Social Sustainability Fund
Fueling people, ideas, and partnerships that drive lasting community change.
The Social Sustainability Fund (SSF) is a community-driven initiative designed to address the most pressing social needs across City of Kawartha Lakes (COKL). Seeded by the City of Kawartha Lakes and administered by the Kawartha Community Foundation, the fund provides targeted investments that strengthen community wellbeing, improve access to essential supports, and empower local organizations to deliver innovative solutions.
In its first year alone, the fund demonstrated the power of collaborative investment—supporting nine projects that address food insecurity, youth mental health, newcomer integration, housing stability, and community connection.
By supporting the Social Sustainability Fund, donors help create a flexible, community-responsive funding source that enables local organizations to act quickly and effectively when new challenges emerge. Every contribution helps expand the fund’s ability to support impactful programs that improve quality of life and build a stronger, more resilient Kawartha Lakes.
Together, we are investing in solutions that ensure everyone in our community has the opportunity to thrive.
Funds to help address:
Poverty & Housing Supports
(Relief of Poverty, No Poverty, Poverty Reduction, and Housing)
Food Security & Nutrition Supports
(Zero Hunger and Food Security)
Mental Health & Wellness Supports
(Good Health, Mental Well-being, and Addictions)
Equity, Inclusion & Diversity Supports
(Reduced Inequalities and Diversity and Inclusion)
2025 Grant Awards
Breaking Bread – John Howard Society of the Kawarthas
Supported by an $8,000 SSF grant, this initiative provides nutritious meals at the Community Integrated Care Hub in Lindsay while connecting individuals experiencing homelessness to housing, mental health, and social supports. The program uses shared meals as a starting point to build trust and create pathways to recovery and stability.
Learn More: John Howard Society of the Kawarthas
Encampment Nutritional Support – A Place Called Home
Supported by an $8,101 Social Sustainability Fund grant, A Place Called Home provides high-protein, nonperishable food to individuals experiencing homelessness in encampments across City of Kawartha Lakes. The initiative addresses immediate food insecurity while building trust and connecting individuals with housing, health, and community supports that foster stability and wellbeing.
Learn More: A Place Called Home | Support and Shelter
Summit Wellness Centre Kitchen Expansion - Coboconk & Area Food back
Supported by a $5,000 Social Sustainability Fund grant, the Coboconk & Area Food Bank is expanding its capacity to serve northern communities in City of Kawartha Lakes. Funding helps equip the commercial kitchen at the Summit Wellness Centre, enabling bulk food preparation, large-scale meal programs, and cooking classes that promote nutrition, health, and community connection.
Learn More: Coboconk & Area Food Bank
Kawartha Lakes Youth Wellbeing Initiative – CHIMO Youth & Family Services
Supported by a $6,000 Social Sustainability Fund grant, this initiative strengthens youth mental health and wellbeing across Kawartha Lakes through the Youth Engagement Community of Practice. The project empowers youth voices through surveys, workshops, and a Teen Wellness Fair while helping local agencies better coordinate services and improve support pathways for young people.
Learn More: CHIMO Youth & Family Services | Empowering Young Lives
STEAM Discovery Days – Pinnguaq Foundation
To work with Kawartha Conservation, Trent-Severn Waterway, and Kawartha Lakes to restore overgrown areas and preserve natural areas. Support private landowners by providing resources to help preserve natural areas or return developed areas to natural spaces.
Welcoming Wellness – Community Care City of Kawartha Lakes
Supported by an $8,400 Social Sustainability Fund grant, Community Care City of Kawartha Lakes launched the Welcoming Wellness initiative in City of Kawartha Lakes. The program creates inclusive spaces that support mental health, connection, and overall wellbeing, helping community members access supportive programs that foster belonging and improve quality of life.
Learn More: Wellness Programs - Community Care City of Kawartha Lakes
Settlement & Community Connection Project - New Canadian Centre
Supported by a $10,000 Social Sustainability Fund grant, New Canadians Centre expanded newcomer settlement supports in City of Kawartha Lakes by providing dedicated service hours at Victoria County Career Services in Lindsay, Ontario. The project helps newcomer families access settlement guidance, employment resources, and community services while building connections that foster belonging and successful integration into the community.
Learn More: New Canadians Centre — NCC Peterborough & Cobourg
Hub & Grub Community Meal Program – The Fenelon Falls Salvation Army
Supported by a $6,000 Social Sustainability Fund grant, The Salvation Army Community and Family Services delivers the weekly Hub & Grub meal program in Fenelon Falls, Ontario. The initiative provides hot meals while connecting individuals facing food insecurity and isolation to housing, mental health, and community supports, creating pathways toward stability and belonging.
Learn More: Homepage - The Salvation Army
Supporting Children’s Extracurricular Activities – Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Foundation
Supported by a $2,119 Social Sustainability Fund grant, Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Foundation is helping children and youth in City of Kawartha Lakes access extracurricular activities that build confidence, skills, and social connection. The initiative reduces financial barriers so more young people can participate in sports, arts, and community programs that support healthy development and inclusion.
Learn More: Kawartha-Haliburton Children's Foundation, KHCF (Registered Charity)
Funding for this grant is provided by the City of Kawartha Lakes, held with the Community Foundation of Kawartha Lakes.
