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w w w .insidehalton.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, June 2 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 1 2 Donors recognized for supporting new network by N ath an H o w es Oakville Beaver Staff Funders of the new Flalton Community Benefits Network (HCBN) were thanked Monday June 19 for their support. The group was launched as an offshoot of the Halton Poverty Roundtable in 2016, with support from the Atkinson Foundation and the Ontario Trillium Foundation. The HCBN received $95,000 from the Ontario Trillium Foundation and $45,000 from the Atkinson Foundation. The HCBN acts as a catalyst for change, according to its website. It does so by encouraging organizations to launch Community Benefits Agreements in the Halton Region that lead to sustainable economic and social opportunity for everyone. As a concept, Community Benefits Agreements are negotiated between public and private sector organizations in endeavors such as the public procurement of goods and services, or the development of infrastructure projects -- a way to leverage money that governments have already committed to spend On Monday, June 19, the Halton Community Benefits Network (HCBN) hosted a donor appreciation event in Oakville to recognize the Ontario Trillium and Atkinson foundations for their leadership and contribution to the HCBN. | Nathan Howes/Metroland in order to gain benefits for the community, according to its website. The HCBN was born as a result of the Halton Poverty Roundtable bringing numerous groups together -- government, citizens who know what it' s like to live with poverty, funders, community partners and business. The Halton Poverty Roundtable (HPRT) is a volunteer, collaborative, multi-sector group committed to using resources and partnerships to eliminate poverty in Halton through education, community engagement and collective impact. "We truly appreciate the support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation and the Atkinson Foundation, who have stepped forward and funded our activities. We do need support to be able to do the work to move this agenda forward," said Ian Troop, HCBN chair. "It' s groups like Trillium and Atkinson, and their active support, that allows us to actually move forward, engaging our communities, engaging our stakeholders along the way to ensure we build it together and what we build has a lasting impact." The HCBN offers public and in- house education opportunities, active social media conversation, online resources and is developing a tool kit to foster benefits in action. The goal of the network is to build awareness in the community in four areas: · Anchor institutions -- municipal governments, hospitals and public services · Business vendors -- providers of goods and services to the anchors ·Connector organizations -- non profits, chambers of commerce and professional associations · Beneficiary groups -- unemployed people, youths at-risk, newcomers and low-income earners. Partners in the HCBN include Halton Multicultural Council, Oakville Community Foundation, Ontario Trillium Foundation, Halton Cooperative Purchasing Group, Halton Region, Change Rangers, Town of Oakville, Town of Milton, Town of Halton Hills and United Way of Halton and Hamilton. Mayor Rob Burton compared the work of HPRT to the efforts of Halton police and municipal government and noted they work together to provide community benefits. "When we need to do something big, we partner and co-operate together across the region in Halton. That' s been going on for a very long time. "People expect well thoughtout plans that work and aim high on behalf of the community. Our community aims high," he said. Monday' s event also launched HCBN' s new website (http:// haltoncommunitybenefits.com/) and its 2017 complementary report No Neighbour in Need. Mark Venning, HCBN member, said the community benefits and social procurement initiative is an "emergent kind of conversation" in Halton. "Our first goal as a community benefits network is to act as a catalyst for this change. In this process, the website is the beginning part of building awareness and engagement through education," said Venning. Gilmar Militar, Ontario Trillium Foundation program manager, noted the Halton Community Benefits Network is among the first Collective Impact Grants, which work with organizations to address "complex community issues." B o eyo n d K it c h e n s &Ba th S jd ^ e c t a t io n s y www. b e y o n d k it c h e n s .ca D e s ig n B u ild fully CUSTOM n s ta kitchens, vanities, wall unit, mantle, walk in closet, laundry room, Bar, etc; · Granite, Quartz countertops · Full renovation service · Real estate service; QEW Speers Rd O akVille Showroom Location 466 Speers Rd,Unit 6-7 Oakville, ON L6K 3W9 T: 905-338-8999 / 905-338-8199 F: 905-338-8099 info@beyondkitchens.ca *Trades, realtors, builder programme available, please ask store fordetails; Lake Shore