The Ontario government is making a major cash injection into programs for seniors across the Quinte region.
Bay of Quinte MPP Tyler Allsopp announced $80,800 in funding for four programs across the region, as part of the Seniors Community Grants Program. He made the announcement during a media event at the Humane Society Hastings Prince Edward’s Belleville shelter on Friday morning.
Out of that funding allotment, $25,000 will go to the Humane Society Hastings Prince Edward’s Rescue Companionship Program, $25,000 for Prince Edward County’s “Purposeful Partnerships, a DementiAbility-informed Volunteer Buddy Program,” $23,000 for the Mood Disorders Society of Canada’s veteran support program, and the remaining $7,800 for the Prince Edward County Public Library’s Stories Across Prince Edward County program.
Each of these four initiatives seeks to connect seniors in the community with opportunities for greater social inclusion, volunteerism, and community engagement.
Speaking at the event, MPP Allsopp said that the province is working to keep seniors connected to the community as they age.
“Social isolation for seniors is public enemy number one,” said Allsopp. “Because what happens is when seniors become isolated, it means that they’re cut off from their communities, they don’t have the supports that they need, and people don’t make sure that they’re keeping up with their medication or their activity and things of that nature. We see that they decline much more quickly when they’re not connected to the community.”
Since the program began in 2018, the province has invested more than $40 million in over 2100 seniors community grants.
