Three critical community groups in North Hastings are set not to receive funding from Hastings County.
The information comes from a Hastings County staff report to be presented at the Nov. 13. Hastings County Community and Human Services Committee meeting.
The report, if approved, would deny funding to North Hastings Children’s Services for their Experience Summer Camp program and Bancroft Community transit who helps those in need access things like doctors appointments and grocery shopping.
It would also deny funding to North Hastings Community Cupboard foodbank for their hot meals program, a program the cupboard says often feeds working families, which in turn allows them to pay their rent.
Bancroft Mayor Paul Jenkins expressed dismay at three critical North Hastings community groups being denied funding.
“BCT helps to transport people that are recipients of other programs. The food bank speaks for itself…and the experience summer camp was an excellent program that really helped a lot of kids.”
Jessica Anderson, Executive Director of North Hastings Children’s Services says that families rely heavily on the camp.
“Families can’t afford it (camp) and we don’t have enough licensed spaces to cover all these children and care for them.”
“We get referrals from CAS, from area schools, from children’s mental health, from Quinte Health. We get referrals for families who need this care. We have Community Integration come and support their clients. We have expertise with children with exceptionalities and extra needs. And so without this program a lot of these children will not have anything to meet these needs in the summer.”
When asked about the reports focus on allocating funds to homelessness prevention, Anderson noted that Experience Camp provides care for families who are struggling now more than ever.
“Families are living paycheck to paycheck and they need to go to work. They don’t work, they don’t get paid, they can’t pay their bills, they can’t afford their rent. It is very straightforward.”
Mayor Jenkins says that he plans on reaching out to the County.
“I’m going to talk to the county just to see what other possibilities there is, now, or down the road. It’s very important and it’s unfortunate that three big programs were not accepted in the North Hastings area.”
The Hastings County staff report notes that Community and Human Services annually allocates community partner grants through both the Provincially funded Homelessness Prevention Program (HPP) and the 100% Municipally funded Community Grants.
Because of the separate funding streams Mayor Jenkins says that $900K in funding that the report approves for North Hastings Inspiration Place would not have come from the community grant pool of funds.
“They’re totally separate. While they come under the same report they’re two different areas. So if we didn’t get that money for the capital (project) it would have no bearing on the other stream.”
The Hastings County Community and Human Services committee votes on the report on November 13. Hastings County mayors will then vote on this decision On Nov. 28.
MooseFM has reached out to Hastings County CAO Connor Dorey but has not heard back at this time.
