A representative of local MPP Will Bouma met with the team at SOAR Community Services (also known as St. Leonard Community Services) to hear more about the $198,600 Resilient Communities Fund from the provincial government’s Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) on Friday, May 2, 2025.
The grant was used to provide quality, integrated counselling and case management for vulnerable individuals struggling with substance use, mental health, and homelessness.
“SOAR Community Services has been helping the most vulnerable with support in the areas of Employment, Housing, Justice, Addictions and Mental Health for over 55 years,” said Will Bouma, MPP for Brantford-Brant. “This OTF grant will help with enhancing quality, integrated counselling, case management for individuals struggling with substance use, mental health and homelessness. I am pleased to be a part of a government that will help support the most vulnerable to achieve their vision of independence, health and well-being.”
Thanks to this OTF grant, SOAR Community Services launched a targeted initiative to strengthen its counselling and case management programs for individuals with complex needs related to mental health, substance use, and homelessness. The grant allowed SOAR to expand service delivery and ensured continuity of care during a time of increased community need. Since June 2023, SOAR has been able to support 270 community members using these grant funds.
“This funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation has been essential for the Brantford-Brant community, filling a gap in the care continuum” said Kim Baker, Executive Director of SOAR Community Services. “It has allowed us to strengthen our ability to support individuals facing complex challenges with substance use, mental health, and housing instability. With this support, we’ve been able to offer more coordinated care and responsive programming, helping people regain stability and move forward to live healthier lives.”
SOAR Community Services is a non-profit organization that has offered support in the City of Brantford, Brant County, and Haldimand County for more than 55 years. We provide a broad range of comprehensive and coordinated services across employment, housing, justice, mental health, and addictions. Over the course of a year, we provide support to approximately 11,000 people through over 120,000 points of contact, demonstrating the impact we have on the community. Visit soarcs.ca to learn more.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. Visit otf.ca to learn more.
