Pakmen receives grant for Beach Courts

Published in the Aug 01, 2012 edition of The Mississauga News. Written by Chris Clay.

More than a dozen agencies working in Mississauga and Peel will receive hundreds of thousands of dollars in community grants, the Ontario Trillium Foundation announced yesterday.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peel was given $225,000 to hire a coordinator to support Regional Diversity Roundtable of Peel, a group of community organizations working to make Peel’s human service organizations more diverse and inclusive.
CameronHelps 2006 Inc. was given $142,500 to hire a coordinator to expand the Team Unbreakable program in Peel high schools. The program builds awareness of youth mental health issues and the relationship between physical and mental health.
Canadian South Asian Supporting Independent Living received $122,300 to hire a part-time community outreach coordinator to increase awareness of the contributions made by those living with disabilities in Peel’s South Asian community. The grant will also be used to provide additional operational supports.
Connect Learning Centre Inc. was granted $183,900 to help adults with disabilities become fully independent through coaching. It will also provide a community-based therapeutic recreational program.
Fiesta Filipina Dance Troupe was given $70,000 to install new heating, air conditioning and lighting at the organization’s training facility in Mississauga. It will also be used to purchase new costumes and provide new cultural dance training.
Harmony Education Foundation received $296,500 to hire staff to implement the Leadership in Equity and Social Action Program. It’s an education initiative for those in South Peel and Halton focusing on equity and inclusion issues. The funds will also be used to present community diversity workshops for local organizations and an arts-based equity summer series for youth.
Marathi Bhashik Mandal, Toronto, Inc. received $39,000 to support the International Marathi Literature Convention in Mississauga. It’s a global event featuring writers, poets and playwrights from the Maharashtra province of India and is a showcase of Marathi music, drama, dance and literature.
MIAG Centre for Diverse Women & Families received $193,600 to implement the Generation of Hearts program that partners Mississauga seniors with a youth. The pair then takes part in social, artistic, cultural and recreational activities.
Mississauga Sailing Club was granted $27,500 to purchase an inflatable boat to provide on-water safety support.
Newcomer Centre of Peel received $217,200 to help integrate internationally-trained immigrants into the workforce by creating the Peel Employer Engagement Resource Strategy. It’s a program to engage and inform small- and medium-sized employers on the business, economic and social benefits of hiring newcomers.
Pakmen Volleyball Club was given $20,000 to develop two new beach volleyball courts at Thomas Street Middle School in Mississauga for a community youth beach volleyball program.
Peel Halton Workforce Development Group was given $94,700 to help workers serving newcomers in Peel and Halton through professional development and networking opportunities.
People of Motherland Cultural Committee received $20,000 to train volunteers and finish a strategic plan to develop new ways of supporting the African-Canadian community in Peel.
Sierra Club of Canada Foundation was given $25,900 to create and distribute a series of booklets about the natural resources in Peel and Halton.
The Community Foundation of Mississauga received $170,000 to implement a new database that will have a variety of benefits.
The Mississauga Food Bank was given $97,300 to purchase a warehouse management system and hire a part-time assistant manager.
Youth Troopers for Global Awareness received $131,000 to launch Studio 89, a fair trade cafe and and arts centre in Mississauga that provides youth with economic, skill building, art resources and entrepreneurial opportunities.
“Volunteers and not-for-profit organizations work hard to meet the changing needs of the population they serve,” said Gayle Wadden, chair of the Ontario Trillium Foundation’s Halton-Peel grant review team. “Thanks to OTF funding, they can strengthen the fabric of their communities and make a much greater impact.”