The Government of Ontario announced today that the Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA) will be leading an announced $11 million program to coordinate and subsidize deliveries of meals, medicines and other necessities to low-income seniors and people with disabilities in need, such as those who lack family or community connections, or are in supportive housing environments and community-based independent living programs. OCSA will fund eligible organizations to allow them to deliver additional meals, as well as deliver groceries, medications and other essentials. OCSA will also be supporting collaboration between providers and private sector businesses, municipalities and other community organizations.  

OCSA will work with businesses, volunteer organizations and non-profits to make it easier for Ontario’s most vulnerable people to receive the meals, medicine, and other essentials they need to stay safe at home. The new program will leverage Caredove’s state-of-the-art referral network, which is already used by 600+ organizations across Ontario to create trusted networks of care partners with secure and easy-to-use tools. It will also support the expansion of Meals on Wheels programs to under-serviced communities.

More Ontarians need support now than ever. The Ontario Community Support program will roll out leveraging existing services, assisting agencies to onboard new volunteers, and finding additional resources needed to provide enhanced support to vulnerable individuals. To identify a local Meals on Wheels provider and request service, eligible seniors and persons with disabilities, their caregivers, neighbours or families should visit www.ontariocommunitysupport.ca.