Global Divas Celebrates 5th Anniversary in Style! - St. Stephen's ...

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were doing. They cover so many bases, from youth to seniors’programs. They really do a great job,” said Walter Thompson,President of the Tippet Foundation.In 2005, the Tippet Foundation made a five-year pledge tosupport the core programs of the Youth Arcade. This sprungfrom the Foundation’s plan to grant multi-year funding toagencies with which they had a close association. St. Stephen’sCommunity House was one of the first to receive this kind offunding.Foundations are often inspired bya program’s promise of becomingself-sustaining.“Agencies typically spend a lot of time chasing money. Weknew St. Stephen’s Community House was doing an excellentjob providing very effective programs, and that the five-yearcommitment would allow them to focus on those programs,and not on finding ways to fund them,” added Thompson.Foundations are often inspired by a program’s promise of becomingself-sustaining. The Trillium Foundation recently provided startupfunds to extend our Conflict Mediation Service to includeco-parenting counselling that focuses on custody disputes, fulfillinga major unmet need. Their support will allow us to offer this newservice on a sliding scale based on income, guiding us to eventuallybecome self-sufficient through revenue generated by user fees.Foundation gifts do not always take a monetary form. A projectbeing funded by the Metcalf Foundation will provide leadershiptraining for homeless drop-in participants at places likeSt. Stephen’s Corner Drop-In. This support will enable participantsto develop their communication skills, teach them how to accessand speak to government officials, and express their needseffectively. Recruitment across Toronto homeless drop-ins iscurrently underway.We are grateful for the partnering and dedicated support ofour foundation donors, which helps St. Stephen’s to continueto advance, strengthen and expand services, and to reach morepeople in need.“Agencies typically spend a lot oftime chasing money. ...thefive-year commitment wouldallow them to focus on thoseprograms, and not on findingways to fund them”Walter Thompson, President,The Tippett Foundation.Activities in the Youth Arcade would not be possible withoutsupport from foundation donors and The United Way.
Little HandsCreate el FrescoMasterpieceThere are many waysto make a contribution.Some donate money andsome give of their timeand talents.Rochelle suggested a mural as the project format and left it toSt. Stephen’s staff to decide which program she should workwith. “When they suggested working with kids in the childcarecentre, the theme of a garden seemed obvious.Rochelle Rubinstein’s gift came in the form of what she calls a“magic garden” - a painted mural gracing the fence beside theChildcare Centre at St. Stephen’s Community House BellevueAvenue location.Under her guidance and armed with the tools and supplies thatshe had donated, the kids in the childcare program brought themural to life over two days of sketching and painting.Rochelle’s relationship with St. Stephen’s began when she madea donation as a show of friendship shortly after she moved intothe neighbourhood. “I would walk by the House everyday andwas curious. They have a strong presence in the Market andI had heard good things about the work that they do,” sheexplains.Her donation led to an invitation to tour St. Stephen’s,acquainting her with the various programs and agency staff.She was impressed by what she saw and offered her servicesas an artist, and admits “I’m very glad they took me up on it!”The mural is like an imaginary gardenthat grows and evolves...The mural is like an imaginary garden that grows and evolvesalong with the real one growing below it. Now there will alwaysbe a garden there, even in the winter.”Rochelle, an internationally-established artist and art therapist,saw this as a good opportunity for the kids to collaborate on avisible, lasting achievement and to make a contribution to a majorwork. The kids were given creative freedom and encouragedto use their natural spontaneity while creating the piece. “Somebudding talents were discovered,” says Rubinstein, reflecting onthe experience, “It was a lot of fun.” She looks forward to seeingthe mural in different seasons, and the pleasure others will getfrom it.You can learn more about Rochelle Rubinstein and her art on herweb site: rochellerubinstein.com.
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