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Spring 2022 Grant Awards

May 5, 2022

It is a privilege to award funding on behalf of our donors to our community hospices. The response from hospices is immediate and grateful. This past February, we received grant applications from four hospices and were able to fully fund each request. We couldn’t do this without the generous support of our donors.

It is striking to note that 3 of the 4 applications are focused on programs that strengthen the skills and resiliency of unpaid caregivers. It underscores how heavily we rely on these compassionate individuals to fill gaps in our underfunded health care system.

Beth Donovan Hospice $8,000

Beth Donovan Hospice is heavily dependent on volunteers to deliver programming. Their grant will be used to develop and implement an outreach plan to recruit and train 30 new volunteers. By increasing the number of volunteers who can travel to more rural areas, Beth Donovan Hospice hopes to reduce or eliminate wait lists for in-home visiting. In addition, they will develop advanced training for volunteers working with the bereavement program to meet the high demand.

Diane Morrison Hospice at The Ottawa Mission $6,249

It was gratifying to be able to quickly confirm funding for an urgent request from The Diane Morrison Hospice. The hospice was a full capacity this past February when one of their older beds broke beyond repair. They had already applied for funds to purchase a new electric high-low hospital bed. Early confirmation meant that they didn’t have to scramble to secure funding. Hospital beds not only provide comfort to patients but also make it easier for hospice staff to care for their clients.

The Diane Morrison Hospice was also awarded funds to purchase a Portable Oxygen Concentrator. This This vital piece of equipment helps patients with respiratory issues to breathe without having to carry large oxygen tanks.

Home Hospice North Lanark $4,000

Home Hospice North Lanark will stretch their grant monies across a number of programs including training materials for volunteers who visit with people with Alzheimer’s and to add labels to the wonderful hand-knit items crafted by HHNL’s Comfort Crew knitters. These shawls, blankets and socks are added to comfort and grief kits provided clients and caregivers.

The grant helped HHNL to offer a Practical Caregiver Training Course to local caregivers, a series of workshops that is in high demand. Teaching non-paid caregivers practical ways to care for someone is one way of offsetting the stressful burdens of care that over three million non-paid caregivers in Ontario provide every day, and is part of HHNL’s mandate.

Carefor Pembroke Community Palliative Care Program $3,800

The Community Palliative Care Program used OutCare funding to foster connections with caregivers of palliative clients by providing them with Care Kits. The kits include thoughtful items and information to help caregivers on their palliative journey. More importantly, delivery of the kits helps to build stronger personal connections for the caregiver to Carefor and available services. Caregivers gain comfort and confidence knowing that they are not alone on their journey.