Dragon Boat Fund Matching News

Matching Donation Campaign for UP to $7,500

See Here!

With contact from one of our Families…our Food Program has received some recent Media Coverage with CTV News – from a Visit to our Program last Saturday to an interview with Patricia Boal on Tuesday…

There is a Link to the interview here: CFRA Interview.

THEN

The Ottawa Dragon Boat Foundation reached out to offer a Matching Donation Campaign for UP to $7,500 – this has been set up on Canada Helps at https://bit.ly/FoodDistributionProgram

PLEASE – Spread the Word and HELP Children at Risk GET this Generous Support by Donating – for every $1 you donate – Dragon Boat will Match that – UP to $7,500!! 😊 😊 😊

It may seem Impossible, It may seem Improbable…But sometimes we NEED to believe in Miracles…

Dear Children at Risk Members and Supporters,
As our Charity enters the last part of the 2023 Year – we have to review our Operational and Financial Status – this includes our Programs and Services for their Importance and Viability. This week - the Finance Committee (FC) that makes recommendations to the Board of Directors of Children at Risk, Ottawa met to review the current financial status of the Charity. Unfortunately – Post-Pandemic – Fundraisers, Grants, Donations and other Financial Support still has NOT recovered fully.
Therefore – in order to be fiscally responsible – Our Board must look at ALL Programs and ALL Expenses to determine where Services must be trimmed.
Our Food Distribution Program – although the highest used Program we offer (1,705 Visits January-September 2023) – is also the highest cost due to few Donations, few Grants and low Fees. Our Charity made the decision in 2020 to continue serving our Families by offering the Food Program – and not close our doors to wait for COVID to end.
While we DID continue with Camps and Respite Sessions – what the Food Program did was allow our Charity to more inclusively help the Autism Community – with Families returning to the Charity for this Program that had left as their children aged out of our other Supports!
Financial Support was present with Government Subsidies for Wages, Rent and Income Loss. NOW – that is all gone….https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/carr-city-of-ottawa-has-a-special-role-in-ending-food-insecurity

The Finance Committee has made the Recommendation to the Children at Risk Board of Directors to discontinue the Food Distribution Program in the next few weeks – probably by mid-November. The only thing that could save this action is if Donations or Grants at a minimum of $75,000 could be raised to address the Deficit to date – and what would be needed to continue - within the NEXT TWO WEEKS!

Children at Risk, Ottawa is prepared to look for Efficiencies by reducing/combining some Donors/Pick Ups, encourage more Volunteers than paid Staff and other Actions that could save some Funds. But a Major Influx of Funds is crucial IMMEDIATELY!
Despite our Charity Statistics from JUST our Second Harvest Donors (as we also get Donations from many others NOT with Second Harvest) of over $1 Million in value of Food Donations and 1,326,327 Lbs Green House Gases Averted in the last 12 months – the Costs of Picking Up, Processing and Offering the Foods to our Families (gas, vehicle, staff, rent, supplies & equipment) greatly exceeds Funds Donated and Raised for the Program.
Donors who have supported our Camp and Respite Programs cannot grasp the Benefit to our Families. Despite promises from The City of Ottawa over a year ago to open an Envelope of Funding for Food Insecurity – this has NOT happened – so we are having to make this VERY tough decision… ☹
However – we hope that the past 3 ½ years of offering Donated Food to our Families helped many through a difficult period where jobs were on hold/lost – and that those who participated felt a sense of Community and Support! BUT I have NEVER underestimated the Power of our Members and Supporters – so maybe there will be Miracle on 34th Street – or maybe someone with a black top hat housing a rabbit…??!!

If you can – please complete this Survey https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc4EAZSGTILr731C5-VKR2eu00k6RF9DWkIDWr3cF1E-BolnQ/viewform

We want to Thank ALL of our Volunteers and Families for embracing the Food Distribution Program – it has been quite a Ride! 😊