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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, October 20, 2016 | 26 35 | Thursday, October 20, 2016 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com Bridging The Equity Gap Title Pillar Sponsor Better Mental Health Pillar Sponsor Help us create solutions to Oakville's biggest challenges. The equity gap, affordable housing, mental health, equity & inclusion... These issues are all linked and how we address them today will shape the Oakville of tomorrow. You care about this commmunity and you can help ensure a sustainable future. "Caring about the future is what The Foundation does so well. When the Refugee Crisis evolved, they listened to Fundholders' desires to do something. They determined what the community needed, and set up a new Fund that will continue to build long-term support for these new families. They made it possible for people to help as much as they could." Peter and Eve Willis, Fundholders 2016 Creating Vital Solutions Report The gap between Oakville's wealthy and poor is the widest in the Region. Many organizations are working collaboratively to provide greater stability, security and solutions for low ­ and middle-income households. The Foundation's operating grants provided 5,000+ hours of funding to support administrative resources for local agencies such as Acclaim Health, Kerr Street Mission, Oak Park Neighbourhood Centre, Halton Women's Place, Halton Family Services and the Oakville Public Library. 29.4% in number of low-income families in Oakville from 2006-2013 Source: Community Development Halton, Community Lens, May 2015 Mental health issues are common and Oakville has had healthier conversations (destigmatization) and greater movement towards better resource coordination. 14% increase in diversions from emergency room due to Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team Pilot. The program pairs a registered nurse or social worker with a specially trained uniformed police officer to improve the response to people in mental health crisis. Source: Halton Regional Police Service, Mobile Crisis Response Team presentation, February 2016 Start a fund at The Oakville Community Foundation Between 2012 and 2015 Halton Regional Police Service had a 37% increase in the number of calls related to mental health occurrence. Source: Halton Regional Police Service, Mobile Crisis Response Team presentation, February 2016 Building foundations across Oakville In Oakville, the average disposable income for the top 10% of the population was 21 times higher than that of the bottom 10%: the Halton region average is 13 times. Source: Community Development Halton, Community Lens, December 2015 In one area of Oakville, 1 in 10 people between 18 and 64 years old was a working poor individual: double the regional average. Source: Community Development Halton, Community Lens, May 2015 We want to empower you! We want to help you connect with the issues that matter most to you and to give the gift of possibility. Set the priorities for your giving and let us work directly with you to support the charities and causes you care about most. When you start a fund, you become a member of The Foundation's permanent family, joining a group of like-minded individuals and staying informed of what's happening in your community. Contact sarah@theocf.org or 905 844 3562 to start a fund. in partnership with "Today I see no reason why Oakville couldn't be the first town in Canada to fundamentally change for the better our approach to poverty and community well being." Rob Burton, Mayor of Oakville One-Link is a single point of access for doctor referrals to 10 addiction and mental health service providers funded by the Mississauga Halton Local Health Integration Network. 3,982 new clients have been screened; ensuring people are connected to the mental health and addiction supports and services they need Building foundations across Oakville Last year, The Oakville Community Foundation (The Foundation) published our 2015 Vital Signs® report. The Report revealed that Oakville is a community of contrasts, facing four pressing concerns: · The Equity Gap · Housing · Mental Health · Inclusion The Foundation helps the charitable sector work together, better, smarter, and enables better funding of vital work. Having shone a light on our community's needs, the Vital Signs Report has also already served as a catalyst for new collaborations and partnerships in the community and deeper engagement with our Fundholders. The inter-related issues we identified have shaped The Foundation's direction and Strategic Plan for the next three years: Building More Effective Philanthropy. In 2016, we have been focusing on Creating Vital Solutions, as we continue to present information about the issues affecting the quality of life in Oakville. And we reveal a glimpse of what charitable agencies, families, businesses and local governments are doing about them. As we continue to build on what we have learned, we are partnering in an innovative research project with Sheridan College. Through extensive research and collaborative discussions involving not-for-profit organizations, businesses and government, we will identify additional fundable projects that will help address the issues of equity, affordable housing, mental health and equity & inclusion. Housing For Everyone Title Pillar Sponsor From Diversity to Inclusion Title Pillar Sponsor Oakville continues to be an expensive place to live, with fewer rental options and higher house prices than 2015. New housing options and supports are alleviating some of these challenges. The 50% Housing Mix Target was achieved in 2015: 59.5% of new units completed in Oakville were townhouse and apartment units. Source: CMHC Starts and Completions Survey 1996-2015. Oakville is an increasingly diverse community. The time is now to create a community of belonging by removing barriers and empowering each person to reach their full potential. The Foundation has committed to following the principles of reconciliation and in September 2016 signed the The Philanthropic Community's Declaration of Action. In response to the Syrian Refugee Crisis, The Foundation established a new fund: the Oakville Re-Settlement Fund. Initial funding has provided over 130 bus passes since March 2016. We have also made grants to registered charities who are playing a role in refugee re-settlement issues, needs and solutions in Oakville. One in four Oakville residents has a mother tongue other than English or French and 12 per cent reported speaking a language other than English or French most often at home. About 46% of the immigrant population in Halton speaking other languages live in Oakville. Source: Statistics Canada's 2011 Census and Environics Analytics data Oakville's vacancy rate dropped from 1.6% to below 1%. Source: Region of Halton, 2015 State of Housing Report. The cost of renting continues to increase. From 2014 to 2015, the average market rent in Oakville increased 3.1% to $1,303 Source: Region of Halton, 2015 State of Housing Report. $794,540: Average house resale price in Oakville $357,200: affordable housing threshold for the purchase of a house in Halton Region Source: Region of Halton, 2015 State of Housing Report. 4% of all Halton public and catholic students identified as Indigenous Source: "Tell them from me" Survey 2015-16 Halton District School Boards There are currently 38 recently arrived refugee families in Oakville (since November 2015), for a total of 102 people. Source: HMC Connections Learn More. Do More. Give More. Creating Vital Solutions stems from our 2015 Vital Signs® report which is a Vital Program of The Foundation's initiatives, and is generously supported by our Fundholders and Sponsors Title Sponsor First Ontario Credit Union Title Pillar Sponsors Ford Canada Genworth Canada Toronto Pearson Pillar Sponsor Union Gas Fundholders The Larry & Gerry Wilson Fund The Jim & Yola Rager Family Foundation Vital Community Sponsor Cogeco Connexion O'Connor McLeod Hanna LLP United Way of Oakville Community Partners Community Development Halton Halton Poverty Roundtable Halton Region Sheridan College Town of Oakville YMCA of Oakville 410 North Service Rd. E., Ste. 200 Oakville, Ontario L6H 5R2 905 844 3562 | admin@theocf.org Charitable BN: 89193 4374 RR0001 theocf.org For the full report visit