OTF Grant Kicks Off Abrigo Revitalization

Media Release

OTF Grant of $110,000 Cooks Up New Kitchen and Safety Measures for Abrigo 

TORONTO, ON (June 3, 2021) – While the clients and volunteers in Abrigo’s Life and Hope seniors’ program have be under pandemic lockdown, something has been cooking at their beloved agency. Thanks to a $110,000 Capital grant awarded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) in 2019, volunteers within that program will soon be able to take their culinary skills to unprecedented heights with the installation of a new working kitchen at the venerable Dufferin Street location. Seniors will also feel a sense of extra protection with the addition of improved safety features in and outside of the building.

“The investment of the Ontario Trillium Foundation for a new kitchen will make a significant impact on Abrigo’s ability to improve and expand seniors’ programming,” said Marit Stiles, MPP for Davenport. “The Life and Hope program is a shining star in our community. The pandemic has forced clients to stay home for far too long but the program is one of the true bright lights in Davenport. Abrigo makes a huge difference in the lives of so many seniors in Toronto.”

For years, volunteers with the Life and Hope program prepared meals without the use of a proper stove. Despite doing an admiral job, they were limited in what could be prepared. The new kitchen will help eliminate the reliance on external vendors most days. Additional safety features such as new fire doors and an external staircase out of the building were part of the project to ensure that everyone would be able to exit safely in case of an emergency.

“For far too long, our wonderful seniors’ program has been making the best out of a less than ideal situation,” said Ed Graca, Abrigo’s Executive Director.  “This OTF grant signals a real shift forward in our ability to provide our clients with proper meals plus deliver programming that is unmatched in the city. We’ve reached another milestone in Abrigo’s history thanks to the Ontario Trillium Foundation’s generosity. I can’t wait to have our clients safely back. When we do, we are going to have one massive Grand Opening celebration.”

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Government of Ontario and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations. OTF awarded $115 million to 644 projects last year to build healthy and vibrant communities in Ontario.

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Media Contact:

Gerald Luciano

Manager, Fundraising and Communications

416-534-3434 ext. 247

gluciano@abrigo.ca