Media Release

$250,000 Grant Helps CAMPFIRE CIRCLE Continue to Serve Families Affected by Childhood Cancer

Rosseau, ON: Campfire Circle (formerly Camp Ooch and Camp Trillium) received a $250,000 Community Building Fund grant to help with key operating costs. The grant is from the Government of Ontario and delivered by the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF). Thanks to these funds, Campfire Circle has operated three accessible sport and recreation facilities, making them COVID-safe for kids with cancer and their families while they attend camp programs.
“Campfire Circle ensures that children diagnosed with cancer and families can safely participate in recreation, develop supportive relationships, be kids and have fun; which is so important to their well-being,” said Norman Miller, MPP. “I am pleased that the Community Building Fund grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation has enabled Campfire Circle to continue to provide support and recreation to these families through the pandemic so that these services did not disappear at a time when children and their families needed it most.”
Year-round recreation is essential to community health and well-being. Campfire Circle’s ability to deliver programming year-round, and meet demand, is dependent on its ability to maintain its accessible recreation facilities that give its unique community the opportunity to participate in sports safely. Funds from the grant will help with costs involving staffing, operational, rental and software licensing costs – which were essential for continuing to deliver safe and fun camp programs for young people.
“OTF’s operating support is critical to our recovery from COVID and our ability to offer enriched recreational programs. We are especially grateful for OTF’s funding which has enabled us to keep all facilities open, including our largest recreation facility in Muskoka, the only camp in Canada able to provide onsite IV chemotherapy and blood transfusions,” said Alex Robertson, CEO, Campfire Circle.

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.  Please visit: otf.ca

Media Contact
John McAlister, Director of Marketing and Communications
Campfire Circle (Formerly Camp Ooch & Camp Trillium)
jmcalister@campfirecircle.org
647-286-7675

Supporting links
• Ontario Trillium Foundation
• Campfire Circle

About CAMPFIRE CIRCLE:
Campfire Circle (formerly Camp Ooch & Camp Trillium) has offered healing through happiness for thousands of kids and families affected by childhood cancer since 1983. It’s where kids can be kids, and families can be families—engaging in camp-inspired community, in-hospital, and overnight camp programs, at no cost to them. As a privately funded organization, Campfire Circle makes thousands of life-changing experiences possible for Campers throughout the year, all across Ontario. Camp Ooch & Camp Trillium merged in 2020, and announced a new name in January 2022. We aren’t changing what we do—we’re just changing our name.

Visit www.campfirecircle.org for more information or join the online community on Facebook , Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn.