An Ontario Trillium Foundation grant for more than $145,000 has helped St. Peter’s Anglican Church’s support for different sectors of the greater community.

Northumberland-Peterborough South MPP David Piccini was on hand in Cobourg Tuesday afternoon to hear the benefits of that funding through the OTF’s Resilient Communities Fund.

St. Peter’s parishioner Howard Goodfellow said the money enabled St. Peter’s to work with an HVAC specialist to improve air flow on site as a number of community groups use the church for meetings and events.

With St. Peter’s offering overnight shelter during the winter for vulnerable members of the community, money was also used to purchase new kitchen materials, including a large freezer, food preparation equipment, grocery carts, supplies for take home meals as well as equipment for dental and foot care programs. In addition, the church’s meal program, Thursday Night Light, is now serving 100 hot meals weekly and providing members of the community an opportunity to socialize and make friends.

Other funding benefits include upgrades to the church’s wifi and a new digital sign at the front of the property on the side facing King Street. 

The Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations, is celebrating 40 years of grant-making in Ontario. Last year, OTF invested over $110M into 1,022 community projects and partnerships.

“The Ontario Government has and will continue to support members of the community who help those in need,” Piccini said. “With this funding to St. Peter’s Church, impactful programs, like Thursday Night Light will not only be more sustainable, but will be able to reach the most vulnerable in our community.”

Listen here to an interview with St. Peter's Rev. Matthew McMillan: