R+T Park continues support for SPECTRUM with $15,600 Community Impact Grant

R+T Park continues support for SPECTRUM with $15,600 Community Impact Grant

Supporting the community and the nonprofits doing great charitable work is critical to the David Johnston Research + Technology Park’s mission. In 2012, the R+T Park established the David Johnston R+T Park Community Impact Fund with the Waterloo Region Community Foundation to support our tenants’ passion for making the community and the world a better place.

From Left to Right: Meghan Gervais, Fabian Fletcher, Celestine Unugboji, Scott Williams, Mike Pereira, Dan Robert, Tabatha Laverty, and Stephanie Jenner
From Left to Right: Meghan Gervais, Fabian Fletcher, Celestine Unugboji, Scott Williams, Mike Pereira, Dan Robert, Tabatha Laverty, and Stephanie Jenner

The R+T Park Community Impact Committee was thrilled to announce that for a second year R+T Park will be supporting SPECTRUM—Waterloo Region’s Rainbow Community Space, with a $15,600 unrestricted grant. SPECTRUM is a crucial organization for Waterloo Region’s 2SLGBTQIA+ community and their families, providing support, resources, and more.

The funding announcement was made during the Accelerator Centre’s first Annual Pride Event on June 19th. The event was attended by SPECTRUM Executive Director Scott Williams, as well as Fabian Fletcher and volunteer Celestine Unugboji, who shared the funding announcement alongside Mike Pereira, Director, Real Estate and R+T Park, Dan Robert from the Waterloo Region Community Foundation, and R+T Park Community Impact Committee members Meghan Gervais and Stephanie Jenner of the Accelerator Centre.

“SPECTRUM continues to do such incredible and much needed work to foster and support a vibrant 2SLGBTQIA+ community here in Waterloo Region. I’m thrilled to see how they’ve grown from a small, dedicated group of volunteers in 2012 to a thriving team and over 50 passionate volunteers.”

Mike Pereira, Director, Real Estate and R+T Park

“SPECTRUM continues to do such incredible and much needed work to foster and support a vibrant 2SLGBTQIA+ community here in Waterloo Region. I’m thrilled to see how they’ve grown from a small, dedicated group of volunteers in 2012 to a thriving team and over 50 passionate volunteers.”

Scott Williams, Executive Director at Spectrum speaks at the Accelerator Centre.
Scott Williams, Executive Director at Spectrum speaks at the Accelerator Centre

SPECTRUM was founded in 2012 to fill the need for a physical space for 2SLGBTQIA+ people to gather. Since its founding, the organization has grown to support its community with programs and services, including offering diversity training for local businesses and other organizations.

“It’s about creating spaces where people feel they can belong, helping to increase their social networks, which helps decrease social isolation and leads hopefully to improved wellbeing.”

Scott Williams, Executive Director, SPECTRUM

When asked why the work that SPECTRUM does is so important to him, Williams emphasizes how “it’s about creating spaces where people feel they can belong, helping to increase their social networks, which helps decrease social isolation and leads hopefully to improved wellbeing.”

About the R+T Park Community Impact Fund

The David Johnston R+T Park Community Impact Fund began in 2006 and is housed at the Waterloo Region Community Foundation. Over the past 18 years the tenants and friends of R+T Park have raised more than $300,000, creating a sustainable, ongoing investment in local charities. Raising money for the fund and disbursing the annual grants is overseen by a dedicated group of volunteers from R+T Park who make up the R+T Park Community Impact Committee.