sign of hope DONOR NEWSLETTER
WINTER 2023
Message from the CEO At CSS we place great value on leaning into the strength of the community – as the famed African proverb says, “It takes a village!” Throughout our 62-year history we have been there to help vulnerable individuals, children and families, people with developmental disabilities, and newcomers to Canada, through a multitude of essential services and programs. We are proud to serve, and of the services we provide. Not a day goes by that we don’t receive some form of appreciation from those who have benefitted from our services and mission. Just the other day, a person who had been helped by CSS a decade ago arranged for their employer’s charity donations to go towards helping CSS purchase Christmas gifts for those who might not otherwise receive one. Indeed, we change lives! More precisely, YOU change lives, because without you, our donors, we couldn’t offer many of the critical services that we do. We’ve been fortunate enough to also be the beneficiary of organizational contributors like the Edmonton Rotary Club, the staff and customers of Shoppers Drug Mart, and the Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton’s ‘Together We Serve’ campaign. What’s more, we are so grateful that one of our private donors, not long ago, stepped forward to donate a much-needed brand new minivan that will be used by CSS to provide vital supplies of water, food, blankets, clothing, referrals, and other supports and services to homeless Edmontonians living in the outer-city who would be otherwise unable to access these provisions. We count ourselves truly blessed to be surrounded by such an abundance of generous, philanthropically-spirited people like yourselves. And, I would like to thank each of you for your contributions to our success. You really are the light and face of hope – and we thank you for it!
Dr. Troy Davies, CEO
“We seek a compassion that stands in awe of what the poor have to carry, rather than standing in judgment of how
they carry it.” FR. GREGORY BOYLE, SJ
Faithfully yours, Dr. Troy Davies
Rotary Club of Edmonton: Teeing off for a good cause For the past three years, the Rotary Club of Edmonton has generously donated proceeds from their Million Dollar Hole-In-One Golf Tournament to Catholic Social Services’ Lurana Shelter. Lurana is a 21-day crisis shelter operating 32 beds for women and their children in need of urgent, safe housing after experiencing domestic violence. “The Rotary Club of Edmonton sees Lurana Shelter as very worthy of our support,” said Rod Karius, Rotary Club President. “It’s dealing with a very real need, and we’re happy we can help support its work.” The 2023 Million Dollar Hole-In-One Golf Tournament raised an incredible $25,000!
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Catholic Social Services launches its 2023 Sign of Hope campaign
Catholic Social Services launched its 2023 Sign of Hope campaign during this year’s Evening at the Mac event, held August 24. The popular annual meet-and-greet celebrates the spirit of community and shares stories of success that CSS programs have had within the community. This year’s guest speaker at the event was Majok Lam, a young man raised in South Sudan during civil and ethnic strife. When he arrived in Edmonton from a Kenyan refugee camp, CSS played a crucial role in Lam’s integration into Canadian life. “Catholic Social Services made sure I had a safe apartment that I love … [they] made sure I had access to an education – they gave me an orientation to Canada, taught me to use the bus, how to use the library, cooking lessons, how to wear 10 layers of clothing to stay warm, and they signed me up for English classes. “Catholic Social Services is changing people’s lives. They helped change my life and made me believe in brighter days of tomorrow.” Majok Lam’s reference to “brighter days” connects well with this year’s Sign of Hope invitation to Be the Light & Face of Hope to those in need. Your donations have an immense impact on our brothers and sisters whose needs are more complex than most of us can imagine. Sign of Hope dollars help fund a wide range of supportive programs for seniors-at-risk, vulnerable children, anxious and afraid young mothers, and many other socially marginalized Albertans.
The four-month September to December Sign of Hope fundraising campaign is our most ambitious push of the year, hoping to raise $2.7 million before the end of the calendar year. To learn more or to make a donation visit cssalberta.ca
CSS Nominees for Philanthropy Day
Founded in 1996, the Edmonton & Area Chapter of the worldwide Association of Fundraising Professionals advances philanthropy by enabling people and organizations to practise effective and ethical fundraising. Every year, CSS nominates benefactors to the AFP’s National Philanthropy Day celebration to recognize outstanding contributions of time, talent, and financial support. In the spirit of Matthew 6:1-4, both of our 2023 CSS philanthropy nominees are reluctant to share the details of their giving publicly. However, 2 Corinthians 9:12-15 shows us that expressing thankfulness for the generous spirit of our nominees is justified: Individual Philanthropy - Ben Hochhausen Corporate Philanthropy - Servus Credit Union On behalf of our clients, we thank each of our donors for their generosity and support.
