$24,400 OTF Capital Grant from the Province Helps Rose of Sharon Increase Program Space for Pregnant and Parenting Youth
November 21, 2025
Newmarket, ON – On Friday, MPP Dawn Gallagher Murphy visited the office for the Rose of Sharon Services for Young Mothers to hear firsthand how a $24,400 Capital grant from the provincial government’s Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) has improved its capacity to deliver free supportive programs. The grant, awarded this summer, has funded a full lighting retrofit to energy-efficient LED fixtures, ensuring brighter, safer and more accessible program spaces for pregnant and parenting youth.
“Our government is proud to support Rose of Sharon with this $24,400 Ontario Trillium Foundation Capital grant,” said Dawn Gallagher Murphy, MPP for Newmarket—Aurora. “This investment is helping expand safe, accessible program space so Rose of Sharon can continue empowering young mothers with the support, stability, and hope they need to build a stronger future for themselves and their children.”
Rose of Sharon supports approximately 300 pregnant and parenting young mothers and their children each year through free counselling, high school, parenting programs, child minding, and food security supports. Prior to the retrofit, outdated fluorescent systems were malfunctioning and had stopped working in multiple spaces across the building, limiting the number of rooms available for programming, counselling, and educational services.
“Over the course of a year, we provide free services to about 300 young mothers and their children,” said Deanne Kukulewich, Executive Director. “Our fluorescent lighting systems had deteriorated to the point where entire areas of the building were unusable. Some clients, volunteers, and staff were experiencing headaches, eye strain, and discomfort from flickering fixtures. Thanks to this OTF Capital grant, we were able to retrofit with energy-efficient LED lighting throughout the building. Not only will this reduce operating costs, it increases the number of rooms we can safely use for programs and our onsite high school.”
Rose of Sharon worked with Efficient Eco Solutions to complete the lighting retrofit and is very pleased with both the quality and affordability of the upgrade.
About Rose of Sharon: Rose of Sharon Services for Young Mothers provides free supportive and educational programs to pregnant and parenting youth and their children across York Region. Services include high school education on-site, counselling, prenatal education, parenting and child development workshops, food insecurity supports and practical resources for young families. To learn more, volunteer, or make a donation, visit www.roseofsharon.com
About the Ontario Trillium Foundation: The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Ontario government with a mission to build healthy and vibrant communities across the province. Last year, OTF invested nearly $105M into 732 community projects and multi-sector partnerships. Projects aim to enhance economic well-being, foster more active lifestyles, support child and youth development, provide spaces for people to come together and connect, and create a more sustainable environment.