I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what my life was like as a kid. I remember getting to try everything I wanted to try. When I was 6, I said to my mom, “I want to play soccer!” and she said without hesitation, “Okay, let’s get you signed up for soccer.” Now, I wasn’t the best at soccer and spent most of my time on the bench cheering for other players or chatting with my teammates, but it taught me a lot. It taught me how to make new friends, support the people around me, and accept that I wasn’t going to be good at everything and that was okay.

I remember going grocery shopping with my mom too. She’d let me sit in the cart while she walked down the aisles, checking off things on her list that we needed at home. I’d see something on the shelf that caught my eye and say, “Mom, can I try that?!” She would say, “Well that’s not very healthy, how about we try something else?”, so she’d help me pick out a healthier option.  It taught me to make healthier food choices and not to be afraid to try new things.

These memories make me realize just how many opportunities I had as a child. I may not have known it at the time, but I felt empowered to try new things, to make my own choices, and to be who I wanted to be. I was so fortunate to grow up in a family that was in the financial position where they could say “yes” to me. I rarely heard my mom say, “Sorry Emilie, we don’t have the money.”  I was so empowered - to play, to learn, to develop and grow into the person I wanted to be and to reach my full potential.

There are a lot of children living in our community right now who don’t have as many opportunities as I was fortunate enough to have. And it isn’t because their parents don’t want to say “yes” - it’s because they can’t afford to. They want to empower their kids by sending them to camp this summer, or by providing them with ample, healthy food to eat, or to follow their dreams of pursuing a post-secondary education. But they need your help to do that.

We chose empowerment as the theme for our annual fundraising campaign because we know that breaking the cycle of poverty isn’t about a hand out or a hand up. It’s about walking hand-in-hand with the families and children we serve, empowering them with opportunities, so that together we can break the cycle of poverty and create lasting change.

You’ve already empowered so many children and youth with your past support. Doesn’t it feel amazing to know that you’ve given them opportunities that will help shape them into who they are meant to be? But there are even more kids living in Guelph and Wellington right now who are missing out because of their families’ financial situation. Will you help those children hear the empowering word “yes”?

The direct impact your gift will have:

• $50 will feed a hungry high school student a healthy breakfast for a month.  Breakfast is especially important for students whose brains use up about half of the body’s energy throughout the day.
• $200 will send a kid to camp. Camp increases mental stimulation and physical activity in the outdoors, helps kids build a unique interest, and allows them to learn more about themselves on an individual level.
• $600 will adopt a family of four at Christmas time. Adopting a family means you get to share the magic of Christmas with a family and children in need. This gift helps to strengthen family bonds, gives families hope for a bright new year, and provides children with much needed winter clothing and their special Christmas wishes.
• $1,000 will help to cover books and tuition for post-secondary education for a hardworking youth. Young people should have the opportunity to pursue their dreams and work for a brighter future. But to some youth in our community, that’s all it is – a dream. Your gift will make it a reality for a deserving youth.

Through your past support, I know you believe in empowering kids with opportunities so that they can build the bright future they want for themselves – you’ve already empowered so many with hope and confidence. When you donate today, you can further break the cycle of poverty for even more kids and youth in our community so that they can reach their full potential.

 If you have already donated this year, thank you so much for your generosity and compassion. Your gift is so appreciated by us and the families we work with.

With my deepest gratitude,