NEWS RELEASE
CANADIAN CARIBBEAN ASSOCIATION OF HALTON
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On Tuesday, local MPP Stephen Crawford met with the team at the Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton (CCAH) to celebrate a $72,400 Resilient Communities Fund grant from the provincial government’s Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF).
The funds allowed CCAH to recover and build its resiliency from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I am delighted that through the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) grant, our government continues to invest in local organizations like Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton (CCAH),” said Crawford. “Ontarians are facing unique challenges, and BIPOC children are vulnerable and struggling. The OTF grant will support CCAH initiatives to provide the support and services that matter.
"The tremendous success of CCAH delivering a summer long day camp at a nominal cost to families, ensures our young people have access to the transformational supports that give them the best start possible when school begins in September. We are grateful to CCAH for all their work in the Oakville community and wish them continued success.”
First awarded in March 2023, the grant allowed CCAH to scale up their BIPOC day camp to support more youth through a number of initiatives, including the hiring of more staff, the recruitment of more volunteers, and community consultations to better understand how CCAH can serve the community. Thanks to this financial support, the camp is once again being offered for $25 per week to families in need and campers are provided daily snacks supplied by Halton Food for Life.
The CCAH Day Camp launched in July 2022 and runs at Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre in partnership with the Town of Oakville. The Day Camp is designed for Halton-based Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) families that would not have the financial means to send their children to camp.
The day camp’s action-packed eight-weeks are filled with weekly activities such as Indigenous Elders and Black historians teaching about Canada’s cultural history, swimming, Chef-led cooking classes, dance, steelpan music, and gardening sessions led by the Halton Environmental Network and Oakville Green.
Each week the campers attend a field trip to Halton Conservation areas or local attractions where they learn about appreciating the outdoors, among a host of other activities. In addition, Halton Regional Police Service visit and provide tours of the Black Heritage Cruiser and advise the children about how to stay safe.
“I want to express my appreciation to the Ontario Trillium Foundation for continuing to support CCAH initiatives, such as the day camp, which provide important opportunities to young people across Halton,” said Sheldon Williams, President of CCAH. “The funding received has allowed us to offer a much-needed camp at $25 per week to Halton families. Supporting our operational costs means that we can focus on minimizing financial barriers to families while delivering an exciting and valuable experience for BIPOC campers in the summer.”
Founded in 1977, the Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton is a registered charity. The organization provides a number of award-winning programs that promote awareness around how diversity, full and active civic participation, unbiased inclusion, and the capacity to value differences as essential to the social, cultural, and economic growth of the Halton Region. The foundation of its programs are the four pillars: culture, community, education, and harmony.
“Whether it’s helping people learn new things, connect with their community, or simply have fun, organizations like the Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton deliver experiences that make a difference,” said Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming Stan Cho. “That’s why grant support through the Ontario Trillium Foundation is so important. This funding will help ensure they remain at the heart of the community for decades to come." The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Ontario government with a mission to build healthy and vibrant communities across the province.
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