Making our Communities in Northwestern Ontario Better
THUNDER BAY – LIVING – The Tbaytel for Good Community Fund is back for another season. The social giving program for northern Ontario is looking for your good ideas to continue building healthy and strong communities. Today, Tbaytel officially opened the application process for the Tbaytel for Good Community Fund’s Good Schools and Good Community programs with a goal to support inspiring projects in the region while providing solutions to meet community needs.
In 2016, 14 community-based projects were supported and funding was provided to seven successful projects in the spring of 2017, bringing Tbaytel’s total contribution through the Tbaytel for Good Community Fund to $22,500. With such success, this is the second time applications are being accepted for the two programs and Tbaytel is looking to cultivate innovation.
“We’re really hoping the community will embrace innovation by finding opportunities to help meet existing needs in our communities and schools. From mobile health, to educational apps or even giving your organization a technology overhaul to have a greater reach, it’s really about community-powered problem solving,” says Tbaytel president and CEO Dan Topatigh. “The goal is to consider how you can have a positive impact by thinking outside the box. Tbaytel is encouraging submissions that apply imagination to address a challenge and generate a unique solution.”
The Good Schools program supports school-based projects that encourage discovery, readiness to learn and improve learning potential, while the Good Community program offers eligible organizations the opportunity to submit project ideas in five different categories: Animal Welfare, Community & Wellness, Recreation & Culture, Environment, Innovation & Technology. Successful projects last year included a school garden, a safe drinking water project, an after school art collaborative, a food box program and a healthy food options project.
During today’s launch, 11-year-old Taylor Gorrie shared her story of innovation with hopes to inspire submissions. Taylor is the founder of Taylorpedia, an innovative project that identifies kid-friendly businesses, events and locations in the community. To date she has made 200 Taylorpedia certifications. “I want to help educate others on local businesses, while letting every child know that they are important and their opinions do matter,” says Gorrie. “I believe that adults need to see things through a child’s perspective sometimes.”
This past year, Gorrie also launched a program called Safe Zone after getting bullied at school. “It was a sad time for me. I was getting bullied daily and ended up with a broken knee. I didn’t feel supported so I stayed at home,” says Gorrie. “I decided that it was time to help others who might be going through the same thing – bullies included. Safe Zone is a way to provide help and support for kids who need it.”
The Tbaytel for Good Community Fund will provide funding to five school projects and two community projects this fall. For details and to share your good ideas, visit tbaytelforgood.net. The deadline for applications is 12 p.m. on Oct. 10, 2017. Winners will be decided by a selection committee of Tbaytel and community representatives and through online voting.
Get your idea into the mix… visit www.tbaytelforgood.net.
