Jul 11, 2023

Windsor, Ontario • The Gordie Howe International Bridge team announced today that 14 organizations will receive $200,000 (CDN) in funding through the Community Benefits Plan.

The funding is part of the Community Organization Investment initiative, which offers grants up to $25,000 (CDN) to organizations serving Sandwich/west Windsor and Delray/Southwest Detroit. Seven organizations from Windsor and seven from Detroit were selected following an application process, marking the fourth annual funding release of this five-year initiative.

This year’s recipients will deliver the funded projects between July 2023 and June 2024.

Recipients include:

Canadian Initiatives

  • Journey Home Hospice Windsor, Saint Elizabeth Foundation: enhancing quality of life
  • Society of St. Vincent de Paul: noise reduction at the Helping Hands Friendship Centre
  • Les Amis Duff-Bâby: green space reclamation
  • Alzheimer Society of Windsor and Essex County: Bridging the Gap: The Sandwich Dementia Series
  • Windsor/Essex County Humane Society: spaying and neutering community cats in Sandwich
  • Border City Athletics Club: Women Can Summit
  • John McGivney Children’s Centre: rainbow paintings on pavement

US Initiatives

  • Community Health and Social Services (CHASS): CHASS mercado summer program
  • Capturing Belief: the Southwest Detroit Portrait Studio
  • Trinity St. Mark’s Pantry and Gardens: food for unhomed individuals
  • Mexican Patriotic Committee of Metro Detroit: Cinco de Mayo parade and fiesta
  • Hispanic Police Officers’ Association of Michigan-Detroit Chapter: grants for youth sports in Southwest Detroit
  • Southwest Detroit Community Benefits Coalition: Delray-Southwest engagement and family days
  • Clark Park Coalition: summer program kickoff and winter carnival

This year’s available funding increased from $100,000 (CDN) to $200,000 (CDN), based on a demonstrated need for additional funds in the initiative’s previous three years. To date, through this initiative, $500,000 (CDN) has been invested in events, programming and infrastructure improvements. All funding recipients and their initiatives align with priorities identified during public consultation including community partnerships, community safety and connections, aesthetics and landscaping and economic benefits.

QUOTES

“Local community organizations are working day in and day out to build stronger and healthier neighbourhoods in West Windsor. The Community Benefits Plan is supporting their vital work and boosting their ability to serve residents in our community.”

  • Irek Kusmierczyk, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion and Member of Parliament for Windsor—Tecumseh, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities

“The Gordie Howe International Bridge project team is excited to announce the diverse and meaningful initiatives receiving funding this year. By providing more support to our community partners through the increased investment amount, we’re able to create even better outcomes for our neighbours living in Sandwich/west Windsor and Delray, Southwest Detroit.”

  • Heather Grondin, Vice President, Corporate Affairs and External Relations, Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority

“Bridging North America would like to congratulate the recipients of this year’s Community Organization Investment funding. This yearly initiative is very important as it allows smaller groups to receive funding for grassroots activities and programs. We look forward to seeing the impact it will have in both communities.”

  • Michael Hatchell, CEO, Bridging North America

“We are very appreciative of WDBA’s commitment to enhancing the quality of life of neighbors who will live within the shadow of the Gordie Howe International Bridge on both sides of the border. I want to commend the winners of these grants and pledge our continued commitment to work with our Canadian partners on more measures to benefit the communities.”

  • Brad Wieferich, Director, Michigan Department of Transportation

QUICK FACTS

  • Funding through the Community Organization Investment initiative is available each year between 2020 to 2024 and is one of over 35 initiatives that make up the Neighbourhood Infrastructure Strategy component of the Gordie Howe International Bridge Community Benefits Plan.
  • The application process for this year’s initiative ran from November 2022 through January 2023 and resulted in 36 eligible submissions. The project’s Local Community Group, comprised of stakeholders from the host communities, played a significant role in reviewing the applications and providing recommendations to the project team.
  • As part of this initiative, community organizations can apply annually for funding for events, programming and infrastructure improvements in amounts ranging from $1,000 - $25,000 (CDN). The application process for the 2024 funding cycle is anticipated to open in November 2023.
  • The Gordie Howe International Bridge Community Benefits Plan is being delivered by Bridging North America with collaboration and oversight from WDBA and the State of Michigan.

RELATED PRODUCTS

ASSOCIATED LINKS

ABOUT WINDSOR-DETROIT BRIDGE AUTHORITY

Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA) is a not-for-profit Canadian Crown corporation created to deliver the Gordie Howe International Bridge project between Windsor, ON and Detroit, MI through a public-private partnership (P3). WDBA is responsible for overseeing and managing the construction and operation of the new crossing. For more information visit GordieHoweInternationalBridge.com and follow the project on Twitter at twitter.com/GordieHoweBrg.

ABOUT BRIDGING NORTH AMERICA

Bridging North America (BNA) became the private-sector partner to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the Gordie Howe International Bridge project in September 2018. BNA is comprised of some of the most recognized leaders in the construction and infrastructure industry which includes North American and international companies. BNA partners have significant experience carrying out major infrastructure projects such as the Rt. Hon. Herb Gray Parkway in Windsor, Ontario; New Champlain Bridge Corridor in Montreal, Quebec; Autoroute 30 in Montreal, Quebec; Eglinton Crosstown LRT in Toronto, Ontario; Réseau Express Métropolitain (REM) in Montreal, Quebec; Automated People Mover at LAX Airport, California; Harbor Bridge, Corpus Christi, Texas; Tappan Zee Bridge in New York and San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, California.

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