The value of an ounce of prevention
Centraide funds help YMCA support newcomers
To many, the YMCA is simply a place to work out.
For refugees, it’s a source of balance in the first fragile days after their arrival. It also helps ex-offenders to reintegrate into society, and offers a helping hand to the homeless.
Katie Sheahan, Concordia’s Director of Recreation and Athletics, knows its programs intimately. Before coming to Concordia, she worked at the Y for 25 years, 11 of those as the Executive Director of the YMCA Centre-Ville.
She cited the Y’s First Stop program as an example of their pioneering approach to community service.
Sheahan said that those with few resources frequently travel by bus, and are often met at stations by “nefarious” types who want to recruit them as gang members or prostitutes, or drug pushers.
So six years ago, the Y placed outreach workers in bus stations to offer new arrivals information and referrals.
“This program has prevented so many people from falling into the wrong hands and ending up in situations that were impossible, and perhaps even criminal.” she said.
“Due to its preventive nature, it also stopped thousands from requiring further support.”
An ounce of prevention may be worth a pound of cure, but Sheahan said it is difficult to get funding for preventive programs.
“They lack the appeal of programs that have either clearly identifiable victims or clienteles. But Centraide’s support for this innovative program was dramatic and it has continued to be supportive.”
Frederick Francis is the Deputy Director of Concordia’s Centre for International Academic Cooper-ation. In 2003, he was named the Y’s Volunteer of the Year.
This dynamo is at the downtown Y six days per week at the crack of 6 a.m., where he works out and teaches fitness classes.
Programs like First Stop, he says, are a tangible way of reaching people and “showing them that the Y is more than a gym.”
“It’s where people make lifelong friendships, learn and share together. It’s a community that brings quality to life.”
Francis said he is one of many Concordians who volunteer at the Y. The histories of Concordia and the YMCA are intertwined: Our downtown campus is named for Sir George Williams, the founder of the Y movement.
Each year, YMCAs across Montreal receive more than one million dollars from Centraide of Greater Montreal, which also helps more than 340 community agencies to help others.
The goal of this year’s Centraide campaign at Concordia is $194,000 raised from a variety of sources. One recent initiative was the raffle of two iPod Nanos donated by the Computer Store. The winners are Paul Eifert (Psychology) and Del King (Copier Operations).
Organizers report that they have met 60 per cent of their payroll deduction objective with more than $72,000 raised. Concordians have until Dec. 16 to pledge their support to this year’s Centraide fundraising effort. To find out how you can help, visit http://centraide.concordia.ca.
Six-time Juno nominee Jeri Brown will pay homage to jazz legend Nina Simone in a benefit concert, Sempre Nina!, at the Oscar Peterson Concert Hall on Nov. 25 at 8 p.m. Proceeds will go to Centraide. For ticket information, please go to http://oscar.concordia.ca
For a glimpse of Brown as a teacher, watch Jeri Brown: The Spirit Comes Through on Bravo television the next evening Nov. 26 at 9 p.m.