The York Region Community Action Table (CAT) wants to hear your ideas of how to improve Newmarket and create positive change in the community.
In partnership with United Way of Greater Toronto, CAT is awarding "quick action grants" to residents and agencies in central Newmarket. Five $1,000 grants will be awarded to resident initiatives and one $10,000 grant for an agency initiative.
"This funding is really to say to anyone 'you have an idea but funding is in the way, we want to be able to support you with this so that we can actually get some action going in the community to make a difference,'" said Shauna Eisen, manager of community engagement for the Canadian Mental Health Association and CAT coordinator.
Agency initiatives must be completed within a year of receiving the grant, while resident initiatives must be completed within a three-month timeline.
Both grant initiatives must address mental well-being and housing stability, the issues chosen by CAT as being a priority for central Newmarket.
The borders of central Newmarket are Yonge Street, London Street, Main Street and Davis Drive.
Residents can request funding for initiatives like workshops related to a community wellness day, to community gatherings like a barbecue or musical event or any other ideas that align with the priority issues.
You don't have to have attended previous CAT meetings, said Eisen, and anybody who has ideas is encouraged to apply.
"We're even happy to support them completing application forms and going through that process and supporting them because we really want the ideas to come from the community themselves, from the residents so that we can make sure that whatever we're doing is actually meaningful."
Three rounds of grants will be awarded in 2022 and if an application is not successful the first time around, said Eisen, CAT is happy to provide feedback and support for applications in the next round.
"These priorities, these initiatives, everything about this is by the community, for the community. This is a local approach. This is not anyone coming in and saying 'this is what you need,' this is people coming in and saying 'we want to support you, what do you need?'. . . You are the experts, you know your community so come to us with your ideas. . . and we want to provide that support," said Eisen.
The Community Safety and Well-Being Plan is a provincial initiative adopted in 2021 wherein specific regions were tasked with identifying local neighbourhoods that are vulnerable and who could use support.
In York Region, the four neighbourhoods identified are central Newmarket, northern Georgina, south-central Richmond Hill and south-central Markham.
CAT, formed in October 2021, is a committee made up of a broad spectrum of individuals and agencies from within those communities — including residents, schools and libraries, small businesses, faith-based organizations and the municipalities — whose aim is to implement the community safety and well-being plan.
In previous CAT meetings, mental wellness and housing stability were identified as priorities within central Newmarket. Sub-committees were created to focus on things like neighbourhood safety, housing rights, feelings of belonging and acceptance and other issues related to the main priorities.
Application forms for the second round will be accepted from April 1 to 31. Forms can be found on the Canadian Mental Health Association website.
Information sessions will be available throughout March. Questions can be sent directly to Shauna Eisen.