We are excited to share that because of the incredible generosity of our community, The Essentials Fund was able to grant over $57,000 to 19 Waterloo Region community organizations in August! We received 29 applications, up from 14 last year, demonstrating ongoing significant need in our charitable and nonprofit sector. So we continued to fundraise until July 31st in hopes of providing a meaningful grant to as many qualified applicants as possible.
We could not provide this unrestricted grant without the amazing support of our donors! We want to extend our deepest thanks to everyone who has supported the fund for recognizing the importance of having access to essential items for long-term health and well being.
If you’re wondering what kind of impact the Essentials Fund is able to make, Porchlight Counselling and Addiction Services shared the following with us:
“Daily essentials are things organizations like ours often struggle to find funding for, but the difference between having them or not is enormous. For those in programs like ours, knowing that they live in a community which cares enough about them to ensure they’re cared for can be transformative.”
As we conclude our third year of fundraising and granting and look forward to 2025, the overwhelming need for this support drives our Organizing Committee to continue to grow The Fund to ensure this type of funding is available to our vital community organizations supporting our most vulnerable community members.
Much appreciation to Waterloo Region Community Foundation for providing administrative support to The Fund.
The following organizations received a $3,450 grant:
- Adventure4Change
- Camino Wellbeing & Mental Health
- COMPASS Refugee Centre
- Porchlight Counselling and Addiction Services
- Sanguen Health Centre
- Sexual Assault Support Centre
- SHORE Centre
- SHOW – Supportive Housing of Waterloo
- Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region
The following organizations received a $2,600 grant:
- Brain Injury Association of Waterloo Wellington
- Community Justice Initiatives
- Kind Mind Family Wellness
- Marillac Place
- Muslim Social Services of Kitchener Waterloo
- oneROOF Youth Services
- Reception House
- Somali Canadian Association of WR
- Waterloo Region Family Network
- Wilmot Family Resource Centre
The Essentials Fund Organizing Committee
Jane Arnold
Allyson Kroetsch
Claire Anderson
Rose Greensides
Eleanor McGrath
Mike Pereira
Tom Galloway
Holly Manning
Laura Galbraith
Anna Beard
The Essentials Fund 
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