Money for HOPE House Among New Funding for Ontario Non-Profits

A lot of people in Guelph are going to get a lot of help thanks to new funding for Lakeside HOPE House delivered Guelph MPP Liz Sandals today. In an announcement at HOPE House's downtown location today, Sandals pledged $150,000 over three years to "enhance the financial stability of those that need their help."

The money is part of $35.5 million being spent across the province to boost non-profit programming and services for more than 350,000 people. HOPE House is one of 114 organizations being granted new money through one of the two streams of the Trillium Foundation: Grow grants and Collective Impact grants. HOPE House is getting a grow grant, "which helps organizations expand an existing, proven non-profit project."

In HOPE House's case, that project is the Circle program. With the new money, HOPE House expects to help 60 people and their families to "become more financially independent by offering emotional and practical support and connecting them to resources and training, for example preparing for job interviews," according to the press release.

"As a long time resident of Guelph, I know how important HOPE House is to our community," said Sandals. "It offers a warm environment, it offers valuable programs and services to people in our community who are living with poverty and struggling with a variety of issues. HOPE House challenges stigma, promotes dignity and choice, and gives people the skills that they need to become independent."

One of the beneficiaries of the Circles program, Erin Macdonald, talked about how HOPE House helped her. She came to Guelph after escaping an "abusive situation" and losing her sister to a drug addiction, but now she's the one offering help. "I knew I wanted to do something with my life and help people, people like my sister," and she ended up at Conestoga where she now studies to be a personal support worker.

"Lakeside HOPE House provides tangible, compassionate assistance and care to individuals experiencing poverty through programs and services that foster a greater level of independence," said HOPE House director Jaya James in a statement. "We are extremely grateful to this grant of $150,000 as it will allow us continue to offer Circles Guelph Wellington, a program with proven success in assisting people exiting poverty and changing the way our community things and acts on poverty."

Check out the video from the event below: