Emergency Community Support Fund
2020 was marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, which continues to have a disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable in our communities. In response, the Government of Canada partnered with United Ways, the Canadian Red Cross and the Community Foundations of Canada to help distribute the Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF). As long-time funders and organizations with knowledge of local issues, these organizations were best-suited to assist with this initiative. The ECSF was funded by the Government of Canada.
In Simcoe Muskoka, UWSM distributed more than $1.7 million to 61 local charities to assist these critical organizations in adapting their programs and services during the coronavirus pandemics. The charities in Simcoe Muskoka provide critical services in our communities. For more than 60,000 Simcoe Muskoka residents living in poverty, these organizations can be life-saving. However, with the pandemic harming individuals and organizations like charities alike, these organizations were in danger of closing their doors without programs like the ECSF in 2020 – some still had to, and others now face that prospect in 2021.