Children's Aid Foundation celebrates 30 years of making a difference in the lives of children
It is with much happiness and pride that the Children’s Aid Foundation celebrates their 30th anniversary this year. Over the last three decades, the Foundation has made great strides in improving the lives of thousands of abused, neglected and at risk children and youth across the country.
The Children’s Aid Foundation was established in 1979 by a group of dedicated and determined individuals who believed that at risk children and youth deserved the opportunity to reach their full potential. In keeping with these goals, the Foundation has gone on to become a leader in providing the tools and support to help children in need enjoy their childhood and become the people they were meant to be.
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A decade ago, approximately 135,000 children a year were recorded as being abused and/or neglected. Statistics show that today the numbers have increased with over 300,000 children and youth being abused and neglected each year in Canada. These numbers are devastating but with the help of our donors, corporate partners and volunteers, the Foundation is able to reach out to over 35,000 of those children each year and make a difference in their lives.
The Children’s Aid Foundation has grown in the last decade to include program funding in all provinces and territories, increasing the number of children being helped from coast-to-coast. The Foundation plans to continue in this direction and is working towards becoming a key player in Canada’s child welfare community.
One of the greatest accomplishments over the last thirty years has been the establishment of the Foundation’s three pillars of support- prevention, enrichment and education. |
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With a focus on these three areas, the Children’s Aid Foundation has been able to provide funding for programs that help to: break the cycle of abuse and neglect by providing support to at risk families before the cycle can be replicated; provide recreational and cultural opportunities to aid in healthy development of children and youth; and give children and youth educational opportunities and the chance to pursue their dreams and get on track to build productive and successful lives for themselves.
Funding from the Children’s Aid Foundation goes to programs such as the Sun Life Financial Health & Well-Being Fund, which helps high-risk children and youth gain access to specialized medical treatments when other health care resources have been exhausted and the programs at Pape Adolescent Resource Centre (PARC) which prepare youth for the transition to independence and self-sufficiency. Another fantastic program is the CIBC World Markets Miracle Fund, which provides disadvantaged children, youth and families with items ranging from school trips, furniture, and school supplies, to helping set up an apartment in emergency relocation situations. Many of the programs supported by the Foundation are flexible because we recognize that no two children, youth or families are the same.
The Foundation’s most significant area of pride is our separate endowment that covers administrative expenses, so that 100% of all donations are directed to programming for children and youth in need. This is a unique position that not many non-profits can stand by. It allows for donations to have a more immediate and longer-lasting impact for a greater number of children and youth. This endowment has allowed the Foundation to continue to aid children and youth through two previous recessions and will help the Children’s Aid Foundation continue their support through the current economic situation.
“We are so proud of how far we have come over the last thirty years,” says Ann Barnard Ball, Executive Director of the Children’s Aid Foundation. “The funding the Foundation has provided has made a lasting impact on the lives of over a million disadvantaged and at risk children and youth across Canada. At the Foundation, we all come to work knowing that with the help of our donors, corporate partners and volunteers we are making a difference in the lives of children. Thank you for seeing us through the last thirty years and here’s to thirty more!”
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