Investing in children is always a good idea, as there’s always a positive outcome.
That’s among the messages being shared by The Children’s Foundation, as it gets ready for its Kids Can’t Wait Radiothon, airing on 97.7 Moose FM on Wednesday, Oct. 4.
Between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., listeners can hear about the Foundation’s programs and heed calls for donations.
The Children’s Foundation’s Executive Director Melanie Cressman says the Radiothon will raise awareness and funds for programs such as Camps of Hope (which helps children access camp programs), Playing for Keeps (a program that helps families pay registration fees for sports and other extra curriculars) and Reach for Success (a program that provides bursaries and scholarships for students pursuing post-secondary education).
Cressman says the number of families applying to access funds from these, and other, programs have increased in recent years.
“Families that we’re struggling before the pandemic, many are in crisis now,” she says. “When a family has to make a decision between buying groceries or paying rent … when those tough decisions are being made, you can guarantee that (paying their child’s sports registration fee) is way down on the list.”
“That’s where The Children Foundation comes into support. Our goal is to let children have those enriching experiences and not have finances be the barrier.”
Cressman, a Bancroft native, says The Foundation is seeing a particularly strong demand in North Hastings. More than 100 families from the area have applied for support in the past year.