PHOTO (L-R): Sherri Lojzer (Board Member, Woodview), Flora Ennis (Executive Director, Woodview), MPP Will Bouma (Brantford-Brant), Leslie Josling (Executive Director, Willowbridge)

September 29, 2022

Brantford, ON – On Thursday, local MPP Will Bouma attended Woodview Mental Health and Autism Services’ Annual General Meeting and Family Fall Fair to recognize a $149,000 Resilient Communities Fund grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) in support of the Riverside Community Hub. The Riverside Community Hub will bring the services of ten core community service providers from across the city under one roof in a new, central, purpose-driven facility to make it easier for children, youth and families in Brantford to access mental health and other wellness services.

“I have been advocating from day one for a complete wrap-around hub for physical and mental health promotion to be located under one roof” said Brantford-Brant MPP Will Bouma. “This facility is a huge step forward for our community and I congratulate the Riverside Community Hub for being recognized through this grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation”.

Thanks to the $149,000 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the community hub collaborative has been able to move project activities forward that are essential in developing a successful community hub that is inclusive, accessible, and welcoming for all.

“This Ontario Trillium Foundation grant funding has allowed us to move the important work of the Hub Development Committee forward,” said Flora Ennis, Executive Director at Woodview Mental Health and Autism Services. “The community engagement work funded through this grant is essential to the project, allowing us to raise community support and awareness, and to ensure the Hub is truly representative of our communities.”

The goal of the Riverside Community Hub is to create a hub where individuals can access a broad range of services seamlessly, while also enjoying greater opportunities for improved mental health, social recreation, relationship building, and belonging. As the outcomes of COVID-19 make clear, our communities need to work together to provide innovative mental health and wellness solutions now more than ever. The Riverside Community Hub will offer increased accessibility, flexible office spaces, and other elements that would allow us to safely serve clients.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) mission is to build healthy and vibrant communities across Ontario. As an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations, last year, OTF invested nearly $209M into 2,042 community projects and partnerships, which included funding for the Government of Ontario’s Community Building Fund.

Since 2020, OTF has 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.