Grant Provides Hope and Healing for York Region’s Young People Experiencing Grief

Newmarket, ON – Last Month, MPP Dawn Gallagher Murphy stopped in at Bereaved Families of Ontario-York Region (BFOYR) and spoke with them about the impact that the group’s $95,100 Resilient Communities Fund is having on their work. The grant, awarded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) earlier this year, has made a significant impact on BFOYR’s work to move beyond the impacts of COVID-19.

“Great organizations like BFOYR are greatly needed by our community members, pre-pandemic, during the pandemic, and moving forward,” said Dawn Gallagher Murphy, MPP for Newmarket—Aurora. “I would like to thank the staff, board members, and the volunteers for all they do to provide support programs for those experiencing the loss of a loved one. I am proud of this initiative by our government to provide this grant to BFOYR so they can continue being accessible to the grieving needs of our community members.”

Over the course of the pandemic, there has been a significant increase in the need for accessible and inclusive grief and bereavement peer support programs across all ages, including children and youth. Thanks to the OTF grant, BFOYR has delivered essential programs for children, youth, adults, seniors, and community groups free of charge. Funds from the grant were used specifically to help with rental space at its Gorham Street and Leslie Street locations, as well as staffing and administrative costs, and purchasing art supplies, easels, some technical equipment and tables and chairs as well.

“We are a fully inclusive, safe space for every community member who needs hope and healing as they learn how to navigate their very personal journey of grief after the death of a loved one.  Our kind, compassionate team is truly dedicated to timely support when you need it.  We are so grateful to OTF for this funding which allows us to expand our peer support programs to now include grief healing for children and youth,” said Barbara Bathurst, Executive Director of Bereaved Families of Ontario-York Region.

Bereaved Families of Ontario-York Region (BFOYR) has been serving the York Region community for over 30 years thanks to a team of trained volunteers, staff, and a very dedicated Board of Directors.  Every member of the BFOYR team is dedicated to ensuring timely grief healing peer support after a loved one passes away.  For more information about our grief healing peer support programs, contact us at 905-898-6265 or visit our website at www.bfoyr.com. Likewise, to arrange a community based “Navigating Our Grief” workshop for children and youth in schools, please contact Carmen West, Children & Youth Intake Coordinator at outreach@bfoyr.com.  For additional information about supports for adults/seniors in your workplace or community group; please contact Katherine Ho, Program Coordinator at programs@bfoyr.com. The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF), an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations celebrates 40 years of grant-making in Ontario and making a lasting impact in communities. Last year, OTF invested nearly $209M into 2,042 community projects and partnerships, which included funding for the Government of Ontario’s Community Building Fund. Visit otf.ca to learn more.