On Friday, MPP Graydon Smith, Don MacKay, a member of the Ontario Trillium Foundation’s (OTF) Board of Directors and Town of Bracebridge Deputy Mayor, Brenda Rhodes, met with the team at Muskoka Family Focus and Children’s Place (MFF) to congratulate them on work that’s been done with a grant they received in 2020, and a new initiative now underway thanks to a grant they received in 2024 from the provincial government’s OTF. The staff from MFF spoke to the results and plans that are happening as a result of the two grants, which when combined total $363,500.
“I’m excited to hear that the government has invested in children, parents, and families in Bracebridge,” says Parry Sound-Muskoka MPP Graydon Smith. “Muskoka Family Focus and Children’s Place is vital in our community to provide the resources families need. Thank you to the entire staff of Muskoka Family Focus and Children’s Place for their continued efforts in supporting the positive development of children and youth while also providing parents, caregivers, and allied adults the skills to support our young people facing barriers.”
Thanks to a three-year, $173,400 Grow grant awarded in early 2020, MFF has been able to offer an evidence-based, resiliency building program to families throughout Muskoka, and one of the unanticipated results of this was that the group was able to publish a blog called “Parenting in Muskoka” to help parents access supports in the community. Funds from the grant were used to help with staffing costs, as well as providing training and workshops, while also helping with key program and administrative costs.
One hundred per cent of the participants reported that Bounce Back and Thrive had impacted their parenting, giving examples like: “It helped me see that I can help guide, encourage, and connect with my children to be who they are meant to be in this world.” “Being able to identify
triggers and use strategies to manage how I respond based on what I have learned in the program.”
And then earlier this year, MFF learned it was receiving a new, two-year $190,100 Resilient Communities Fund to develop a revenue generating plan to ensure the long-term sustainability of parent education programming for families in Muskoka. Over the next two years, this grant will help with the cost for a program coordinator and four parent education facilitators, as well as with the costs for online licenses, developing new strategies and helping with administrative and program costs as well.
“Providing workshops for parents has been part of meeting MFF’s Mission Statement for over 35 years, and we look forward to continuing that support for the next 35 years,” said Sarah MacKay, Managing Director of MFF.
“Non-profit organizations across Ontario deliver programming that makes a difference,” said Neil Lumsden, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport. “That’s why funding that my ministry is providing through the OTF is so important. Our government wants to ensure that these programs and spaces remain the heart of communities across our province.” The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Ontario government with a mission to build healthy and vibrant communities across the province. Last year, OTF invested more than $110M into 1,044 community projects and multi-sector partnerships. Projects aim to enhance economic well-being, foster more active lifestyles, support child and youth development, provide spaces for people to come together and connect, and create a more sustainable environment. Visit otf.ca to learn more.
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