This year marked the completion of the Windsor-Essex Children’s Aid Foundation’s three-year fundraising campaign entitled “Children, Youth & Families, Strength for Today — Opportunities for Tomorrow”. The goal was to raise $1.5 million to address local challenges, including poverty, unemployment, addictions and mental health. The campaign was an astounding success, surpassing the goal and raising over $2.1 million!
This achievement could not have been realized without the incredible financial support of our partnering financial institutions, Foundations, corporate and individual donors, the Foundation & Society Boards of Directors, and the Society’s Staff and Management. We also celebrate the extraordinary grant-funding partnerships with New Beginnings, Beauty is Me, Windsor Public Library, Hiatus House and the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, ensuring the delivery of the most mpactful, evidence-based and life-changing programs funded by this campaign.
These partnerships empowered youth to build life and work skills through mentorship and job placements. They provided access to books and inspired the love of reading in our Kinship Service children and families. They allowed for direct financial support to youth for enhanced wraparound mental health & academic success. Community Leaders and Mentors gathered to empower black and biracial youth to create cultural connections and embrace their identity through enriching activities and learning opportunities. They also contributed to investing many hours of support and education in working intensively with caregivers to help them face their life challenges, overcome their trauma experiences, build effective parenting skills, and develop the resiliency they need for brighter days ahead, for themselves and their children.
The collective contributions of our donors and community partners assured the Foundation that the fundraising goal would be more than matched with earnest compassion and a steadfast commitment to support a movement focused on uplifting our most vulnerable children, youth, and families. Although we wrap up the campaign, its success will endure and continue to inspire hope. We are sincerely grateful to Keith Negley, Editor and children’s book Illustrator, for the beautiful image that he created to brand the campaign. The image will remain on the front façade of the building, representing a caring community that honours the children, youth, and families who bravely face the many obstacles in their way, to embrace new possibilities filled with light and hope for tomorrow.
