CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. - “We Did It” was the theme for a reception recently held by P.E.I. Family Violence Prevention Services.
Almost two years ago, a small committee, chaired by Valerie Docherty, agreed to raise $1 million for an endowment fund and the goal has been reached.
“Islanders are such generous people, and they understand the importance of providing programs and services to women and their children who are experiencing violence in their lives,” said Docherty.
The endowment fund campaign is called “Building Brighter Futures”, and each contributor to the campaign is known as a “Future Builder”. The reception was held in November to announce the goal was met and to thank each person and business who believe in the organization.
Danya O’Malley has worked with the organization for 10 years and is the current executive director. She knows first-hand what it is like to want to provide more support to clients, but also knows what it is like to not have the budget to do so.
The endowment fund means the organization will be able to utilize a portion of yearly interest to expand or add new programs and services O’Malley said.
“There is currently tremendous pressure on staff to fundraise or seek foundation grants. Another source of guaranteed revenue takes some of that pressure off, enabling us to count on some dollars for programs that otherwise function year to year.”
The chairwoman of the Family Violence Prevention Services board, Tina Pranger, couldn’t be more pleased with the success of the committee.
“A big priority for the board is planning for the financial sustainability of the organization. This is a big achievement for a small, volunteer committee. The organization will benefit for years to come from their hard work and the generosity of our donors,” said Pranger.
Like all non-profits, fundraising is a requirement and P.E.I. Family Violence Prevention Services must still raise 25 per cent of their budget.
More information on this campaign can be found at Fvps.ca/brighterfutures/.
