Community sales support SFCS Enhancement Campaign

May 08, 2014

May begins the yard sale season and in Sydenham on May 3, close to 25 tables were filled with all kinds of great arts and craft and garage sale-style goodies at the Southern Frontenac Community Services' (SFCS) Grace Centre. The event included two separate sales, the first in Grace Centre's main hall where members of the Sydenham's Women Institute set up tables of their fine arts and crafts. A second sale was being managed downstairs and outside by the SFCS's volunteer coordinator and board member, Jennifer Linton. Proceeds from both sales went to support the SFCS's first ever Enhancement Campaign. I happily came away with a trumpet, and my purchase was made even better knowing that the funds are going to good cause.

The SFCS 2014 Enhancement Campaign comes as the organization is celebrating 25 years of serving members of the community. It came about as a result of a huge increase in the demand for health and social services in the community. It is the first time in the SFCS's history that staff have felt the need to set up a public fundraising initiative. The campaign's aim is to raise $50,000 by June of 2014.

Kathryn O'Hara, the SFCS's funds development and promotions coordinator, cited some numbers that demonstrate the increased need for services in the community. “Last year we served 726 seniors and in the last two years alone we have seen a 16% increase in the number of clients we serve in the community,” O'Hara said. In addition the organization assisted 260 low-income households, an increase of 213% in the last two years. In the same period of time there was an 80% increase in the number of households who used the food bank, and last year alone 762 families required its assistance. O'Hara said the need for the campaign came about since the organization's regular funding sources have remained flat. “Basically we had two choices: we could either turn people away, forcing them go without the community supports that they need, or else we could make an effort to raise the necessary funds in the community.” The choice was obvious. O'Hara estimates that the increased need for support will continue into the future. She estimates serving an additional 178 new clients in 2014 alone, which will likely mean that the enhancement campaign will become an ongoing annual one.

The Enhancement Campaign was officially launched in February 2014 and O'Hara hopes to see the $50,000 goal reached by June 2014. Anyone wishing to make a donation can visit the SFCS website at www.sfcsc.ca or call 613-376-6376.