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Trillium grant helps CONTACT Community Services expand volunteer programs

March 5, 2026   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

CONTACT Community Services received a Resilient Communities Fund grant of $151,600 from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, which has helped the organization to strengthen and expand its volunteer programs across South Simcoe.

MPP for York-Simcoe, Caroline Mulroney, met with representatives from CONTACT on Thursday, Feb. 26, to congratulate them on the work they have done over the past two years under this grant.

“This investment from the Ontario Trillium Foundation helps organizations like CONTACT build stronger, more resilient programs that meet community needs,” MSS Mulroney said. “Enhancing volunteer recruitment, training, and coordination ensures that CONTACT can continue delivering compassionate, high-impact services to the people who need them most.”

This investment has helped CONTACT build a more resilient, community-driven support network by improving volunteer recruitment, training, and engagement opportunities.

With support from the OTF grant, CONTACT has enhanced its training and resources that empower volunteers to deliver essential services.

Funds from the grant were used to help hire a Volunteer Coordinator, provide training opportunities, and help with administrative costs.

Volunteers play a vital role in CONTACT’s mission to support individuals and families through crisis, connection, and community programming. The grant CONTACT received has provided volunteers with the tools, guidance, and support needed to continue serving the community with compassion and confidence.

“This OTF grant has allowed us to build the foundation for a stronger volunteer culture at CONTACT,” said Tina de los Santos, executive director of CONTACT. “Our volunteers are at the heart of everything we do, and this funding ensures we can continue to grow, support, and recognize the incredible individuals who give their time to help our community thrive.”

CONTACT Community Services is a registered charity with a 49-year history of proactively addressing changing social needs.

“Volunteering with CONTACT has always been meaningful, but the new training and support have made it even more rewarding,” said Joanne Malcolm, CONTACT volunteer. “I feel better equipped, more connected, and more confident in the work I do. It’s amazing to see the organization investing in volunteers the same way volunteers invest in the community.”

As a community-based agency with multiple locations in rural communities, CONTACT programs meet the needs of over 3,500 families, adults, seniors, and youth from all cultural, social, and economic backgrounds every year.

It provides support to some of South Simcoe’s most vulnerable residents by helping them access vital services, including housing supports, employment services, and community engagement. 

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