Charitable organizations can apply for the spring round of grants available through the Chatham-Kent Community Foundation and South Kent Wind Community Fund.

Registered charities in Chatham-Kent can fill out an application and, if accepted, will share in more than a half-million dollars in grants from the two funds.

A total of $574,237 was disbursed in grants to 45 charitable organizations in 2022.

The Chatham Kent Community Foundation is a volunteer-driven organization creating, preserving and growing perpetual funds through donors to financially support registered charitable organizations that impact the community’s development.

The South Kent Wind Community Fund is a donor-advised fund within the Chatham-Kent Community Foundation.

The community fund was created by South Kent Wind LP, a wind power facility owned by Pattern Energy Group and Samsung Renewable Energy, and the Chatham Kent Community Foundation.

The SKWCF began with an initial donation of $1 million in the spring of 2013, and South Kent Wind LP has committed to contributing another $10 million to that fund over 20 years.

For more information and grant applications, go to www.chathamkentcommunityfoundation.ca for complete eligibility details. The application deadline is March 31.

Among the organizations receiving grants in 2022 from the Community Fund of the Chatham Kent Community Foundation were:

- Blenheim Youth Centre ($7,640 to support expenses and summer theme programs)

- The Floyd Foundation for Animal Treatment ($29,521 to subsidize veterinary services for clients who can’t afford them)

- Restorative Justice Chatham-Kent ($23,000 for its Positive Strides program)

- Westover Treatment Centre ($6,000 to replace rooftop heater furnace).

The South Kent Wind Community Fund granted funds to several organizations, including:

- Chatham-Kent Hospice Foundation ($15,000 to purchase a new cuddle/bariatric bed)

- Children’s Treatment Centre Foundation of Chatham-Kent ($6,500 to fund programming and services for the Therapeutic Recreation and Life Links program)

- Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority ($5,340 to fund the creation of native wildflower pollinator gardens at elementary and high schools)

- Chatham-Kent & Lambton Children’s Water Festival ($3,000 for equipment, materials, support for volunteers and promotions).

Organizations receiving grants from the Chatham Kent Community Foundation and The South Kent Wind Community Fund included:

- Reach Out Chatham-Kent (ROCK) Missions ($20,000 to run James St. Drop-in in Wallaceburg)Big Brothers Big Sisters of Chatham-Kent ($26,000 for its Big Bunch life skills program),

- SkaNa Family Learning Centre ($20,000 building repairs to provide indigenous cultural programming for children and families)

- Dresden Sidesstreets Youth Centre ($14,000 to expand operating hours and additional programming)

- New Beginnings ABI & Stroke Recovery Association ($10,846 for new CNC machine)Society of Saint Vincent de Paul-Camp Vincent ($10,000 new bunk bed mattresses).

Michael Bennett, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Ridgetown Independent News