Friendship Circle Receives $61,900 Ontario Trillium Foundation Grant

Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) volunteer Simon Wang, Rabbis Yitzchok Grossbaum, Friendship Circle Director and Zalman Grossbaum of Chabad Lubavitch of Southern Ontario

Thornhill, ON (December 13, 2022) – On Sunday, local MPP Laura Smith and Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) volunteer Simon Wang met with participants of the Friendship Circle to hear how the $61,900 Resilient Communities Fund grant that was received earlier this year from OTF is making an impact. The Friendship Circle serves youth, teens and young adults with physical or mental disabilities.

“I extend my sincere congratulations to The Friendship Circle and Chabad Lubavitch of Southern Ontario on receiving this grant,” said Laura Smith, MPP for Thornhill. “They do so much to enhance the quality of life amongst all segments of our community, and the impact they make – especially on the lives of children and youth with disabilities, is immeasurable. I look forward to seeing these funds used to further enhance their dynamic and creative programming.”

The grant was awarded to Chabad Lubavitch of Southern Ontario so that the Friendship Circle could improve its popular Zoom sessions during, and after, the pandemic, as well as enrich and make the atmosphere more conducive and comfortable for participants and their families who are concerned with COVID. Strategy sessions were held in order to plan how to bring back volunteers and participants in a germ safe environment. In addition, the grant allowed for expanded volunteer training sessions for the teen volunteers who cater to the children and young adults with special needs. It also enabled the group to hire someone to develop new fundraising strategies. The grant continues to give members with special needs improved programs and events at the Chabad Lubavitch Community Centre.

“The impact of this Ontario Trillium Foundation grant cannot be overstated,” said Rabbi Aaron Grossbaum, Executive Director of Chabad Lubavitch. “We also want to congratulate the Ontario Trillium Foundation on 40 years of granting and building healthy and vibrant communities across the province,” said Rabbi Yitzchok Grossbaum the director of The Friendship Circle which is a financially independent program under the auspices of Chabad Lubavitch.

In fact, 15 years ago, the Friendship Circle program was initiated thanks to a $310,000 OTF grant. In over 35 years, Chabad Lubavitch has been fortunate to receive a few OTF grants to help with its work in the community.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF), an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations celebrates 40 years of grant-making 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.

SOURCE The Friendship Circle

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