Meet the 2018 McDougall Family Fund Finalists

Combermere and Area Recreational Rink Project

The small town of Combermere, which is just outside of Barry’s Bay, was hit by a Tornado in 2006. The storm caused severe damage to many parts of the community including their outdoor rink. Citizens of the community rallied together and worked alongside one another to clean up and repair the damage. The outdoor rink is a an important part of the community where residents of all ages gather to enjoy a leisurely skate in the winter or play a game of road hockey or broomball in the summer.

Community Kids Space

Our children are the future and the Community Kids Space in Bancroft is looking to help create an environment where children (and their families) can come and participate in different activities throughout the year. In their new space they are looking to create a play space and kids fitness classes. Healthy, active children are vital to our future and being active can have some many positive benefits on our daily life.

A Million Possibilities

Community Living Ontario is a family based organization assisting people who have an intellectual disability. They encourage families to lead the way in advancing their family members inclusion in their own lives and in their communities. The A Million Possibilities project showcased the Solo Ocean Row where a father of a physical and intellectually disabled child completed a solo ocean row across the Atlantic Ocean, which took 83 days to complete. The a Million Possibilities project is a part of the family engagement series which provides a platform for families of children and youth who have an intellectual disability to see what’s possible and aids in making that vision a reality.

Cornerstone FVPC

The Cornerstone Family Violence Prevention Centre is a non-profit in the Northumberland County area that has been working to break the cycle of family violence by providing immediate shelter, counselling and prevention services over the past 33 years. Making families whole again is their goal. The team is looking to create an area where families feel comfortable and have access to the tools and help they need.

Home Again Animal Rescue

The Home Again Animal Rescue located in Bancroft, is a volunteer organization that rescues surrendered, abandoned or homeless pets. They treat the pets and foster them until they are ready to be adopted. They also subsidize the surgeries to spay or neuter these pets to make sure they are taken care of when the find their forever home. Their new initiative is to offer mirco-chipping clinics for the animals.

Michelangelo’s Café

The Gleaners Foodbank in Belleville is trying to create a kitchen space in their Café. Currently, they do not have a kitchen that allows them to make meals in house. Everything has to be delivered or shipped, packaged separately and then shipped back. They also cannot provide cutlery, dishes, or glasses to the families they feed as they do not have a kitchen that passes the health and safety board. With a new kitchen they will be able to provide a lot of these services in-house which will ultimately cut their costs and allow them to severe more in-need families.

Southview Public School Playground Plan

The Southview Public School in Napanee is in need of a new playground. Right now the school yard only has one tree, some rough terrain, and soccer fields without grass. With the support of the McDougall Family Fund the Southview Public School would be able to revamp their playground and provide a space for the students to be active and socialize.

The Connections Program

The Connections Program serves youth in the Counties of Lanark, Leeds and Grenville. The program is designed to help youth who are showing evidence of disengaging from the education system or with mental health issues. Each student who attends the program receives a tailored curriculum specific to their needs. Supporting their health and well-being is the top priority and providing them the opportunity to develop life and social skills as well as academic aid is also an important component of the program. Every youth deserves to feel valued, to be heard and have the chance to succeed and that is what the Connections Program aims to accomplish.

Walk for Claire

For the past several years the small community of Tamworth has united in memory of a young girl by the name of Claire who lost her battle with cancer in 2011. The Walk for Claire is an initiative designed to raise funds and show support for Paediatric cancer. All the money is used to support the families with children currently battling cancer. The Walk for Claire also works with the social work department to provide assistance to these families.

Hayley’s Camp Story

Easter Seals Ontario is dedicated to helping children and youth with physical disabilities. The non-profit organization assists the families with the cost of equipment such as wheelchairs, walkers, lifts, and ramps as well as communication devices. Hayley’s Camp Story is another aspect of the organization where they send these children to enjoy a full accessible summer camp. With the donations they are able to send more kids to camp and purchase more equipment to assist the families in need.