A lesser-known element of what we do at London Community Foundation is harnessing the power of finance for positive change through impact investing, creating meaningful change within the community through our Social Impact Fund.
Read MoreThe Varkey family moved to London in 1973, and have been putting down deep roots in the city ever since. “London has been very good to us, so it’s important for us to be able to give back to London,” says Joe, who established the Varkey Family Fund with London Community Foundation in 2022.
Read MoreFive organizations that are addressing London’s most pressing issues received over $1 million in grants from London Community Foundation’s Community Vitality Grant program. Funded by LCF’s Community Fund, this program supports high-impact, innovative, and collaborative initiatives that tackle issues identified in the Foundation’s Vital Signs report.
Read MoreIn 2022, LEN launched the Nonprofit Resiliency Project (NRP) to support low-income nonprofit organizations in London that provide housing for underprivileged individuals. The two-year $200,000 grant from the Community Vitality Grant program will allow LEN to propel its projects and maximize their environmental, social and economic impact.
Read MoreStrong Start provides programs and services aimed at helping children learn to read and acquire essential early literacy skills. The two-year $65,000 Community Vitality grant will enable Strong Start to make necessary changes to ensure that the program materials are more inclusive and representative of the diverse children, volunteers, and school communities served by Strong Start.
Read MoreIn London, Sakeenah has provided shelter along with essential support and services to women and children since it opened in February 2021. The two-year $245,593 Community Vitality grant will support Sakeenah in providing sheltering in its London home and remote casework services for women from diverse cultural, racial, and religious backgrounds who require safety and support.
Read MoreUnity Project operate with a peer-supported community model that aims to address the homelessness crisis, and they are recognized as leaders in adapting Housing First principles in emergency situations. The three-year $270,000 grant will support Unity Project’s indoor and outdoor Housing First emergency shelter program as they transition to new facilities.
Read MoreAlong with ten environmental partners such as the Ontario Farmland Trust and the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority, they’re reaching out to landowners across Elgin, Middlesex, Oxford, and Perth Counties with a mission to work with local communities to protect, conserve, and restore nature and food production systems. The grant will support TTLT and its partners in identifying a target of 5,000 local landowners to engage in the project which hopes to establish 18 new Conservation Easement Agreements (CEAS), resulting in the protection of over 1,000 acres.
Read More2,000. That is the average number of people who will be homeless tonight and on most nights in London. What sets London apart is our “whole” community response, and that we also have a family who cares enough to put millions of dollars into helping people get off the street and into safe housing.
Read MoreFood security is an urgent issue that demands attention, and in London and Middlesex County, this concern is particularly pressing. To take action, LCF and our donors have been actively engaged in addressing the issue of food security in our community. In 2022, The Acorn Fund for Youth supported LIFE*SPIN's London Promotes Health and Wellness (LPHW) program, providing crucial aid to pregnant and nursing moms.
Read MoreReplacing a CEO is always a challenge for an organization, but when It’s someone as accomplished as Martha Powell, who has achieved so much in her time with LCF, the task is even greater. For that reason, I’m pleased to say that Helen Connell has started in the role of Interim Acting CEO.
Read MoreEileen Ruebsam passed away in 2018 having never established a fund or even made a donation to London Community Foundation, but she was watching us keenly and felt strongly about what we do. Imagine our surprise then, when we found out that Eileen had left us over $1.9 million of unrestricted money towards our Community Fund in her will.
Read MoreLCF recently loaned $400,000 to United Way Oxford, for a transitional housing project in Tillsonburg that really speaks to the importance of strong partnerships, and how quickly change can be made when everyone pulls in the same direction.
Read MoreYears ago I used to drive past London Community Foundation (LCF) and think about how lovely it would be to work there. Now, having spent over twenty years here, I can say it has fulfilled and surpassed my hopes and expectations. So, it is with mixed emotions that I share the news of my upcoming retirement with you, with my time at LCF coming to an end on June 30th.
Read MoreOn Tuesday February 28, City Council unanimously approved a transformational plan to tackle homelessness in our community backed by a $25 million donation from an anonymous donor family.
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