In recognition of the financial hardships faced by local community projects in Ontario during the nearly two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group has launched a new charity funding initiative.
Commonwell Mutual’s new initiative is called L.E.A.F. – Learning and Engagement Accelerator Fund. The fund will see the insurer provide a total of $1 million to 21 community projects across the regions of Eastern, Central and Western Ontario where the insurer serves.
According to Commonwell Mutual, the 21 community projects were selected through an online nomination and submission process that concluded in December.
“We were overwhelmed with over 120 applications requesting over $5 Million for this inaugural year of L.E.A.F. Fund grants,” said Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group president and CEO Tim Shauf. “We couldn’t think of a more important way to give back to our communities than by supporting these important local causes that give residents food, exercise, education and entertainment.”
Projects to be funded by the insurer include the building of a new skatepark at Alexandria; a community fridge project in Innisfil that would enable the public to access safe, fresh food; the inclusion of a STEM-aligned touch screen device for a local library in Parry Sound; and the creation of a career preparation and training facility in Port Elgin, among many others.
Last year, Commonwell Mutual launched “SEEDit,” an initiative that saw the insurer grant 2,000 Ontario families with $50 SEEDit certificates each, which will allow them to purchase fruit and vegetable plants and seeds from 19 garden centres across the province. The program was designed to resolve food security issues, and Commonwell Mutual also encouraged participants to “pay it forward” by offering their extra produce to local food banks or their neighbours in need.
