Photo: Risa Plotnick with MPP Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, and MPP Jeremy Roberts
On Monday, MPP Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, and MPP Jeremy Roberts delivered a press conference at the Soloway JCC to announce $7.5M in funding for 94 non-profit Ottawa organizations – including $136K for Tamir.
“Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, our government has been supporting those struggling the most,” said MacLeod, who represents the riding of Nepean. “That’s why it’s been a priority for us to fund successful programs like the Resilient Communities Fund, which helps non-profits adapt and grow – ensuring they continue to provide the best service possible and make a positive difference in the lives of individuals and families across the province.”
The grant, which comes from the Ontario Trillium Foundation’s Resilient Communities Fund, aims to to help organizations rebuild and recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and will help Tamir in a new way – by helping children.
“Over our 36 years, we’ve primarily focused on the adult population,” said Joe Silverman, Tamir board chair. “This is going to be a sizable increase to our efforts to include infants and children in the Tamir rainbow of services. We have an aging population at Tamir, but it’s important for us to support those from birth to the senior citizen years, and to try to provide as much comprehensive service as possible in every age bracket.”
Risa Plotnick, Tamir’s executive director, says supporting children will allow them to move “more seamlessly” through the community.
“Families can attend events as a unit and create memories for a lifetime,” she explained. “This grant will allow personalized goal setting for children and young adults with developmental disabilities and autism by connecting them to the required professionals and allow them to receive services fluidly between virtual and in-person sessions as the COVID situation evolves.”
Roberts, MPP for Ottawa West – Nepean, which includes the Jewish community campus, said the grant is the government’s way of saying thank you, and of demonstrating their commitment to the non-for-profit sector.
"Our not-for-profit sector in Ottawa was there to support Ontarians during our most challenging times,” he said. “That's why it is so important for us to be helping them rebuild their resiliency through this investment. I'm thrilled to see organizations, like Tamir, that do so much in our communities receiving this vital support."
The grant will also allow Tamir to expand their material lending library, so children and adults alike can continue to work on skill development between therapy sessions. It also expands Tamir’s support to siblings and caregivers, via a redesigned website that will host special webinars, peer support groups and easy-to-use program registration.
“We plan to make sure the whole family is taken care of,” said Plotnick. “After all, the whole family is impacted by the needs of any individual member.
The press conference ended with a presentation of this special Tamir video, When We Sing Together, a must-view that helps express Tamir's powerful and amazing work. View here.