Last year DAREarts received a $34,000 Resilient Communities Fund Grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation and the Province of Ontario to develop a strategy to adapt programs to virtual experiences and navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic. The strategy and training aspect of the project was completed over the summer of 2021. Spring 2022 marks the completion of the Ontario Trillium Foundation funded activities for DAREarts.
The funding allowed DAREarts to develop meaningful and impactful virtual arts-based education experiences for youth and classrooms in under-resourced communities across the Greater Toronto Area. A portion of the funding supported Mental Health 101 training for DAREarts program facilitators. An additional strategic adaptation was the development of “Creativity Kits” that were sent to children and youth in need of a creative experience and activity but who were isolated and unable to participate in classroom-based virtual programs.
“Not only did this critical funding allow us to successfully find our way through the pandemic and ensure the continuance of impactful programs for young people, this Ontario Trillium Foundation investment also led to increasing our program reach. This grant allowed the development and implementation of many programs that supported over 2,312 children and youth in Ontario, exceeding the goal of 1,200 in 2021” – Jarvis Strong, Director of Development of DAREarts.
The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations. Last year, nearly $112M was invested into 1,384 community projects and partnerships to build healthy and vibrant communities and strengthen the impact of Ontario’s non-profit sector. In 2020/21, OTF supported Ontario’s economic recovery by helping non-profit organizations rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19. Visit otf.ca to learn more.
Thank you again to the Ontario Trillium Foundation for helping DAREarts to emerge an even stronger organization as we slowly come out of the COVID-19 pandemic. We could not have done it without partners like you!