessness to come and have a hearty meal.
Social Workers
Community Social Worker to support residents of St. Mary’s relating to relationship and community development in housing environment through counselling, case management, co-ordination and education.
Out of the Cold
Providing breakfast and nutritious, portable foods for the clients of the Out of the Cold program.
Federal
Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF)
United Ways and Centraides in Canada are pleased to provide support to local community service organizations that provide rapid, emergency community support to vulnerable community members. Applications are reviewed locally by United Way Perth-Huron for Perth and Huron Counties. These funds are being distributed as part of Employment and Social Development Canada’s (ESDC) Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF). Funded by the Government of Canada.
Activity Kits
Caregivers often can’t access supports they normally rely on to provide relief. The Alzheimer Society of Perth County is delivering activity kits to clients’ homes to reduce caregiver burnout and keep clients mentally engaged.
Food Security
Noahs Ark and The Community Table’s small group of volunteers is helping lessen the burden on South Huron individuals and families in need by providing 150–180 food hampers full of produce, meat and other essential items once a week.
Activity Kits
Caregivers often can’t access supports they normally rely on to provide relief. Alzheimer Society of Huron County is delivering activity kits to clients’ homes to reduce caregiver burnout and keep clients mentally engaged.
Food Security
Received funding to deliver meals to vulnerable seniors to increase nutrition and provide social check-ins.
Food Security
Received funding to provide fresh vegetables to local food-aid agencies in Huron County and Perth County.
Transportation for Seniors
Received funding to provide grocery delivery service to seniors and individuals with compromised health.
Homelessness Prevention
Received funding for financial assistance for vulnerable individuals and families to increase stability and housing.
Homelessness Prevention
Received funding for financial assistance for vulnerable individuals and families to increase stability and housing.
Homelessness Prevention
Received funding to provide homelessness response and prevention services for at-risk youth.
Increased Accessibility
Received funding to provide mobility and accessibility equipment to children to support their families facing increased challenges.
Social Inclusion
Received funding to reduce social isolation, loneliness and anxiety for seniors with virtual programming.
Essential Needs
Received funding to support the residents of St. Marys by providing affordable access to meal programs and supports to acquire basic needs.
Technology Access
Received funding to provide computers to low income households in Huron so they can stay connected and access virtual services.
Alzheimer Society of Huron
Funds for the Tele-Care Program – a phone based friendly visiting program supported by trained volunteers who make phone calls to clients on a pre-determined schedule.
Facile
Funds to help ensure Facile will provide independent facilitation to people with developmental disabilities (and their families) who are experiencing increased social isolation, anxiety, stress and funding shortage due to COVID-19.
Huron County Food Bank Distribution Centre
Funds to provide School Lunch Foods for the families with school-age children who are clients of food banks in Huron & Perth Counties that HCFBDC serves.
Huron County Food Bank Distribution Centre
Providing fresh vegetables for the food-aid agencies (foodbanks) in Huron and Perth Counties.
Huron Hospice
Funds to help with increased requests for grief support groups due to COVID. Including pilot virtual grief groups using technology.
Children’s Aid Society
Funds to help the Parent-Child program – offering on-site programming and expanded to include parenting education programs along with financial literacy support and life skills education.
Huron Perth Public Health
Funding will be used to address gaps existing programs to meet identified needs of HBHC families and Covid-19 Intake/CCM clients in response to the challenges faced by families in times of crisis.
Huron Perth Public Health
Computers for people with low incomes involved with community development initiatives in parts of Huron County for virtual connections and to access on-line COVID-19 resources.
Local Community Food Centre
Indigenous Talking Circle to provide peer support to Indigenous Peoples of Huron and Perth and be informed to address the services needed to allow reconciliation efforts to take hold in our communities.
Local Community Food Centre
Providing curbside pickup and delivery of healthy meals to individuals who are struggling with food security.
Mitchell & Area Community Outreach
Funds for Virtual program initiative. A group setting offered over the phone to provide social/recreational opportunities in an inviting and interactive format to combat social isolation.
Mitchell & Area Community Outreach
A group setting for clients to dine together & receive a nutritional meal and social time/activity but this will be done door to door.
One Care
Grocery Delivery service for seniors and individuals with compromised health to reduce their exposure to COVID-19 by not having to go to the grocery store.
Rural Response for Healthy Children
Purchase and distribution of one hundred $100 gift cards to one hundred Huron County vulnerable families.
Salvation Army Listowel
Hot, healthy meals available for “contactless” pick up by North Perth residents one night/week from 5-7pm, January 1st to March 31st.
Social Service Relief Funds
United Way Perth-Huron has partnered with the County of Huron and City of Stratford to distribute a portion of Social Service Relief Funds (SSRF) locally. These funds are being allocated through the organizations stream of the Urgent Needs Fund program. The SSRF provide organizations access to the funding they need quickly for providing increased services to community members that require social supports in Huron and Perth County.
Supporting Women Escaping Violence
Providing technology to clients to access remote services and gift cards for essential items.
Funded with SSRF from
Transportation for Vulnerable People
Providing subsidized transportation to essential appointments to reduce financial hardship.
Funded with SSRF from
Food Security
Providing vulnerable families with fresh food boxes to increase food security and stability.
Funded with SSRF from
Food Security
Providing funding to continue community meals programming of curbside pickup and delivery of healthy meals to individuals who are struggling with food security.
Funded with SSRF from
Increase 211 Local awareness
Helping to connect newly vulnerable people that need help during the Covid 19 crisis with local service providers.
Funded with SSRF from
Assisting Those in Need
Providing hope kits that include hygiene products, PPE, socks, healthy snacks and a hot meal voucher to individuals released from Stratford Jail during the pandemic.
Funded with SSRF from
Homeless Support
Providing outreach to homeless and precariously housed individuals with addictions, including providing food and additional resources.
Funded with SSRF from
To the best of our ability, we want to make sure people get the support they need. Please give generously.
