Let's Connect Winter 2015

Let’s

connect

Winter Issue 2015

B r i n g i n g C a r e & C o m m u n i t y To g e t h e r Donations making a difference

WOCRC programs, with a focus on youth mental health, receive a generous donation of $5,000 from the Anglican Parish of March

Winter Issue 2015 Inside this issue Message from the Executive Director The Good Food Box Expanding into local schools Rewards of Being a Volunteer Terry’s story The Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre is proud to be an accredited organization with the Canadian Centre for Accreditation (CCA).

Pictured above in the Anglican Parish of March (L to R ) : The Reverend Karen Coxon, Mike Bryan Parish Representative, Mia Doré, Manager - Children and Youth Programs, Jessie Cornford - Youth Program Coordinator.

Between the expectations at home, the stress to succeed in school, and the pressure brought on by their peers, being a teen can be complicated. *In Canada, it is estimated that 10 to 20 per cent of youth are affected by a mental illness or a disorder and a staggering 3.2 million youth (12 to 19 year olds) are at risk for developing depression.

“We are in a mental health crisis because there are so many people trying to access services,” says Sarah Smythe, Youth Community Developer.

“But we don’t have enough services available,” says Smythe.

The need for youth mental health initiatives, programs and services in our catchment area has increased and will only continue to grow; however, funding for non-profits, like WOCRC is often limited or non-existent.

“We currently don’t have any funds dedicated solely to youth and mental health,” says Mia Doré, Child and Youth Programs Manager.

But thanks to donations, like the one story continued on next page

*Source: http://www.cmha.ca/media/fast-facts-about-mental-illness/#.VLUxiHsvtIY

United Way Campaign United Way’s Community Campaign launched in September of 2014.

You can donate to WOCRC by using the standard form, and providing our name and charitable registration number (12821 9201 RR 0001).

While we do not always receive the names of individual donors, we thank you for helping your community!

Learn more or donate online at:

www.wocrc.ca

info@wocrc.ca www.wocrc.ca T: 613-591-3686

Message from the Chair & Executive Director

The strategic planning process really made us take a moment and ask the question: “Are we making the best possible use of our limited resources to carry out our mission and move towards our vision?”

Through a series of information gathering that included an in-depth environmental scan, multiple focus groups, online surveys, and staff and board member planning sessions, we were able to use the findings to inform the current state and the strategic directions of our plan.

The Strategic Planning Committee has done a wonderful job at outlining a positive path for WOCRC’s future. It is my pleasure to share with you our five strategic directions from our 2015-2019 Strategic Plan; Systemic Advocacy, Investment in Our People, More Ways to Connect, Growth of Strategic Partnerships, Flexible and Adaptive Service Delivery.

Results – ensuring that our strategic directions drive measureable results where the need is the greatest.

Quality assurance – integrating a systemic approach to ensuring that our services meet the needs and expectations of clients, partners, funders and other key stakeholders that we can be successful.

We would also like to thank our community partners, clients, residents and volunteers who participated in our many focus groups and graciously volunteered their time to provide invaluable feedback and insight on this important work.

Your commitment to the WOCRC mission is critical to our success, and we speak for the entire board and staff when we say thank you.

In addition to the five strategic directions, four crosscutting themes have been identified as they inform and support each strategic direction, as follows: Engagement – it is only through meaningful engagement of community members, partners, employees and key stakeholders that we can be successful.

Accountability – leadership, team, client and stakeholder accountability is foundational to ensure transparency and as an enabler of ongoing communication on the progress of the plan.

Mike Merpaw Chair

Cathy Jordan Executive Director

Donations making a difference..continued from first page made by our friends at the Anglican Parish of March, we are able to take a proactive approach to youth mental health.

Because of the $ 5,000, WOCRC is able to offer tailored programming and leverage partnerships to support local youth during the often complex journey into adulthood.

The donations will be used to offer local youth programs and services focused on mental health, anxiety prevention and

supporting LGBTQ+ youth. We will also be extending the hours of The ZONE to serve the specific needs of older youth in our community that are currently underserviced.

To learn more about this great initiative and how you can contribute contact our Donor Administrator at donation@wocrc.ca.

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families are receiving fresh, local and low-cost produce from The Good Food Box. That’s nearly 100 people!

