On Tuesday, November 12, 2024, MPP Dave Smith met with representatives from the Five Counties Children’s Centre, as well as the kids and families involved with the program. In 2023, the Centre received an 18-month $135,200 Resilient Communities Fund grant from the provincial government’s Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) to implement new fundraising and communications strategies.
“The investment by the Ontario Trillium Foundation through its Resilient Communities Fund is paying off for children and families in our region,” says Dave Smith, MPP for Peterborough-Kawartha.
“The OTF grant supplied by the Province of Ontario has helped Five Counties enhance its fundraising efforts and better engage with donors, meaning it can raise extra funds to support more kids’ treatment services.”
The OTF investment is paying off, with Five Counties being able to help more local kids and youth with physical, developmental and communication needs get care close to home. This is directly due to the grant helping the Centre to double its fundraising total to $1.2 million in 2023/24 and remain in a strong position to attract more donors in its current fiscal year.
“The impact of this Ontario Trillium Foundation funding on our work cannot be overstated,” said Scott Pepin, CEO, Five Counties CEO Scott Pepin. “The OTF grant has helped us become more resilient and reinvigorated in our fundraising and communication efforts. This has led us to generate more donations, allowing Five Counties to enhance our publicly-funded services to reduce wait times and ensure kids and families in Peterborough, Northumberland, Kawartha Lakes, and Haliburton/Minden get the care they need when they need it.”
The bulk of the Resilient Communities Fund grant has gone towards creating a new position at Five Counties to support and boost fundraising and communication efforts. The Fund Development Communications Assistant position was originally set to last for 18 months but is now being extended by the Centre. The funds have also helped Five Counties to develop, deliver, monitor and evaluate fundraising communications activities, while introducing new, sustainable systems and technologies to better reach donors.
A portion of the OFT grant is designated for promotional purposes. The Centre has used this to create new and enhanced digital and print-based materials for fundraising and marketing. Five Counties is also using this portion of the OTF grant to launch a multi-media advertising campaign this November and December that coincides with its annual holiday appeal for donations.
“Over the past 18 months, the OTF grant has allowed us to increase the capacity of our fundraising efforts. This multi-media campaign expands the scope and size of our annual holiday appeal across multiple new platforms,” said Lyn Giles, Director of Fund Development with Five Counties. “The campaign will provide an appeal for funds, while also highlighting Centre services and the positive impact Five Counties is having on our community – as told through the words and experiences of the Grant family.”
The Grants’ young son, Jude, has been coming to Five Counties since he was four months old, and currently receives occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech therapy at the Centre. Jude’s parents – Julie and Aaron – are every grateful for all the support they are receiving.
“We’re fortunate that we had Five Counties so early on,” said mom Julie, in a video that’s at the heart of the promotional campaign. “Jude has had so many milestone accomplishments since we’ve been here in the past two years. Five Counties has almost become an extension of our family. It’s the most welcoming, warm place that I’ve ever bought Jude to for treatment.”
Just as Five Counties is grateful to the Grants for being ambassadors for the Centre in the promotional campaign, it is also very appreciative of the generous support from the provincial government’s Ontario Trillium Foundation.
“The OTF grant has been incredible for helping us enhance our fundraising efforts, so we can see and support more kids like Jude to ensure they receive the services and treatment they need,” Giles noted.
About Ontario Trillium Foundation: The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the
Ontario government with a mission to build health and vibrant communities across the province. Last year, OTF invested more than $110 million into 1,044 community projects and multi-sector
partnerships. Projects aim to enhance economic well-being, foster more active lifestyles, support child and youth development, provide spaces for people to come together and connect, and create a more sustainable environment. Visit otf.ca to learn more.
About Five Counties: Five Counties Children’s Centre has been dedicated to supporting children and youth with physical, developmental and communications needs for 50 years. Its aim is to enrich the independence and quality of life for the young clients it serves. In partnership with families, Five Counties provides services in Centre at its sites in Peterborough, Cobourg, Campbellford, Lindsay and Minden, as well in schools and in the community. Last year, Five Counties served a near-record number of clients last year – just over 6,100 kids – and provided almost 53,100 visits for families, all while reducing its wait list by 11 per cent.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