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Gift of Shares CSS’ Gift of Shares program makes it easy for donors to give the full value of stocks and shares in support of our Sign of Hope campaign. By donating publicly traded securities, you eliminate the capital gains tax that you would have to pay if you sold the securities and then donated the proceeds. You’ll also receive a charitable tax receipt for your donation. Securities can include stocks, mutual funds, segregated funds, bonds, flow-through shares, and employee stock options. Giving is simple. Consult your financial advisor to decide which investments might make the most financial and philanthropic impact. Then ask your broker to transfer your securities to Catholic Social Services by completing a transfer form. And finally, let us know you have made your gift so we can share how your generosity is providing hope for those in need! For more information on gifting shares please contact Nimet Somji at 780-439-HOPE. Or email donations@cssalberta.ca. Did You Know? Together We Serve – proud member of the team Together We Serve is an annual fundraising appeal in the Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton. It was launched in 2014 to simplify giving by combining recurring special collections in parishes and inviting parishioners to work together to serve those in need at home, in Canada and abroad. A portion of the money contributed to Together We Serve helps form a significant part of the fundraising totals for CSS’ annual Sign of Hope campaign. The 2023 Sign of Hope Campaign is on now, and it continues until the end of December.
Help Us FILL A FRIDGE for Sign of Hope
FILL A FRIDGE for Sign of Hope
During our week-long Giving Tuesday campaign, which ran from November 28th to December 4th, Catholic Social Services asked the community to “Fill a Fridge” for Sign of Hope. Over the course of the week, donors contributed $10,242 to help Sign of Hope programs serving a variety of groups and individuals in need. Increasing food costs are creating a widespread hunger crisis in Alberta, which tops the list of Canadian provinces with families experiencing food insecurity. Over 20% of Albertans are unable to keep food in the fridge. That’s one in five children, seniors, and vulnerable Albertans who are missing meals and going hungry. Clients across many of Catholic Social Services’ programs are at the forefront of this crisis, including those served by our women’s shelters, high-risk youth programs, our Welcome Home program for the formerly homeless, and our Elder Abuse Resource and Supports program. There is still time to donate to our Sign of Hope programs; please visit cssalberta.ca.
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Thank you for bringing hope today, tomorrow, and beyond. LEARN HOW YOUR DONATIONS CHANGE LIVES! VISIT CSSALBERTA.CA
The 2023 Evening at the Mac was a sold out success! On Thursday, August 24, 2023, Catholic Social Services welcomed more than 400 friends, donors and other community partners “Back to the Mac” for one of the agency’s signature social events. The function took place at the Fairmont Hotel MacDonald’s Grand Ballroom and Terrace, where guests enjoyed the music of a live jazz band, delicious food and drinks, and the company of old and new friends. For those who enjoy gift and craft shopping, Gianna Centre set up a sales display of the many items created by young mothers who have been helped by its program. Evening at the Mac will return in 2024. If you are interested in receiving information about tickets, please email communications@cssalberta.ca . Supporting Victims of Violence Alberta has the third highest rate of family violence in Canada. November was Family Violence Prevention Month - Albertans were encouraged to learn #WhereToTurn and how to help family, friends and neighbours experiencing family violence Catholic Social Services is a leading provider of domestic violence supports in Alberta, operating two shelters, a transitional housing program, a drop-in centre for women, a program for seniors experiencing abuse, and a group home for young people experiencing (or at risk of) sexual exploitation. These programs are all fully or partially funded by donations to Sign of Hope. You can donate by visiting cssalberta.ca donate To learn more about family violence and what to do if you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, visit www.alberta.ca family-violence-prevention-month .
Shoppers Drug Mart This fall, CSS received help from an exciting national fundraising initiative launched by Shoppers Drug Mart. From September 9th to October 6th, the Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health held a Giving Shelter campaign, uniting its stores to support over 300 women’s shelters across Canada. The list of funding recipients included CSS’ Lurana Shelter, which provides a safe, secure, and immediate refuge in addition to emergency services like food, clothing, transportation and child support. The shelter also offers specialized services related to counselling and advocacy – all at no cost to the women and children who need them. Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health is one of several organizations stepping up to support front-line service providers, like Lurana Shelter, which are facing increasing demand in an increasingly challenging society.
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