The AGM of the Social Development Council hears about numerous projects, the name change

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SF. ANDREWS WEST — After the Cornwall and Area Social Development Council (SDC) annual general meeting on Tuesday, community members may be wondering — what does the organization not do?

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Involved in numerous projects that focused on addressing community-level issues and social policy, SDC saw a healthy turnout from community advocates and board directors at the St. Andrews West Fire Hall.

Executive Director Carilyne Hebert took everyone through SDC’s areas of engagement during the year, giving a mental picture of the vast network of programs and events that SDC oversees, as well as some of the local leaders who are involved.

Looking at the most important, Hébert discussed about The Cornwall and Area Employment Network, which offered workshops with employer resources and launched the Mind Matters series, facilitated by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), which discusses mental health in the workplace. Speaking of employment, a record 1,700 people attended the April job fair hosted by SDC, which will be discussed further at the next AGM.

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The activity of the Regional Emergency and Strategic Response Council was also discussed. Hébert praised the involvement of United Way Centraide SDG’s Juliette Labossière in subcommittee on housing and homelessness, which provided a comprehensive report on the housing landscape. Some tasks in the report will now be assigned to the Vibrant Communities collective.

Hébert also acknowledged his work Network of Voluntary Administrators; Building Safer Communities Fund and related Youth Advisory Council; Your brain on food; Cornwall and Area Tenants Association; Cornwall+ Transition; Vibrant communities; The youth involvement fair, which took place in April 2024; and other.

“Looking ahead, I am full of optimism and excitement for what we can achieve together in the coming year,” she said. “Our commitment to investing in community needs, fostering connectedness and supporting vulnerable populations remains unwavering; let’s continue to build on this strong foundation, working collaboratively to create an inclusive and thriving community for all.”

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Board Chair Patti Carson thanked Cornwall Councils and SDG for their continued support of the organization at the start of the meeting, before MNP’s Jamie Pollock discussed SDC’s clean year-end audit report on March 31.

In the last fiscal year, SDC more than doubled its total income thanks to contributions and grants, valued at a total of $465,382. The organization spent more than double the previous year, with expenditures totaling $470,853; of which, $100,000 was distributed in microgrants, more than $110,000 supported new SDC programs, and salaries and benefits increased as the organization received more staff support. All in all, the organization ended the year with a clean slate and higher net assets, Pollock said.

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In the last fiscal year, the Ontario Social Planning Network cut its funding to the organization by almost $40,000; Le Center de Santé Communautaire de L’Estrie withdrew its funding in its entirety after contributing $26,100 the previous year; and the Seaway Valley Community Health Center saw its funding cut by $9,700. As a result, Cornwall strengthened its financial support by over $45,000, contributing a total of $195,718 to SDC, and SDG voted to fund the organization with $66,979 for 2024.

For more information on SDC — which will soon rebrand to include SDG in its official name as SDC of SDG, Cornwall and Area — visit www.sdccornwall.ca.

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