North Simcoe Victim Services Gets Trillium Grant
Representatives of the North Simcoe Victim Services board announced at a press conference held at the Orillia OPP Detachment this week they received a $100k grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation’s Resilient Communities Fund.
The grant will be used during the next two years to develop a new fundraising plan, hire its first fundraiser and create an online donation mechanism.
“We are creating a platform for sustainability that was not previously possible due to insufficient staff time and funding, said the NSVS’s new development director, Lynn Thomas. “It will save 2.5% of administration fees per donation. It will also be used to create an annual fundraising plan.”
The NSVS is also taking over the fall fundraiser, The Ride For Refuge, The Lighthouse promoted in recent years. “They contacted us,” to take it over Thomas said.
The need for the NSVS has grown substantially in recent years. In its 25 year history, 37% of 8,700 calls occurred in the last 5 years.
“Our numbers have increased exponentially. The needs in our community have gone up exponentially and because of that our services are much more needed and the support is much more complex. We respond to a wide variety of calls that include everything from assault, domestic violence right up to homicide and most recently there has been we’ve been dealing with a lot of human trafficking issues,” said NSVS co-chair Brett Boniface.
The NSVS volunteers provide emotional support, referrals and advocacy to people who have become victims of tragic events, disasters, or crime. The volunteers respond when called on by emergency response agencies, or other professionals involved with crisises.
(Photo by Swartz – SUNonline/Orillia and Images Supplied) Main: North Simcoe Victim Services co-chairs Brett Boniface and Catherine McCullough,announcing details of a Trillium Grant.
