Distress Centres Annual Report - 2014

Letter from President
From time to time, organizations need to pause and ensure that the direction they are following is still fully
responsive to the changes that happen in the world around us. The changing expectations of the clientele
we serve, the significant impact of technology on the way we communicate and the increasingly challenging
financial context in which we operate make this exercise critical. Does our mission still resonate with our various
stakeholders and will our strategy allow us to position ourselves for continued relevance and success over the
long term? These are some of the fundamental questions that need to be jointly addressed by the Board of
Directors and the Management of any organization.
This starts with ensuring that we have the right mission statement. Defining a mission statement that fully reflects
the aspirations of the organization and the expectation of its stakeholders is no small undertaking. It has to reflect
the real focus of the organization while remaining broad enough to allow for our services to evolve. It has to carry
the emotional appeal of what we strive for in a concise statement that people relate to and easily remember.
Our new mission statement “We foster hope and resilience one connection at a time” is the result of a year-long
consultative and reflective process. Human connection is the core of hope and resiliency. Building hope and
resilience is the core of Distress Centres. This is the message that we wish to convey to all of our stakeholders.
While, in the short term, our new mission statement will not immediately affect the day-to-day services rendered
by the agency, it was a prerequisite for the upcoming review of our long-range strategic plan. The Board and
Management will now focus particular attention during 2015 on the changes and trends in our landscape and
the best strategies to pursue the long-term success of our mission.
Your Board of Directors has also devoted its attention to other areas where it can bring additional value. Securing
additional and recurring sources of financing remains a key priority in an environment that is increasingly difficult
for all. We will also continue to aim for best-in-class governance, as expected by our stakeholders. And we will
continue to support Management in its leadership role within the community and in particular the distress centres
movement.
In closing, I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to: Karen Letofsky, our Executive Director, who continues
to be the heart and soul of Distress Centres and who has built this great organization which we are all so proud;
our management and professional team who are taking on increasing challenges with all the dedication for
which they are known; and, our team of volunteers, who are the core of Distress Centres – they are the ones that
are making a difference in the lives of so many people by making all these connections, one at a time. Special
appreciation, as well, to our generous donors, for their continued support and confidence.
I would be remiss if I did not underline the contribution of our board members, who agreed to volunteer a
considerable amount of their time simply because they believe so much in our cause. I would like to express my
appreciation to Pennie Santiago and Tom Wewoir who stepped down from the Board in 2014.
It is truly an honour and a privilege for me to be associated with this tremendous organization, as we foster hope
and resilience, one connection at a time.
Alain Thibault
President of the Board
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Distress Centres Annual Report 2014