We will be publishing the full WOCRC 2015-2019 Strategic Plan on our website in the coming weeks and we look forward to working together towards these goals.

photo by Danielle Lynn Photography

Last year, staff and board members formed a Strategic Planning Committee to consider Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre’s (WOCRC) next five years. As an organization serving a variety of needs in our catchment area, we wanted to verify that we are all working towards a common set of goals. We also wanted to ensure that we are assessing and adjusting our services and programs in response to a changing environment.

The Good Food Box is expanding into local rural schools

The Ottawa Good Food Box gives families, community members and neighbours the opportunity to order a box of local, nutritious fresh fruits and vegetables at wholesale prices.

Whole sale prices, local vendors and quality produce are just some of the selling points that have helped the Ottawa Good Food Box (GFB) gain popularity within the urban core. Now, thanks to forging partnerships, like the one formed between the GFB and Stonecrest Elementary School, Ottawa’s innovative food access program has found its way into local rural communities.

“The feedback has been very positive,” says Julie McKercher, Rural Community Developer.

“It involves the kids in a proactive way.”

“We have given the kids the opportunity to take the food home with them on the bus,” says McKercher. “[The kids] are involved in healthy food consumption and it simplifies getting produce into the kitchen of families.”

GFB is a food access program dedicated to selling quality produce at wholesale prices as a means of supporting greater access to low-cost, local, quality food. The GFB mandate is entirely different than that of the Food Bank, which is dedicated to providing those in need with emergency food assistance.

The GFB at Stonecrest Elementary gives families, community members, and neighbours the opportunity to order a box of local, nutritious fresh fruits and vegetables at wholesale prices. These boxes come in a variety of sizes and price points and even come with recipe ideas to make preparation a snap.

Also, there is a built in cost savings of anywhere from 30 per cent to 50 per cent. It works a lot like a collective, with centralized buying and coordination; it’s open to everyone – with no membership fees.

Did you know?

You can start an Ottawa Good Food Box site anywhere in Ottawa as long as there are at least 10 interested customers and a volunteer coordinator.

Is your school interested in participating in The Good Food Box program?

Please contact Julie McKercher at 613-591-3686 x 498 or mckercher@wocrc.ca.

Paying it forward

Terry shares the rewards of being a Peer Support Volunteer

Terry began volunteering with WOCRC in 2005 as a Peer Supporter and has also provided her talent and expertise in several communications and fundraising endeavours.

Committed to working towards ending violence against women (VAW), Terry has been involved in a number of social action initiatives, provided direct service support to several abused women and offered unwavering support to the residences of Chrysalis House. In 2010 Terry was presented with the Eva James Award in recognition for all of her volunteer efforts.

She continues to be actively involved in our Peer Support Program. She enjoys the social action component of the program, which involves going into local schools to talk about healthy

dating relationships, helping with our annual VAW vigil and spearheading our International Women’s Day celebrations.

Terry is also an avid dragon boat racer and Captain of her internationally ranked team.

In Terry’s words When asked why I volunteer I typically give the short answer; to give back to my community. Not that that is a cop out, it just moves the conversation along.

This time I wanted to elaborate, for this organization that celebrates and thrives on its volunteers.

with children, mine plus many others.

Those children were always treated as if they were my own, maybe that’s why today I have so many more children than the three I bore that call me Mom. Now that my own children are grown, I still believe we must take responsibility for all of our children.

To that end, through example, I can give of my time and experience to help guide and educate our youth. Our youth need to see through our actions that sometimes you just do, without considering what you might get. This euphoria cannot be described, it needs to be experienced.

I firmly believe that it takes a village to raise a child. So, when my children were young my home was always filled

Call for Volunteers

Looking to lend some of your time and talent to your community?

The WOCRC is always looking for someone like you!

Contact our Volunteer Coordinator today at white@wocrc.ca or 613-591-3686 and learn more about all the great ways you can help out your community.

WOCRC is a non-profit organization and relies on donations so we can continue our work.

Your support can help someone in need, right here in your community!

To donate online, visit: www.wocrc.ca or call 613-591-3686 Tax receipts are issued for donations over $10 Charitable Registration #12821 9201 RR 0001 2 MacNeil Court, Kanata, ON K2L 4H7 info@wocrc.ca www.wocrc.ca T: 613-591-3686 F: 613-591-2501 TTY : 613-591-0484