A local MP says the lives of seniors in the area will be improved by a series of grants announced Wednesday.
New Horizons is funded by the federal government and gives money to organizations to improve or start programs and services for seniors.
More than $185,000 in grants were given to ten different organizations in London.
Susan Truppe, MP for London North Centre, announced the recipients Wednesday at Carrefour des femmes.
Carrefour des femmes offers confidential support to French speaking women. It received the largest amount available from New Horizons. Carrefour des femmes will use its $25,000 grant to improve senior care services.
"[This grant] engages seniors in community events, in activities, teaches them about financial and physical abuse and engages them with the youth," says Truppe.
One organization plans to use its grant to help connect young people and seniors. Youth Opportunities Unlimited wants to spend its $25,000 to start workshops that involve seniors and youth sharing knowledge and experience. The workshops will help train each generation in traditional cooking, singing and computer skills.
"It's an important grant because it's helping seniors and seniors are the backbone of Canada," says Truppe. "We want to make sure they are always looked after and that we are engaging with them so that they aren't alone. It's because of them that Canada is what it is today."
Museum London received more than $23,000 from New Horizons. That money will help get seniors involved in the museum and community based arts projects.
"We'll be looking at how the arts and aging come together and make lives for seniors better," says Brian Meehan, executive director at Museum London.
The museum has plans to create a learning centre that will involve seniors. It will cost $3.5-million and the New Horizon grant will cover the costs of the consultation process with seniors.
"We've done seniors' programming in the past but now baby boomers are retiring and looking for more things to do," says Meehan. "They want to remain culturally active and so this is an opportunity for us to be a service to the community and a service particularly to seniors."
Other programs to be started include recreational events like pickleball games, sessions for seniors to share their biographies, and an education room for arts, dance and music.
Truppe says she hopes to see these programs starting in the next couple of months.
London organizations that are receiving funds:
Centre d'Alphabétisation et documentation de London - $22,850 Fanshawe Pioneer Village - $6,800 Carrefour des femmes du Sud-Ouest de l'Ontario - $25,000 Horton Street Seniors' Centre - $25,000 Museum London - $23,462 OSGA 55+ Southwestern Ontario Regional Games Committee - $8,730 St. Paul's Cathedral - $25,000 Youth Opportunities Unlimited - $25,000 Royal Canadian Legion - Byron-Springbank, Branch 533 - $3,842 Wesley-Knox United Church - $21,653
**This story was written by Brooke Foster, a student in the Broadcast Journalism program at Fanshawe College. Brooke is currently performing an internship with BlackburnNews.com
