$51,800 OTF Grant from the Ontario Government Gives Community a Lift

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario - Oct. 10, 2025 - PRLog -- Mississauga, ON – On Wednesday, local MPP Rudy Cuzzetto met with the team at The Compass Food Bank & Outreach Centre to hear more about the $51,800 Seed grant they received from the provincial government's Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) that was used to improve IT Security at The Compass. The project will have a significant impact on maintaining food bank & support services to our community in Mississauga.

"I'm proud to see our Seed grant having such a significant impact, strengthening the security and reliability of the IT systems at the Compass Food Bank & Outreach Centre," said Rudy Cuzzetto, MPP for Mississauga—Lakeshore. "This is critical infrastructure that supports everything from online food orders to volunteer coordination and the protection of sensitive client information. As demand for services continues to grow, these upgrades will help ensure that The Compass can continue to serve the people of south Mississauga safely, efficiently, and with dignity for many years to come."

This grant allowed Food Bank to increase the security of their systems by upgrading computers, creating a disaster recovery plan, setting IT policies, and securing a monthly IT support contract to ensure they can serve our clients safely and reliably. Thanks to this investment in their IT infrastructure, the Food Bank will be better able to serve their community for years to come.

"After commissioning an independent review of the security of our information systems last year, we knew we had to make some significant improvements," said John W. Nyholt, Board Chair for The Compass Food Bank & Outreach Centre. "We are so grateful to the Ontario Trillium Foundation for funding our project and for the many improvements we were able to make."

Since 2002, The Compass Food Bank & Outreach Centre has been a vital lifeline for individuals and families in south Mississauga and demand has never been higher, with 1 in 13 Mississauga residents now relying on food banks. Each week, The Compass provides groceries through its food bank, serves more than 1,700 free meals, and connects people to programs and referrals. In 2024 alone, The Compass supported 6,321 individuals with 972,035 pounds of food. To learn more or donate, visit www.thecompass.ca.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Ontario government with a mission to build healthy and vibrant communities across the province. Last year, OTF invested nearly $105M into 732 community projects and multi-sector partnerships. Projects aim to enhance economic well-being, foster more active lifestyles, support child and youth development, provide spaces for people to come together and connect, and create a more sustainable environment. Visit otf.ca to learn more.

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