In May of 2021, McNally House Hospice received a $15,900 grant over 12 months from the Resilient Communities Fund at the Ontario Trillium Foundation. These funds were used to rebuild and recover from impacts of COVID-19.

With the support of these funds, McNally House was able to purchase Zoom for Healthcare, three new laptops and cameras and program materials. These technical supports enabled the organization to make the switch to online for counselling and supportive programs. These online programs included, caregiver support groups, a variety of bereavement groups, art therapy groups and educational classes.

This grant also provided 48 volunteers and nine staff members with additional training and skills to navigate and overcome the impact of COVID-19.

“This Ontario Trillium Foundation grant allowed us to continue to serve our community during COVID-19. It ensured that caregivers in our community had a safe place to share their experiences and meet with their peers. It provided those who were mourning with access to support groups, wellness groups and one-on-one counselling to aid in their healing,” said Pamela Blackwood, Executive Director of McNally House Hospice. “During a time of isolation, we were able to connect people with the community that they needed.”

Since 2008, McNally House Hospice is a home-like setting that provides 24 hour specialized palliative care, free of charge, to people living with a life-limiting illness, as well as those in their life circle. Although the Ministry of Health provides a portion of funding for our nursing costs, we remain dependent on the generosity of our community to raise the balance of our operating costs. To learn more about the services of McNally House, please visit www.mcnallyhousehospice.com  

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations. Last year, nearly $112M was invested into 1,384 community projects and partnerships to build healthy and vibrant communities and strengthen the impact of Ontario’s non-profit sector. In 2020/21, OTF supported Ontario’s economic recovery by helping non-profit organizations rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19. Visit otf.ca to learn more.