August: Information Sharing Edition |
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In this edition:
- $1.3 Million in Emergency Funding Announced for Local Programs
- Connections Going to School Package
- United Way Backpacks for Success Pickup
- Town of Essex Indoor Pool Reopens
- Tecumseh Virtual & In-Person Recreation Programs
- Windsor Public Library Updates
- W.E. EarlyON to You Contest
- AIDS Committee of Windsor Announces New Brand: Pozitive Pathways
- MCC Youth Work Ready & Leadership Programs
- CMHA Mental Health and Wellness Webinars
- In the News
- Local COVID-19 Information & Resources
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$1.3 Million in Funding for Local Programs |
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As a trusted partner of the Government of Canada, United Way/Centraide Windsor-Essex County is allocating $1.34 million in funding to support the needs of vulnerable community members affected by COVID-19 in Windsor and Essex County.
The Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF) provides financial support to charities and other qualified donees so they can adapt their frontline services to support vulnerable Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ECSF is funded by the Government of Canada and is being administered in collaboration with the United Way Centraide movement, Community Foundations of Canada and the Canadian Red Cross.
United Way was selected by the government to distribute the funding based on its ability to respond quickly to the emerging needs on the ground and get the money out into the community promptly.
United Way is pleased to share an update on the recipients of $1,339,890 in federal funding. United Way and its volunteer Impact Council Committee approved 35 programs and services based on criteria agreed upon with United Way Centraide Canada and the government.
Please refer to the news release for the full list of local programs receiving this funding.
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Connections Going to School Package |
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Preschooler GOING TO SCHOOL for the first time?
Get your free Going to School package from the Connections Early Years Family Centre, a proud P2P funded partner. It includes tips on getting your child ready for school, a book, scissors, markers and a glue stick!
Limited quantities available. Contact Connections by phone at 519.252.9696 or by email.
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Backpacks for Success Pickup |
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Town of Essex Reopens Indoor Pool |
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As reported by CBC News Windsor, the Town of Essex opened its indoor pool on July 6 and is offering COVID-modified swimming classes.
Cynthia Cakebread, the manager of Recreation & Culture for the Town of Essex, says she's seen a growing interest in people wanting to come back and swim.
- Instructors now wear face shields, teach outside of the water and class sizes have been reduced to 3 students per instructor.
- Children who are under level swimmer 3 at the centre must have a parent or guardian in their home bubble participating in the water with them, while children who are at level swimmer 4 or higher can swim independently with coaching and instruction from the deck.
- The number of swimmers in the pool and lessons being taught have been reduced, with only 10 to 15 lessons running in a week.
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Tecumseh Virtual & In-Person Recreation Programs |
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The Tecumseh Parks and Recreation Department is introducing a mix of outdoor and virtual programming beginning Friday, July 31. The activities are FREE and will be led by Tecumseh Recreation Instructors. All outdoor programs will follow health and safety guidelines outlined by the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.
Advance registration is required to participate in the programs, on a first registered, first available basis and is limited based on Provincial Stage 2 guidelines. To register visit the Tecumseh Parks and Recreation page or call the office at (519) 735-4756.
Starting Friday, July 31, the following activities will be offered by Town Recreation Staff and Instructors:
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Power Off and Play – a structured program that encourages children aged 5-12 to get outside and play.
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Chair Workout for Adults – an in-person fitness program for adults and seniors using a chair for seated exercises and standing support.
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Urban Poling – an in-person walking program for adults and seniors that provides a full body workout with the added stability of walking poles.
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Virtual Day Camp – a virtual/online program for children ages 5 to 12 that incorporates group discussions and activities.
Please read the news release for full details of each program.
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Windsor Public Library Updates |
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The Windsor Public Library (WPL) has opened more branches for public computer access – Budimir, John Muir and Riverside are currently open; Bridgeview and Fontainebleau will open on Monday, August 10th.
Public computer access at the WPL Central Branch will be available:
- Monday to Thursday from 10 am – 8 pm
- Friday and Saturday from 10 am – 5 pm
Public computer access at the additional open branches will be available:
- Monday and Wednesday from 1 – 8 pm
- Tuesday and Thursday from 11 – 6 pm
- Friday and Saturday from 10 am – 5 pm
Please read the WPL announcement for more details regarding the branch openings, computer access, and COVID-19 precautions.
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Windsor Public Library to Provide Technology and Assistance to Seniors
WPL is pleased to announce that it has received a grant totalling $16,500 from the United Way Windsor-Essex County which is funded by the Government of Canada's ECSF. The monies will be used to make available technology to local special needs senior citizens.
Staff will provide instruction on how to best use the technology, connect to the internet and communicate using the provided software.
The grant will help purchase 16 Netbooks, accessories and mobile internet hotspots which will be loaned out, similar to all library materials, through the WPL Accessibility Office.
For more information about the program, please call Nicole Hayward at 519-255-6770, ext. 4404.
