Tilson Announces $25,000 Support for Ontario Seniors

In the photo (from left to right): Kim Bradley, President-Elect (Older Adult Centres' Association of Ontario); Debbie Wilson, President (Older Adult Centres' Association of Ontario); David Tilson, M.P. (Dufferin-Caledon); Sue Hesjedahl, Executive Director (Older Adult Centres' Association of Ontario); and Beverley Nurden, Centre Manager (Caledon Seniors' Centre).


BOLTON, ON - Seniors in Ontario will soon have new opportunities to volunteer, mentor younger generations, and help raise awareness of elder abuse thanks to funding through the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP).

David Tilson, Member of Parliament for Dufferin-Caledon, announced the funding at the Caledon Seniors’ Centre, in Bolton, to the Older Adult Centres’ Association of Ontario (OACAO). The Caledon Seniors’ Centre is a member of the OACAO.

The OACAO, founded in 1973 and located in Caledon East, is an incorporated non-profit provincial organization and a registered charity. It is a recognized leader in the development of quality services, resources and supports for its network of community-based older adult centres.

“Our Government recognizes the diversity of skills, knowledge, and experience that seniors contribute to our society and the economy,” said Mr. Tilson. “Through initiatives such as the New Horizons for Seniors Program, we are helping to ensure that seniors maintain a high quality of life and continue as active, participating members of their communities.”

The OACAO will receive $25,000 from the New Horizons for Seniors Program for its project. Through this project, seniors involved with the organization will: increase volunteerism in their community by developing a tool kit with resource modules and run a pilot training session to gain feedback for improvement, set up seven regional events, and develop an interactive web page.

“Our goal for this grant is to build volunteer capacity by strengthening volunteer leadership and resources in Older Adult Centres and seniors organizations across the province of Ontario,” said Sue Hesjedahl, Executive Director of the OACAO. “Senior volunteers play an essential role and this project will provide them with valuable resources such as volunteer recruitment and engagement, resources to run effective special events and fundraisers, and a collection of Best Practices and other helpful tools.”

Since its beginning, the New Horizons for Seniors Program has funded more than 12,200 projects in hundreds of communities across Canada. This year, the Government of Canada will provide more than $33 million in funding for approximately 1,750 community projects.