POSSE with Grassroots Grants

A youth-driven vision 

POSSE began in 2019 after young people spoke up about the supports they wanted to see in their communities.

Kimm Kent, co-founder and director of POSSE, says their ideas helped develop what the organization would become. 

"POSSE was a direct result and response to youth saying, 'We need this!' It was also a response to the shocking number of youth human trafficking survivors and sexually exploited youth I met," says Kimm.

Together, they created a program focused on building people's capacity to respond to crisis and support one another. She says, "We're trying to really foster communities of care where people know how to better support each other."

Today, that vision continues to guide POSSE's work.

Building more caring communities

Amanda Dodsworth joined POSSE in 2019, shortly after the organization began. Her work includes community-based education, peer support, street-level outreach, and helping people navigate services.

She says poverty, housing insecurity, and stigma are some of the biggest challenges facing the people POSSE supports.

“If you’re a person who’s experiencing homelessness, there’s often a lot of assumptions made about you,” says Amanda. “A lot of the work that we do is to support those individuals, but it’s also to educate community so that we build softer, more caring communities.”

For Amanda, building stronger communities starts with caring for one another. "When people feel cared for, they will often then care better for others and care more for their communities," says Amanda.

The power of food 

One of the ways POSSE helps people feel cared for is through food. 

For food coordinator and crisis responder Domenic Padula, food is a powerful way to bring people together. 

"Food is the great connector," says Domenic. "We all need to eat."

For the POSSE team, food is about more than meeting a basic need. It creates opportunities for people to connect, build relationships, and support one another. And that is where Nova Scotia Power’s Grassroots Grant came in to support this growth.

Grassroots Grants helps launch FEAST  

With support from the Grassroots Grants program, POSSE developed FEAST (Friendship, Education, Acceptance, Shared Meal & Thoughtfulness). "It is part of our food support program, so it's one of the three grants we're running right now. It is our biggest one," says Domenic.

Through FEAST, POSSE offers cooking classes, community meals, frozen meals, and specialized food supports for people experiencing homelessness and those living with dietary restrictions and health concerns.

"We are able to provide nutritious meals tailored to specific dietary needs, helping the people we support stay healthy," says Domenic.

Sometimes, the impact can be seen in something as simple as fresh fruit. During strawberry season, Domenic used grant funding to purchase a flat of locally grown strawberries. The response was immediate: “Oh my, it's been years since I've had a fresh local strawberry,” several people at the office remarked. Small moments like these help bring comfort, joy, and a sense of connection to the community.

In June, POSSE also used the Grassroot Grant to host three lunch and learns which focused on promoting their CIAO services (Crisis Intervention and Addictions Outreach) across West Hants.

Bringing the community together

This summer, POSSE hosted one of its annual community meals as a way to thank the community for its continued support.

More than 165 meals were served throughout the event, bringing together people from across the community to share a meal and build connections.

For Kimm, the meal was about creating a space where everyone felt welcome. "We're feeding everybody. So, there's no stigma or shame in receiving food," she says.

The event reflected what POSSE aims to do every day: create spaces where people feel connected, supported, and included.  

"We're breaking down the walls, the barriers, and bringing everyone together," says Kimm. 

Whether it's through a shared meal, a supportive conversation, or a connection to resources, POSSE continues to bring people together and strengthen the communities it serves.

For more information about our Grassroots Grants, visit here.