Niagara College

Niagara College’s fundraising events have raised more than $3 million in support of learning resources, scholarships, and bursaries over its 30-year history. The Celebrating Dreams event contributes to livable, workable, and sustainable communities for the future by providing students scholarships and bursaries to attain post-secondary education. This will provide students a career in their field that they study at Niagara College and continue to support the Niagara Region.
$5,000 Received.
www.niagaracollege.ca

Community Crew

Community Crew provides approximately 4,000 nutritious boxed lunches per week (over 140,000 per year) to food insecure children in the Niagara Region. Each week, over 80 Community Crew volunteers pack and deliver these lunches to schools in St. Catharines, Welland, Niagara Falls, Fort Erie, and Thorold. The schools we serve have the highest poverty ratings in the Niagara Region, and we know that for many of the children we support, their Community Crew lunch is the best, if not only, meal they will enjoy that day. Just a few years ago, Community Crew only served lunches in a handful of schools, and we have more than doubled in size in the last three years, now serving 29 schools. We are positively affecting future generations by supporting children so that they can not only learn in school, but understand that their community cares about them, and also realize their full potential. Community Crew exists to “Provide Hope to Children, One Lunch at a Time.”
$5,000 Received.
www.communitycrew.ca

Horse Cents for Kids

HCFK’s mission is: To enrich the lives of youth through their interactions with horses. They provide an emotionally and physically safe place for all youth that is fun, fair, respectful, and compassionate. The purpose of the Wild West Day event is to raise awareness and funds for the programs provided to at-risk children. It also provides a great family outing offering horse rides, horse grooming, petting area, face painting, games, crafts, live music and a food truck. The goal of the afterschool horsemanship program is to enrich the lives of at-risk children within the Niagara Region through the Power, Magic and Beauty of Horses! The program provides at-risk children with opportunities to engage with horses, including handling, feeding, saddling and riding. Children develop a deep appreciation, respect and passion for horses, leading to more self-confidence, and improved emotional and social skills, social connectedness, self- compassion, compassion for others and feelings of well-being.
$5,000 Received.
www.hsfk.ca

Hospice Niagara

At the heart of hospice palliative care lies the belief that every person deserves a vibrant life from beginning to end. Hospice palliative care aims to relieve suffering, provide comfort and improve quality of life for people living with a life-limiting illness as well as their caregivers, family and friends. For nearly 30 years, Hospice Niagara has been helping people and families live well:

• From the time of diagnosis with a life-limiting illness
• In the final days and weeks of life
• While grieving a death.

Their programs and services are free of cost and support people in their homes, in the community and at The Stabler Centre, our 10-suite hospice residence in St. Catharines. Their mission is about helping people LIVE WELL, no matter what life presents. The Ministry of Health provides 40% of the operational funds. We are responsible for raising the difference and rely heavily on the generosity of our donors and the community to cover the shortfall. Events such as TASTE are crucial to our commitment of providing quality hospice care, free of cost for people and families across Niagara.
$5,000 Received.
www.hospiceniagara.ca

Wellspring Niagara

When you have Cancer, you have Wellspring. Wellspring Niagara’s programs remain free of charge and help us serve over 1300 individuals (patients, caregivers, family members, and bereaved members) throughout the year. Wellspring Niagara’s Community Night & Open House will allow them to spread awareness to the community, expand their member population and donor base. Wellspring Niagara serves all residents of Niagara who are impacted by a cancer diagnosis and their families. The impact of their programs is measured by member increase, program attendance, and thorough surveys completed by our members to determine how we can help them live better with cancer.

• In 2021, they registered 392 new members.
• In 2022 they registered 603 new members.

In 2023, they have already had 143 new members registrations. (Jan – March 16, 2023)
As Wellspring Niagara does not receive any government funding, these special events allows them to continue to provide sustainable support to our community by raising funds and awareness.
$5,000 Received.
www.wellspring.ca/niagara

Gillian’s Place

Gillian’s Place is committed to supporting survivors of gender-based violence, who along with their children face unique and complex barriers/scenarios. While they respond to increases in calls for support, they have been unwavering in their commitment to providing service when and how clients require it. Their impact goal is to ensure that the wrap-around free and confidential support services continue to be there for women, children, and non-binary folks. They are inclusive and welcoming of all women, two-spirit, genderqueer, trans, and non-binary people facing violence. They desire to offer services and spaces where all survivors can come without reservation, knowing that they will be welcomed, respected and provided with hope, dignity and choices. Prevention, crisis counselling, safety planning, legal support, and transitional housing are now more important than ever before for survivors of abuse. Their services span the spectrum of care from prevention, emergency and crisis counselling to safe, secure, and affordable housing, supporting education, safety planning for clients, community education of violence prevention.
$5,000 Received.
www.gilliansplace.com

Kristen French Child Advocacy Centre

The Kristen French Child Advocacy Centre is a safe space for children and youth to disclose their experiences of abuse and trauma and begin the healing process through one-on-one counselling and therapeutic programming. When children who have experienced the debilitating effects of abuse and trauma have the opportunity to heal, they can become healthy, productive adults who contribute to a livable, workable, and sustainable community in the future. Fundraising events, like the Spotlight Gala, allow the Kristen French Child Advocacy Centre Niagara to both increase community awareness of our important work for kids, and raise much-needed funds to ensure our programs and services can continue in the future.
$5,000 Received.
www.kristenfrenchcacn.org

GNCC Women in Business Awards

The Women in Business Awards contribute by establishing new community partnerships designed to optimize expertise and resources to develop and align a shared voice on issues affecting women in business in Niagara. The WIBAs support a Niagara where everyone can live, work, grow, and succeed. Data shows numerous positive effects on communities by supporting women in the workforce. The sponsored event aims to be a platform to advocate for women and a business resource. The team provides professional information and resources to women to stimulate business growth and opportunities, provides valuable learning opportunities and linkages for women to connect for resource and knowledge sharing, and to continue to advocate for issues that directly impact women. The WIBAs are a catalyst for inspiring leadership in the women in business community and celebrate the professional achievements of women.
$5,000 Received.
www.gncc.ca

Welland Downtown BIA

As many Niagara families continue to feel the weight of inflation and rising costs, the Welland Downtown BIA is excited to welcome their community back to enjoy FREE family friendly entertainment in the heart of our downtown. The Welland Downtown BIA works with organizations such as Community Food Drives to collect food at each concert for those in need. Last year, their series collected thousands of pounds of food and cash to assist Beyond the Streets Outreach and weekly dinners.
$5,000 Received.
www.downtownwelland.ca

Music Niagara

Music Niagara is a not-for-profit, registered charitable organization founded in 1998 by Artistic Director Atis Bankas. Run by two employees, a Board of 10, and 100 volunteers, Music Niagara evolved into a world-class summer music festival featuring Canadian musicians performing a variety of music. Their Mission is to present world-class, diverse music experiences in unique and intimate settings that connect the artistic community, educate and inspire audiences and artists, and enhance Niagara-on-the-Lake’s rich heritage and culture. For 2023, Music Niagara has been awarded BCM’s support to celebrate their 25th Summer Festival through 15 diverse concerts and featuring several series that they do best – including a Wine and Music series, a series Celebrating New Generation Artists, a Jazz Series, a Tribute Series and a special Outreach Concert for Ukraine.
$5,000 Received.
www.musicniagara.org