For a better quality of life and a more connected, resilient and vibrant society, community projects lay the foundation. Now, 31 of them in Ontario, British Columbia and Atlantic Canada have received funding thanks to RTOERO’s annual community grants campaign.
Since 1968, RTOERO has been a voice for teachers, school and board administrators, educational support staff and college and university faculty in their retirement. We aim to improve the lives of our members and all Canadian seniors.
“Our members are active in contributing to the wellbeing of the places where they live, all across Canada. By partnering with local organizations, with grants and practical support, RTOERO districts engage in grassroots community building,” says John Cappelletti, chair of the board at RTOERO.
Each year, a committee of RTOERO members assesses the merits of each grant submission from among the organization’s 51 districts. Projects touch on everything from environmental sustainability, to healthy and accessible communities.
Since the inception of the community grants program 25 years ago, RTOERO has donated over $2.1 million to 650 programs and projects.
The full list of the 2024 community grants:
- District 1 Rainy River: $4,000 to update the Rainy River Public Library’s collection of large-print books after a two-year closure and major relocation project.
- District 3 Algoma: $4,000 to support Friends of the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library with outreach and engagement.
- District 4 Sudbury & Manitoulin: $4,000 to support Café Heritage’s creation of recorded interviews with retired educators, highlighting their diverse experiences and celebrating their rich legacy.
- District 5 Cochrane & Temiskaming: $3,927 to Temiskaming Shores Seniors’ Housing to improve safety and security in support of the overall well-being of residents.
- District 6 Parry Sound: $4,000 to fund upgrades and extensions to the Almaguin Community Trail system.
- District 8 London Middlesex: $4,000 to support Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of London in providing free books every month for children ages 0-5 across the community.
- District 9 Huron-Perth: $4,000 to pilot a program from the Local Community Food Centre offering seniors hands-on cooking experiences and the chance to learn new recipes tailored to their nutritional needs.
- District 10 Bruce Grey & Dufferin: $4,000 to the Upper Grand District School Board’s Special Olympics to encourage participation in sporting activities while fostering inclusion across the community. (Joint project with District 31 Wellington, which also donated $4,000.)
- District 12 Norfolk: $4,000 to sponsor the Norfolk Musical Arts Festival.
- District 13 Hamilton-Wentworth & Haldimand: $4,000 to bring Smile Theatre performances to Hamilton Health Sciences.
- District 15 Halton: $4,000 to purchase a weatherproof storage container for Cycling without Age to expand access to their programming.
- District 16 City of Toronto: $4,000 to Expanding Connections to grow their programming to reduce social isolation and increase engagement among older adults.
- District 19 Hastings & Prince Edward: $3,100 to fund a new park bench and tree the Village of Wellington.
- District 20 Frontenac Lennox & Addington: $4,000 to sponsor the Seniors and Law Enforcement Together (SALT) workshop series, providing crime prevention and community safety education for rural and isolated seniors.
- District 21 Renfrew: $4,000 to extend the services of the Community Paramedic Program and support aging in place.
- District 22 Etobicoke & York: $3,975 to sponsor three citizen science Measure UP! events.
- District 23 North York: $4,000 to the Toronto Botanical Garden to target biodiversity loss and promote enjoyment of nature.
- District 25 Stormont Dundas Glengarry: $4,000 to purchase an emergency generator for Glen Cairn Lodge.
- District 27 Ottawa-Carleton: $4,000 to facilitate a creative educational program that sparks conversations with students about aging.
- District 30 Northumberland: $4,000 to create a therapeutic Wind Phone Garden for Ed’s House Northumberland Hospice Care Centre.
- District 31 Wellington: $4,000 to the Upper Grand District School Board’s Special Olympics to encourage participation in sporting activities while fostering inclusion across the community. (Joint project with District 10 Bruce Grey & Dufferin, which also donated $4,000.)
- District 32 Prescott-Russell: $4,000 to support the new Prescott and Russell Residence’s Lift Me Up Campaign to install state-of-the-art patient lifts.
- District 35 Dryden: $4,000 to support mental and physical health initiatives and events for the Red Lake Age-Friendly Group.
- District 36 Peterborough: $3,250 to help Volunteer Peterborough create and launch a brochure to connect new residents with volunteer opportunities.
- District 38 Lambton: $4,000 to fund four Lambton Elderly Outreach programs to combat social isolation for residents over 60.
- District 40 Brant: $4,000 to expand Brant for Nature’s outdoor recreation, education and conservation programming.
- District 42 Mainland British Columbia: $4,000 to the Richmond Presbyterian Church for chime choir equipment
- District 44 Franco-Nipissing: $4,000 to support Les Compagnons des Francs Loisirs in hosting a series of activities tailored to the francophone seniors’ community in the North Bay area.
- District 47 Vancouver Island: $4,000 to the Project Watershed Society to develop a field-based environmental education and stewardship program for students.
- District 48 Leeds & Grenville: $4,000 to support local students facing food insecurity with St Vincent de Paul’s Weekender Program for Kids.
- District 50 Atlantic: $4,000 to Twin Oaks Memorial hospital for medical recliners.
RTOERO is a bilingual trusted voice on healthy, active living in the retirement journey for the broader education community. With 85,000+ members in 51 districts across Canada, we are the largest national provider of non-profit group health benefits for education retirees. We welcome members who work in or are retired from the early years, schools and school boards, post-secondary and any other capacity in education. We believe in a better future, together!
