ST. PAUL – The St. Paul Family Day Homes, a non-profit that works with and supports day homes operating in the area, has been faced with the daunting task of raising tens of thousands of dollars to repair its aging facility.
So, the organization turned to the community for support.
On Oct. 19, the St. Paul Recreation Centre was filled with at least 200 people during a fundraiser featuring The Joe Show. The event included games, activities, and entertainment for kids and their parents.
The fundraiser aimed to raise funds to repair the non-profit's 40-year-old building. The siding alone is estimated to cost between $30,000 to $40,000 to replace. But with funding for non-profits becoming increasingly competitive, the group is facing an uphill battle, according to Lori Stokes, the organization’s director.
“We just don’t have the extra funds to do huge repairs on the building,” she said. “Without our building, we don’t really have a home base.”
She added, “We are really happy and really appreciate that our families and people in the community came out for this. It means a lot for the program.”
The event was also an opportunity for the St. Paul Family Day Homes to give back to the community. “It was lots of work,” said Stokes, as she thanked everyone who worked behind the scenes, and businesses who helped sponsor the event.
“Also . . . shoutout to Danica Poulin. She was our leader in this,” she said.
The work was all worth it, according to Stokes. “It's nice to sit back and hear all the young families and kids laughing and having a good time.”
Stokes said the non-profit hopes to host the event again next year, even if it’s just to give young families and kids something to enjoy.
As for the fundraiser, Stokes said the non-profit is still a long way from accomplishing its goals.
Anyone interested in donating can visit the organization’s office.
