Toronto, ONTARIO – On Friday, December 6th, MPP Chris Glover and MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam met with the team at Jumpstart Refugee Talent (Jumpstart) to hear how their $194,700 Resilient Communities grant from the provincial government’s Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) has made an impact. The two-year long grant, awarded in 2022, was used to support Jumpstart in its effort to move beyond the impacts of the pandemic by providing needed resources and technology for its staff to adapt programming and services that continue to meet the needs of refugee communities.

“This Resilient Communities Fund grant given through the Ontario Trillium Foundation has enabled Jumpstart Refugee Talent to continue their work empowering refugees to find their careers in Canada,” said Kristyn Wong-Tam, MPP for Toronto Centre. “I am excited to see Jumpstart provide even more services that support their clients in the long run for a more resilient community.”

Thanks to the grant, Jumpstart was able to increase its accessibility by fully adapting all programming to be remote, in response to the needs of staff, clients, and volunteers at the time. Jumpstart has also invested in cloud-based technologies to deliver virtual programming, provided professional development training to its staff, and hired staff to engage 1,000+ clients more closely through needs assessment and career readiness programming.

“Jumpstart does incredible work empowering refugees through meaningful employment and entrepreneurial opportunities,” said Chris Glover, MPP for Spadina-Fort York. “They’ve made a profound impact on the lives of over 2,000 refugees. They’ve provided countless successful programs. Every person living in this province has the right to find meaningful employment and the resources to achieve their full potential. We all benefit from programs like these.”

“COVID-19 significantly impacted vulnerable populations, especially refugees, and the organizations serving them,” said Malaz Sebai, Director of Operations, Jumpstart Refugee Talent. “OTF support was critical to adapting our programming and building our organizational resilience so we can better support the economic inclusion of refugees for years to come.”

Jumpstart Refugee Talent is a refugee-led charitable organization, headquartered in Toronto with a network of offices throughout Canada and around the world. Its work is dedicated to support the economic inclusion of refugees, refugee claimants, and forcibly displaced individuals, by connecting them with meaningful employment and entrepreneurial opportunities.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Ontario government with a mission to build healthy and vibrant communities across the province. Last year, OTF invested more than $110M into 1,044 community projects and multi-sector partnerships. Projects aim to enhance economic well-being, foster more active lifestyles, support child and youth development, provide spaces for people to come together and connect, and create a more sustainable environment.

Visit otf.ca to learn more.