Helping young people achieve…

The Prevent Challenge Foundation of Niagara is an incorporated and registered charity that has been in existence since 1984. Its mandate is to support and sponsor crime prevention programs that focus mainly on young people. Currently, the Foundation is funding and has made long term commitments to local charities such as the RAFT, YMCA  and the Changes Program  (John Howard Society of Niagara).

The Foundation was created as a result of the Last Will and Testament of a retired school teacher, Lily Augusta Traver. Additional donations and prudent investments have allowed the Foundation to “grow” its capital to approximately $900,000. The Foundation uses the income from this endowment to fund a number of programs in the Niagara Peninsula.

The first program offered through the Prevent Challenge Foundation addressed the need for vocational assessments by creating a Vocational Assessment Centre at West Park Secondary School. This program proved to be so successful that it was permanently adopted by the District School Board of Niagara and is today delivered by the Business Education Council with funding from the School Board.

The Prevent Challenge Foundation of Niagara also provided initial support to the Out-of-the-Cold Program in St.Catharines by purchasing blankets, stoves, refrigerators and dishwashers for the Churches offering services to the homeless. It also provided funding to the Wayside Transition House, which serves those persons who are in need of transitional housing.

Programs

Since 1995, the Prevent Challenge Foundation of Niagara has been involved in helping young people through the YMCA Youth Action Program. The Youth Action Program is directed to over 4,000 young persons at 28 sites across Niagara and involves gym activities, swimming, computer education, Saturday night dances, baseball camps and ropes climbing camps. They receive leadership training and build their self-esteem through interaction with other young people and the caring adults running the programs. Many develop  relationships with these adults and their peers that continue after the program ends.

The Prevent Challenge Foundation of Niagara remains committed to RAFT, which operates a drop-in centre receiving 10,000 youth visits annually. RAFT also provides a safe hostel that can accommodate young people from ages 16 to 18. Most of these young people are from disadvantaged families or have an abusive home life.

The Changes Program supports young people who have been identified as “behavior kids” by integrating them into the programs along with other young people. These “behavior kids” are young people who have been recognized by their teachers as having learning disabilities and have been segregated into special classes in Niagara Elementary Schools.

Our Goal

The long term goals of the Prevent Challenge Foundation of Niagara are to expand the funding  to community programs that assist in young people becoming productive citizens.  This includes programs such as the RAFT, YMCA and the Changes Program (John Howard Society of Niagara), The Foundation also plans to fund new programs which would provide access to professional assessments for those young people that need special help.

Your Opportunity

We are searching for individuals, corporations and foundations who are compassionate, understanding of these needs, and are in a position to make a commitment to help us “grow” the Prevent Challenge Foundation of Niagara. Please think about joining with Lily Augusta Traver in our effort to create a better life for young people by making a commitment to the Prevent Challenge Foundation of Niagara. The greater our financial resources, the more young people we can help to achieve productive lives. We have many programs for giving anonymously or with recognition available for your consideration.

“Prevention is the Key”

Julie Bishop

“We must discover why they are not learning, engage their self-esteem and in many cases stabilize their family environment”

Jim Wells, Executive Director, John Howard Society of Niagara

Contact

Prevent Challenge Foundation of Niagara
210 King Street,
St.Catharimes, Ontario
L2R 3J9
Tel: 905 682 2657