“It takes a village to raise a child” Share the Warmth 2 0 1 0 - 2011 Annual Report September 20, 2011 Share the Warmth 2010-2011 Annual Report Executive Director’s Report In the past year Share the Warmth has taken a major leap forward in the community. C o n t e n t s : We have developed closer relationships with the local schools and organizations in Point St. Charles. We provide an important leadership role by presenting new ideas Executive Director’s Report 1 and possibilities to integrate and engage children and adults in our community. We indeed are living our Mission to awaken hopes and dreams by overcoming hunger and poverty. This awakening is happening in the schools, with youth and in the Chairman’s Message 2 community. School Programs 2 As most of you are aware, this is my last Annual General Meeting as Executive Director. Hopefully at next year’s meeting I will have earned my place as a Share the Warmth volunteer. To be a volunteer is the highest honour one can have in Youth Programs 4 community. In looking back over the last 22 years, each year has had its own special rhythm. This Community Programs 6 past year we secured a strong base for all of our youth programs. Work was done on getting our house in order, improving our organizational skills, putting systems into 2010-2011 Memories 8 place, and sharpening our technical skills. Perspectives on 10 It felt like many aspects of Share the Warmth were getting strengthened and now we the Year Ahead are “READY to LEAP!!!!” The staff challenged itself as a group by engaging in an eight-week personal boundaries course to improve how we function individually and Financial Overview 11 collectively. We explored new ways of working together and of working with the community. Donor Recognition 12 The vision that we hold for children, to stand tall for success, has created breakthroughs through relationship building, creating healthy expectations, commitment to a tutoring and mentoring program, feeding those who need to be fed, music lessons, youth group activities, interaction with animators and through school supply and scholarship programs. We are providing an atmosphere for children and adults that holds the individual in a place of safety and respect. 625 Fortune is the vehicle, the staff is the steering wheel, the volunteers take care of maintenance and support, and the community is coming on board knowing that our road only goes one way…forward!! I am so fortunate to have been a part of Share the Warmth through its formative years where conceptualization and early development of programs took root. I am so proud to hand the Executive Directorship to Fiona Crossling who is supported by a diverse and committed staff. Fiona will share with you some of the places the “forward” road is heading! Judy Stevens Executive Director Share the Warmth Page 2 Chairman’s Message It is my pleasure as Share the Warmth’s board Chairman to present to you this year’s annual report for the year ended May 31, 2011. We live in a very challenging world today. High unemployment, increasing food prices and growing instances of hunger add to the pressure and demands on those most affected, as well as on those seeking to serve those in need. Fortunately, even in the most difficult times, Share the Warmth has been able to keep moving forward in working in and with the community. Our food programs, both in the schools and in the community, the Back to School Program, the Sam Pelc Scholarship Program, Youth Group, Music Program, Tutoring and Mentoring Program, are continuing to expand. We are so grateful for the tireless contribution of our volunteers, and we are truly blessed by them in every program that Share the Warmth offers. Our annual meeting marks the end of an era at Share the Warmth where we say “Thank you” to Judy Stevens, our Executive Director, who retires after 22 years of leading the organization since its inception. Under Judy’s wise and thoughtful leadership Share the Warmth has evolved into a positive force not only in the Point Saint Charles community, but one that extends across Montreal. As Judy steps down, it is with great pride that we welcome Fiona Crossling as our new Executive Director. In Fiona we are fortunate to have an individual who has worked very closely with Judy the past couple of years, and who has the ability and competence to lead Share the Warmth towards an exciting future. We look forward to a year of expansion in some areas, as well as to strengthening existing programs in schools, among youth and in the community. Together, we are indeed living our Mission to awaken hopes and dreams by overcoming hunger and poverty. Jeff Brumer Chairman SCHOOL PROGRAMS The School Food Program prepared and delivered breakfast, lunch and snacks for 28 schools and after-school programs for 2,648 students in our last fiscal year. We prepared approximately 2,780 muffins and 1,000 sandwiches each week. Whole wheat French toast and scrambled eggs were introduced to our daily morning breakfast program at Westmount Park School. Fresh vegetables and dip were prepared for many of the schools. Oatmeal cookies were baked, juices were sorted and labeled, as well as fresh fruit, hot soup, blocks of cheese, cereal, loaves of whole wheat bread and milk provided. Forty-four weekly volunteers assisted with this program. Every morning the kitchen was abuzz with volunteers doing all the necessary tasks to make this important program happen. The program is supervised by Susan Mingo and distributed by our driver Brian Barry and helper Henri Primeau. Page 3 Share the Warmth 2010 - 2011 Annual Report SCHOOL PROGRAMS, cont’d. Schools Served by School Food Program: Orchard Elementary Bancroft Elementary École Chanoine-Joseph Théoret « Grâce à votre Beurling Academy Parkdale Elementary organisation Connections (alternative) Pierre Elliot Trudeau Elementary Partageons Dawson Community Centre (after school program) Point St. Charles Library l’espoir, à tous Education Plus Riverview Elementary les matins nous Edward Murphy Elementary Roslyn Elementary avons pu offrir un Fraser Academy Elementary Share the Warmth Youth Group excellent petit Fraser Academy Daycare Share the Warmth Tutoring and déjeuner à des Hampstead Elementary Mentoring dizaines James Lyng High School St. Lawrence Jr. Academy École Jeanne Leber St. Monica Elementary d’élèves. » La Relance Jeunes et Familles Verdun Elementary L’École St. Monica Options I High (alternative) Westmount Park Elementary Elementary School Options II High (alternative) Willingdon Elementary Back to School Program: At the end of August 2010 50 schools and homework groups received school supplies. Six companies donated school supplies, which was a big drop from 18 the year before. Through the open-heartedness of the four Goren grandchildren, of the late Issie Abramson (a longtime volunteer of Share the Warmth), a Facebook page entitled “Share the Lesson” was created. There was a big outreach to raise funds, awareness and to donate supplies for Back to School. This effort raised over $7,000 and found suppliers for us as well. Even though we had a decrease in companies, we raised over $14,000 and were able to fill the requested 65,334 items. With the help of Michael Wright, Sarah Murphy and Sarah Camacho, our Program Coordinator Debbie Gunn was able to set everything up so that on the Thursday and Friday before school started the Principals, Vice- Principals, teachers, and custodians could come to Share the Warmth with their vans, trucks, and cars and pick up their requested supplies. Once again we knew the children in need would not have to do without. Schools receiving school supplies: Beurling Academy Jeanne Sauvé St. Lawrence Academy Jr. Cedarcrest Elementary John Grant High School St. Brendan Elementary CPAS Point St. Charles Lakeside Academy St. John Bosco Elementary Crossroads La Relance Jeunes et Familles St. Monica Elementary École Chanoine-Joseph Théoret Marymount Academy St. Raphael Centre École Charles Lemoyne Options I High Tyndale St. George École Grand Héron Options II High Venture École primaire de Maisonneuve Orchard Elementary Verdun Elementary École St. Henri Outreach Westmount High Education Plus Riverside School board (Transition) Westmount Park Elementary Elizabeth High School Riverview Elementary Willingdon Elementary Focus High School Roslyn Elementary Yavné Fraser Academy Sinclair Laird Elementary Youth in Motion Hampstead Elementary Sir Mortimer B. Davis James Lyng High School St. Lawrence Academy Sr. Share the Warmth Page 4 « We would like to YOUTH PROGRAMS thank Share the Warmth for the generous The Youth division, which has seen significant growth in the past year, is coordinated by donation of Anna Schillgalies. school supplies to students in need. Your contribution The Youth Group continues to meet on Monday and Wednesday evenings. In the colder means that, months we receive between 40 and 55 youngsters each night. When the weather is despite the reality warmer the numbers are between 25 and 35 each night. Katina Vanasse is the Program of poverty in our Coordinator who is ably assisted by three paid animators and 25 volunteers. student population, teachers are able All of the children have a chance to explore new things for themselves in an environment to identify that is safe, supportive and nurturing. Simple things, like dancing with a new group of students in need friends in front of the mirrors in the hope of seeing glimpses of their reflections, gives them and discretely equip them with a feeling of wellbeing. An activity this simple improves their synchronization and essential encourages them to be aware of their movements. Our arts and crafts projects are much supplies.