As a ‘Permanent Fabric in Our Community,’ Belonging Brant Can Benefit Everyone: Project Leader

As a ‘Permanent Fabric in Our Community,’ Belonging Brant Can Benefit Everyone: Project Leader

By Deron Hamel

When Marcia Pereira looks at the projects people across Brant County have created to help build stronger communities through the Belonging Brant initiative, she sees important needs being filled.

She says the Belonging Brant initiative is vital to community wellness and is deserving of full, long-term funding in order to keep it thriving.

“I think it’s important for our community to have such an organization to service individuals and their families,” Marcia says.

“There is no other organization doing what Belonging Brant does for a city of our size. It’s crucial that we have a framework to help our citizens grow in healthier ways. … Full funding and making Belonging Brant part of the permanent fabric in our community would benefit everyone.”

“There is no other organization doing what Belonging Brant does for a city of our size. It’s crucial that we have a framework to help our citizens grow in healthier ways. … Full funding and making Belonging Brant part of the permanent fabric in our community would benefit everyone.”

Marcia is the project leader of one of Belonging Brant’s many initiatives, the Elders’ Legacy Project.

The Elders’ Legacy Project creates opportunities for seniors to share their stories to help them feel more connected to the community.

Marcia says she has seen the Elders’ Legacy Project grow and flourish, thanks largely to the support the project has received from Belonging Brant.

“The project has grown into a group of individuals who are passionate about capturing and sharing the stories of our elders, and elders who want to share their lived experience and wisdom with our community,” she says.

Marcia Pereira

In addition to long-term funding for Belonging Brant, Marcia says there could be potential for the initiative to grow even more if funding could be directly used to support volunteers so they could give more of their time to make projects successful.

Incentives, like occasional honorariums or grocery cards, could make a difference, she says.

“I personally feel that volunteering is a wonderful way to give back, but not everyone can do that as often as they would like due to various reasons such as work, financial commitments (and) stressors that keep them from fully being present,” Marcia says.

“Being able to give back to volunteers is important.”

Funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Belonging Brant is dedicated to creating connections and building relationships across Brantford, Brant County and Six Nations to help people contribute to their community in a meaningful way.

The project, which creates and encourages citizen-led initiatives, is particularly focused on creating opportunities for human connection and decreasing the isolation faced by so many in the community.

Lead image cutline: Pictured is retired public health nurse and artist Blanche Parkhill, left, and Marcia R. Pereira. Photo credit: Imanuel Kayhan.

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What If Belonging Brant Became a Lasting Community Beacon?

Belonging Brant is already a light in our community. It is the place to be. With three years under our belt and our initial funding coming to an end this October, we have the opportunity to fashion our future anew. We’d love to hear what you’ve loved about Belonging Brant, what you’d like for it to become, and what you might like to do to make that dream come true. Consider taking a few minutes to share your answers to these questions.

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