You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
In my last President’s Report, I wrote that I was hopeful we would be able to support at least one student in every Ottawa youth high school next year. Thanks to the amazing generosity of new and renewing donors, I am proud to announce that the Board of Directors has decided to support at least one boy and one girl in 52 Ottawa youth high schools next year.
The community has responded to our resolve to give 100% of donations to hard-working students living in difficult financial circumstances and to publish the letters that each recipient gives us, describing how the Help Our Students Program award has impacted their lives. Many new donors have come forward and most of our previous donors continue to support us.
This year, the Education Foundation of Ottawa graciously agreed to accept donations of securities on our behalf and to transfer the proceeds at no cost to us. As a result, we have received a large donation from a strong supporter. Donating shares to a charity provides substantial tax advantages. Please contact me if this kind of donation is of interest to you.
I also encourage you to consider a monthly donation through the CanadaHelps link on our web site. A modest monthly donation provides a steady flow of funds to help us support our students throughout the school year.
I wish to acknowledge a very generous donation that I received on behalf of the Debbie Campbell Memorial Fund. Debbie Campbell ran a Learning Academy with the Roberts Smart Centre primarily for adolescents with emotional and mental health issues. Following her death a number of years back, a group of her friends and colleagues did fundraising for the Debbie Campbell Learning Academy (DCLA). Last year the group got to a point where the small volunteer committee decided it could no longer manage the funds and worked with the Youth Service Bureau Foundation to disburse funds for youth with educational, social and recreational needs. They decided that the Help Our Students Program was an excellent fit with the ideals of the DCLA Bursary Fund and donated its remaining funds to us. I hope that Debbie is pleased with how our work reflects her goals.
In May, the Board of Directors held a Strategic Planning session. It confirmed our current mission and values, and developed a plan for the next three years.
As usual, a financial statement is available by clicking here.
I am delighted to provide the excerpts from the recipients’ letters that we received in June. I hope you enjoy them. They clearly demonstrate how your donations helped them this year to get through high school. You can view the students’ letters by visiting our web site at http://www.helpourstudentsprogram.com or clicking here.
Supporting over a hundred students is a big step for us. I feel that it combines both the exhilaration and the fear of jumping off a cliff into the waters below. Please help us to continue this great endeavour by supporting us with your donation. Visit our web site and make your donation today. You can donate by cheque or credit card. I also ask you to send this President’s Report to your family, friends and colleagues.
Thank you for your support. I wish you a safe and happy summer.
Richard Lussier
President, Help Our Students Program
59 Callaway Court
Orleans, ON K1C 7S4
613-983-3633
info@HelpOurStudentsProgram.com