CAA Niagara announces Community Boost recipients and offers help to Niagara charities
THOROLD, ON (April 20, 2020) CAA Niagara is excited to announce the recipients of its 2020 Community Boost funding: Food4Kids Niagara and the Foundation of Resources for Teens (FORT). The club received more than 50 applications from local organizations, all representing a significant need within Niagara. CAA employees reviewed the applicants and voted on the organizations they felt best fit CAA Niagara’s core values.
Mindful of the current situation surrounding COVID-19, CAA Niagara is fast-tracking the funding to ensure both charities have access to financial assistance while continuing to support those in need.
Along with a one-time donation of $10,000 each, the charities will receive promotional assistance, volunteerism, and other forms of support for the next 12 months. CAA Niagara will also be decaling two new fleet vehicles with the charities’ branding this summer.
“This support comes at a crucial time for our agency as we face increased demand for our service due to the COVID-19 crisis,” said Amber Hughes, Executive Director at Food4Kids Niagara. “Our families struggle at the best of times, and the last thing we want is for kids to be worrying about where their next meal will come from. Our partnership with CAA Niagara allows us to continue to ensure that hungry kids in our community are nourished when they need it the most.”
“At this time, we have many youths suffering from anxiety and depression due to the uncertainty caused by this virus,” said Beth Shaw, Executive Director of Foundation of Resources for Teens. “This donation will go directly to continuing our free mental health counselling to ensure that every youth receives the help they need in this difficult time. All FORT programs are offered free of charge so that all youth can benefit.”
CAA Niagara is also offering help to any charitable organization within the region that could use assistance in delivering supplies and food to those who are in need.
“We are here to help where we can,” said Peter Van Hezewyk, President and CEO of CAA Niagara. “We have volunteers who can make safe, contactless deliveries help those most vulnerable. During these uncertain times, it’s important to come together as a community.”
CAA Niagara is extending a similar offer of assistance to Members who can now use one of their emergency roadside assistance calls for curbside pick-up of pre-paid groceries or other essential supplies.
ABOUT FOOD4KIDS NIAGARA Food4Kids provides packages of healthy food for kids aged 4-14 years with limited or no access to food each weekend. Packages of healthy food are prepared by volunteers and delivered to schools each Friday to ensure children have nourishment over the weekend. There are more than 1,500 children in Niagara struggling through each weekend without food. Help fight child hunger in our own community. When kids leave school for the weekend, they should not have to worry about how they will be fed.
ABOUT FOUNDATION OF RESOURCES FOR TEENS For over 17 years now, our mission has been to empower youth to make positive and successful life choices through opportunities and guidance. The FORT is a local, not-for-profit youth centre that provides free recreational programs and resource services to youth in our community. However, for the over 10,000 youth of West Niagara we serve every year, we are so much more than that; we are a community, a place to go aside from home or school, reliable support and space they are proud to call their own. Through our programs, youth are able to unlock their full potential.
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