Beaver Staff
Family and Children’s Services of Frontenac, Lennox and Addington has awarded nearly $55,000 to 15 of the youth it serves to send them to college or university or help them with life opportunities.
The annual awards by the Children’s Aid Society’s charitable Futures Fund hit a new milestone this year with key changes that included support for older youth and those who need help with things other than education or who want to delay entering college or university from high school.
“We’ve been raising money to send the youth we serve to college and university for almost 40 years. This year, we changed our Futures Fund charitable program to recognize the changing needs of youth and of the community,” said Sonia Gentile, executive director of Family and Children’s Services of Frontenac, Lennox and Addington.
The Futures Fund, which is funded by donations, was expanded this year to include life opportunities – non-education support for careers, health and wellbeing, culture and heritage and transition to adulthood. Five of the 15 applications this year were for life opportunities. The Fund also raised the age limit for applicants from 21 to 30 to help youth who have left the agency’s services but still need support. It also allows those who want to delay entering college or university more time after high school to work or prepare for higher education. The result was a more inclusive set of awards.
“We’re trying to make a difference with our limited charitable funds. We know we could do so much more if we had the money. That’s why we’re calling for more donations. These youth deserve all the help the community can give them,” said Gentile.
People who want to support the work of the Futures Fund can make a donation by going to https://www.facsfla.ca/how-to-give.