Pine is honoured to have received a huge amount of support from our community this year. From kids and families joining our programs, to donors supporting our work, to foundations helping us launch new projects, we couldn’t do this critical nature connection work without you.
One of the supports we’ve received is a Resilient Communities Fund Grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF). The grant has been used to develop story-based communications that inspire support for the organization’s long-term goals. We collaborated with Agents of Good, a Hamilton-based fundraising collective, to develop new materials that highlight our work in outdoor education and its impact on individual, community, and environmental well-being.
As part of the project, we connected with Pine community members to hear what Pine’s nature connection programming has meant to their families. The stories we’ve heard have been truly inspiring. For example, Ahmeda, a parent of four long-time Pine kids, shared, “There’s a lot of nature in the city that kids aren’t aware of, and Pine programs are uniquely able to make that real to them. Being in relationship with nature gives them a lens to digest global issues. It gives them a chance to be invested and create meaningful action.”
“The Ontario Trillium Foundation grant is a game changer for our fundraising program,” said Andrew McMartin, Executive Director of the Pine Project. “Hundreds of studies have shown what we know to be true – connecting to nature creates a happier, healthier future for people and the earth. By sharing stories that highlight the difference that nature connection can have in people’s lives, we can inspire donors to join us in dreaming big for kids and nature.”
We’re excited to share more stories with you in the coming months. A huge thanks to OTF for helping these stories come to life!
P.S. We’re loving the beautiful photos by Banko Creative Studio (like the one above!), also made possible by the grant. 
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.