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W.E. EarlyON to You Contest |
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Don’t forget to like, share and follow W.E. EarlyON to You on Facebook and Instagram for a chance to win 1 of 3 baskets!
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Effective immediately, the AIDS Committee of Windsor (founded in 1988) officially will be known as POZITIVE PATHWAYS COMMUNITY SERVICES.
This new brand is the result of the agency’s commitment to providing culturally sensitive programs and services informed by lived experiences. They provide a community based response through specialized programs and services that work with and for people:
- Living with, effected and affected by HIV;
- Who use substances;
- Who identify as 2SLGBTQ+;
- From African, Caribbean, Black Communities and/or identify as people of colour;
- From Indigenous Communities;
- Who support vulnerable and marginalized communities;
The introduction of their new brand is the result of an extensive consultation over three years with a broad range of key agency stakeholders. It supports the expansion of programs and services to meet the needs of different populations, while reducing stigma and barriers for people from different communities throughout our region.
Over the next few months, you will see changes to the facility, website and social media that will reflect the new brand.
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MCC Youth Work Ready & Leadership Programs |
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In the MCC Youth Work Ready program, participants will first take part in workshops focused on resume and interview preparation, workplace and safety standards, and employment fundamentals. Upon completion of the in-class portion, the program offers SIX industry standard certifications; WHMIS, Worker Health and Safety Awareness, Lift truck, Working at Heights, Elevated Work Platform, and First Aid & CPR. All program material and equipment are provided.
Download a PDF of the MCC Youth Work Ready flyer here.
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The MCC Leadership program features guest speakers, workshops, and activities designed to provide participants with foundations for communication, teamwork, networking, goal development, time and money management, and much more.
Graduates have used the tools gained through MCC Leadership in their careers, volunteer positions, and studies to great success, and recommend the program to anyone looking to improve their personal skills.
Download a PDF of the MCC Leadership flyer here.
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CMHA Mental Health and Wellness Webinars |
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$81K in Funding for Local Mental Health Support during COVID-19 |
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As reported by the Windsor Star, Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare and the Canadian Mental Health Association have received $81,200 to support people struggling with addiction and mental health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The grant comes from the Foundation for Advancing Family Medicine and the Canadian Mental Health Association Foundation.
It will be used to fund a registered nurse at the local CMHA branch’s Mental Health and Addictions Urgent Care Centre. The money will also be used to help with continued evaluation of the centre.
For more information about the Mental Health and Addictions Urgent Care Centre, visit their website.
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Partnership Supports Vulnerable Populations |
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#YQGStandsStrong T-Shirt Campaign Contributes $4,000 to the Windsor Essex COVID Care Coalition.
In March, Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens partnered with Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island (TWEPI), BB Branded Boutique and the United Way to launch the #YQGStandsStrong t-shirt.
The popular shirts have been on sale online with $5 from each shirt sold going to support the work of the Windsor Essex COVID Care Coalition operated by the United Way.
Owing to the tremendous level of local support for the keepsake product, BB Branded presented a cheque for four-thousand dollars to the United Way. This funding will be used to help fund youth virtual engagement and online learning support for vulnerable children and youth in Windsor-Essex County.
A limited number of t-shirts remain available for purchase through the BB Branded Boutique. Read the full news release here.
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Ontario Takes Steps to Improve Child Welfare System |
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The Ontario government released its plan to modernize the child welfare system. The strategy focuses on strengthening families and communities through prevention, early intervention and seeking more permanent homes for children and youth in care when they cannot stay in their own homes or communities.
The strategy to redesign the child welfare system has five pillars that focus on:
- Strengthening family well-being through community-based prevention services that keep children safe in family-based settings;
- Improving the quality of residential care provided to children and youth;
- Promoting the development of stable and lifelong connections and supports for youth, with a focus on education and employment opportunities;
- Improving the adoption experience and focusing on family-based options over group care where appropriate; and
- Creating a more efficient and effective child welfare system that is financially sustainable.
The new child welfare strategy was developed with input from youth, families, caregivers, First Nations, Inuit and Métis partners, lawyers, community organizations, frontline workers and child welfare sector leaders. They participated in over 100 engagement sessions over the past year and provided over 3,000 responses to an online survey.
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Ontario Reopening Childcare Services |
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The Ontario government announced its plan to allow licensed child care centres across Ontario to open at full capacity starting September 1, 2020. This decision was made in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and the COVID-19 Command Table. As a result, parents will be able to return to work knowing their children are in a safe and supportive care setting.
EarlyON Child and Family Centres will also be permitted to reopen with in-person programming along with before- and after-school programs for school aged children which will be permitted to operate with standard ratios and maximum group size requirements.
The enhanced health and safety procedures that were put in place as part of our re-opening plan, will remain in place, and in some instances strengthened, to protect children, staff and families, including:
- Requiring all child care staff to wear masks at all times, effective September 1;
- Ensuring frequent cleaning of child care centres;
- Screening of children and staff before entering a childcare facility;
- Maintaining attendance records for rigorous contact tracing and coordination with local public health authorities;
- Ensuring frequent hand washing and proper hand hygiene for children and staff; and
- Establishing clear and rigid case management protocols in the event a staff member or child becomes ill, or tests positive for COVID-19.
Ontario will also provide additional funding, with support from the federal government through the Safe Restart Agreement, to help child care operators and EarlyON Child and Family Centres purchase cleaning supplies, PPE and support staffing needs related to new procedures.
For information and updates on local Windsor-Essex child care centres, please visit the City of Windsor's Child Care and Early Years website.
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Ontario Releases Plan for Safe Reopening of Schools in September |
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The Ontario government is announcing the safe reopening of schools for in-class instruction beginning this September. The government has unveiled a plan that prioritizes the health and safety of students and staff, and provides school boards with unprecedented resources and flexibility, while accommodating regional differences in trends of key public health indicators. This plan was developed in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, the COVID-19 Command Table and paediatric experts.
Elementary schools (Kindergarten to Grade 8) will reopen province wide, with in-class instruction five days a week. Secondary schools with lower risk will reopen with a normal daily schedule, five days a week, while most secondary schools will start the school year in an adapted model of part-time attendance with class cohorts of up to 15 students alternating between attending in-person and online.
Students from Grade 4-12 and school staff will be required to wear masks.
Parents will continue to have the option to enroll their children in remote delivery, which respects their fundamental role in making the final determination of whether they feel safe with their children returning to school.
Based on the best medical advice available, the province is implementing additional public health protocols to keep students and staff safe when they return to school in September. To support the implementation of these protocols, the government is providing over $300 million in targeted, immediate, and evidence-informed investments
To read the full details of Ontario's school reopening plan, please visit the Ontario Newsroom.
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Ontario Supporting Non-Profits as Province Recovers from COVID-19 |
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The Ontario government is investing $83 million through the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) to provide grants to help eligible non-profit organizations, including food banks, child and youth programs and Royal Canadian Legion branches, recover from COVID-19 and continue the delivery of vital programming in their communities.
The OTF's Resilient Communities Fund will provide grants of up to $150,000 to help eligible non-profit organizations rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19 with support for:
- Equipping board members and employees with supports to implement new approaches, prepare for change and build resiliency;
- Improving and increasing ability to access financial resources and develop new and/or alternative sources of revenues;
- Adapting or re-imagining the delivery of programs and services to meet the needs of the community, employees and volunteers;
- Procuring equipment or renovating spaces to meet the changing needs of the organization, its programs and services, and adapt to new ways of working; and
- Creating and/or adopting new approaches for organizations to work together to meet the needs of communities
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Communities Focus on Ending Homelessness Post COVID-19 |
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In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, 33 Built for Zero Canada (BFZ-C) communities from seven provinces and 1 territory share their successes and commitments to remaining mission-focused on ending chronic and veteran homelessness at the June Built for Zero Canada Virtual Learning Session.
Windsor-Essex nurtured a culture of growth by leaning into and seeking feedback from the network of BFZ-C communities. For instance, Windsor-Essex shared their client pathway of how people experiencing homelessness are triaged to different spaces and supports to help other municipalities build and map their response. The Windsor-Essex team also worked hard to action mass COVID-19 testing in shelters to measure impacts and prevent spread among their neighbours experiencing homelessness and shared their learnings and tools with the network of BFZ-C communities.
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Local COVID-19 Information & Resources |
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As of June 26, 2020, it became mandatory to wear a face mask or covering in commercial establishments in Windsor-Essex. Full details of the order by the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit can be found here.
The Government of Canada has provided a web page outlining safe and proper use of masks during COVID-19. Resources are available for download in multiple languages.
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Drive thru Food Bank Locations in Windsor-Essex: |
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EAST WINDSOR
Unemployed Help Centre of Windsor Inc.
6955 Cantelon Dr., Windsor, ON
P: 519-944-4900
DRIVE THRU/WALK-UP OPEN:
Monday, Wednesday, & Friday 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
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WEST WINDSOR
St. Michael's Adult Secondary School
477 Detroit St., Windsor, ON
DRIVE THRU/WALK-UP OPEN:
Tuesday & Thursday 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
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BELLE RIVER
Community Support Centre of Essex County
Community Food Pantry
962 Old Tecumseh Rd., Puce, ON
P: 519-728-1435
DRIVE THRU OPEN: Monday & Wednesday 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
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LEAMINGTON
Salvation Army Leamington
88 Setterington St., Leamington, ON
P: 519-326-0319
DRIVE THRU/WALK-UP OPEN:
Friday & Saturday 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
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Municipal Social Investment Efforts
City of Windsor
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Stephen Lynn
519-255-5200 ext. 5302
p2p@citywindsor.ca
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Teresa Falsetta Aflak
519-255-5200 ext. 6809
p2p@citywindsor.ca
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