On Saturday, staff, youth, volunteers, and community members at the Mississippi Mills Youth Centre met to celebrate the $59,100 Resilient Communities Fund Grant they received from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. The funds provided the necessary funding to rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19. This project, beginning on May 1st, 2022, runs until April 30th, 2023, and has allowed MMYC to train staff, increase fundraising efforts and extend programming hours on Saturdays.
“The funding provided for the Mississippi Mills Youth Centre addresses the need for growing Communities to engage with our youth in a positive environment” said Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston MPP John Jordan. “This Centre provides our future leaders with the tools needed to foster growth, awareness, expression, and – resilience. Strong communities begin with our youth. Congratulations and thanks to the team at the Mississippi Mills Youth Centre for the important work you do.”
Saturday programming at MMYC has been an amazing success. Over the course of the project, the centre has served over 360 individual youth and provided access to a safe, welcoming, and inclusive space to connect with other youth in the community. Thanks to the generosity of the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the centre has also been able to continue its Dungeons and Dragons program. This program is one of the highest attended ongoing programs at the centre and continues to grow into a youth lead initiative.
“At the Mississippi Mills Youth Centre, we’ve been able to create a space that many youth call home. When I hear these words, I think of the times spent around the dinner table, the moments we spend laughing, the games we play together, and most of all the time we spend growing and building our skills together,” said Lilli Nothnagel, Executive Director of the Mississippi Mills Youth Centre. “This opportunity granted by The Ontario Trillium Foundation has been invaluable and allowed us to share our services with more youth than ever before.”
The Mississippi Mills Youth Centre is dedicated to supporting youth in the discovery of themselves and their community. Daily planned programming offers youth an opportunity to explore new areas of interest, gain confidence, and connect with other youth. The centre is available for drop in during critical hours where youth can access food, resources, and overall, a safe space. To learn more about MMYC, please visit the website at: www.mmyc.ca
The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF), an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations celebrates 40 years of grantmaking in Ontario and making a lasting impact in communities. 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. Visit otf.ca to learn more.
