Toronto, ON: The Community Head Injury Resource Services (CHIRS) provides a wide range of services to clients with acquired brain injury (ABI). Individuals with ABI often face social isolation and have difficulties accessing support systems, and the pandemic has intensified this. COVID-19 meant that CHIRS staff needed to find new ways to stay engaged with clients and pivot to develop virtual programming. To help with this work and returning to in-person services, in late 2020, CHIRS received a $16,000 Resilient Communities Fund grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation to support those priorities.

"I want to congratulate the Community Head Injury Resources Services for the $16,000 they have been granted to support in-person virtual services by purchasing PPE and enhancing online capabilities," said Stan Cho, MPP for Willowdale. "These investments go a long way to improve the quality of life for people living with a brain injury and for that, we say thank you."

The Resilient Communities Fund grant, designed to help non-profits rebound and recover from the impact of COVID-19, has supported CHIRS in its shift to virtual programming. It's provided technical equipment that enable staff to work remotely and ensure clients could stay connected to their supports. It has helped put the right technology in the right hands at the right time - helping everyone stay connected.

The grant also made it possible for CHIRS to purchase equipment necessary to move towards a safe re-opening. Prior to the pandemic, the CHIRS Club was a much-loved and well-used hub for clients. The Resilient Communities Fund grant has smoothed the way to a safer re-opening by funding plexi-glass barriers and masks that allow lip reading, so useful for clients with communication challenges. We cannot wait to reopen the doors and welcome everyone back.

CHIRS is very grateful to the Ontario Trillium Foundation for the very timely and essential resources made available through the Resilient Communities Fund grant program. For more information, please visit: www.chirs.com

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada's leading granting foundations. Last year, nearly $112M was invested into 1,384 community projects and partnerships to build healthy and vibrant communities and strengthen the impact of Ontario's non-profit sector. In 2020/21, OTF supported Ontario's economic recovery by helping non-profit organizations rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19. Visit otf.ca to learn more. 

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