We are excited to be participating in Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink, a fundraising initiative of the Shaw Charity Classic taking place August 31 to September 4, 2016. Sonshine will receive 100% of every donation collected on its behalf, as the Shaw Charity Classic tournament is covering all administrative and program expenses. For the first $20,000 that Sonshine collects in donations, 50% will be matched by the tournament! If Sonshine raises over $20,000, the next $30,000 will be matched by 15%. Last year, Sonshine raised approximately $50,000 through the matching program, and with your help we are confident we can achieve this again!
Did you know that with the economic downturn, domestic violence is on the rise? The Calgary Police Service recently released statistics which show that they responded to 303 more domestic violence calls in 2015 than in 2014 (a 10% increase). Alarmingly, in the first three months of 2016, police had approximately 40% more domestic violence calls than is typical. CPS has connected this rise to increasing unemployment, as people who are prone to violence are home more and facing significant stressors.
Donations will support the Sonshine Children’s Centre, which provides full time, attachment-based care and therapeutic support to children who have experienced domestic violence and other forms of emotional trauma. The specialized programming will significantly decrease the likelihood that the children who have experienced abuse and other forms of trauma will repeat the cycle of violence as adults. The programming is led by trained staff, including a Child Trauma Counsellor, Parent-Child Educator, and professional child support workers. They lead children in group Theraplay, provide individual counselling to children/mothers, administer pre and post testing to evaluate children’s progress, and work on building a stronger bond between mother (or guardian) and child.
You can donate online until September 4, 2016. Right now, this is your best opportunity to make your donated dollars stretch the furthest! All donors will receive a charitable receipt from Shaw Charity Classic. You can learn more about the program at shawcharityclassic.com. For more questions on the program or how to support Sonshine, please e-mail us at info@sonshine.ca. Thank you for your generosity.