CAA Niagara Announces Community Boost Recipients

THOROLD, ON (May 16, 2019 ) – CAA Niagara is excited to announce that Kristen French Child Advocacy Centre Niagara and Distress Centre Niagara have been chosen to receive this year’s Community Boost funding.

Both charities will receive a $10,000 donation, as well as promotion through a variety of CAA Niagara’s channels, including the CAA Magazine, social media, community events, and a wrapped flatbed truck. CAA Members will be encouraged to support the two chosen charities through a "text to give" program.

“CAA Niagara is excited to support these two organizations. We believe the donations and marketing campaigns will help provide more assistance to those in need within Niagara,” said CAA Niagara’s President and CEO, Peter Van Hezewyk.

This year the Community Boost program received more than 50 applications from organizations across the Niagara Region. Based on feedback from CAA Niagara employees and Members, preference was given to charities dedicated to community safety, programming for seniors and children, social services and mental health. The selection committee, comprised of CAA Niagara employees from various departments, was tasked with the difficult job of selecting only two charities to support.

“We are thrilled to be a recipient of CAA Niagara’s 2019 Community Boost Funding,” said Janet Handy, Executive Director of Kristen French Child Advocacy Centre Niagara. “This much needed funding, exposure and support from the CAA Niagara family will allow the Centre to continue developing our youth initiatives. We will engage, train and provide development for our youth ambassadors, to speak in the community about the Centre to help reach this vulnerable population.”

“As we are a volunteer-driven organization, this funding provides enhanced opportunities for engagement with future volunteers and assists us in remaining a 24-hour essential service in Niagara,” said Stacy Terry, Executive Director of Distress Centre Niagara. “It is more than the funding; this Community Boost program provides an incredible opportunity for awareness of the Distress Line.”

The two branded flatbed trucks are scheduled to be on the road end of May, each displaying a unique telephone number, which members of the community can text to support the two charities. To find out more about CAA Niagara’s Community Boost program visit caaniagara.ca/communityboost.

For more information please contact:

media@caaniagara.ca

About Distress Centre Niagara For the last 49 years Distress Centre Niagara has been committed to providing free, confidential 24-hour support and crisis/suicide prevention and intervention to individuals in need in the Niagara Region. Highly skilled volunteer responders consistently ensure the 24/7 operation of this much needed service. In 2018, Distress Centre Niagara responded to more than 15,000 calls from individuals across Niagara with varying degrees of crisis and distress situations.

About Kristen French Child Advocacy Centre Niagara Known as an essential resource for helping Niagara’s children, youth and their families cope during a child abuse investigation & supporting them as they heal afterwards, the Kristen French Child Advocacy Centre minimizes the number of times child victims must tell their story, reduces the trauma of disclosure and ensures a coordinated, cost-effective delivery of service to Niagara’s children, youth and family members. Well over 3,000 interviews have taken place since opening in September 2008.

Community Boost