Foundation of Hope Gala an emotional evening
The fourth annual Foundation of Hope Gala made an $60,000 difference for the eight benefactors chosen to receive funds through the Swift Current United Way fundraiser.
Stacey Schwartz, Executive Director of the Swift Current United Way, was pleased with the success of the Gala which had Pattison Agriculture and Standard Motors as presenting sponsors.
“I thought it went really well,” Schwartz explained. “By this point I think there’s more of a buzz about it because people are starting to hear about it.”
Saturday’s nights fundraiser targeted raising funds for Canadian National Institute for the Blind, Canadian Mental Health Association, Family Resource Centre, Saskabilities, SCCYI The Center, Southwest Crisis Services, Southwest Homes, and United Way Active Play.
She appreciated the community’s generosity for the fundraiser, as the initiative impacts multiple organizations in the community and helps the recipients offer programs that directly impact vulnerable sectors in the community.
The evening also featured the unveiling of a documentary telling the story of a local family’s struggle with addictions. Mikaela Mamer, and her parents Roxanne and Lee, were featured in this impactful documentary which exposed the raw truths and frightening realities of battling the disease of addiction.
Schwartz said these impactful documentaries help raise the social awareness around different social issues that effect families in the community.
“I think the common denominator that we’ve found is that it really does open the door for others to feel like they can share, and to not feel alone. It really does start to shift the stigma and isolation around various social issues that impact us. And it allows the community to really have that community feel.”
The evening also stressed the importance of being responsive to the needs within the community, and the newly introduced 211 service will allow the United Way to react quicker to areas of importance to the region.
“It’s our hope and we’re optimistic about having 211,” she said. “I am really optimistic of the potential of how this product is going to be able to start to help meet the needs of the community in a very unique, non biased way.”
“It’s going to help down the road in really allocating donor dollars to where it needs to go. I think these tools are going to be an asset within our community and within the United Way, and even I think a lot of other organizations are going to benefit from that United Way product of 211 Saskatchewan of being able to also find out really what the needs are in Southwest Saskatchewan and act accordingly for what works best.”
Schwartz felt that the four year success of the Gala is an indication that the community understands the importance of the event.
“It’s encouraging to see that people are starting to see value of having a fundraiser like this, a community fundraiser that impacts multiple organizations in one night. So I think it’ll have impact to carry it forward.”