Announcing the 2022 CCFA Charity Fund Recipients

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Each year, the CCFA allocates $1500 to make donations to various charities nominated by our members. It is never an easy decision deciding how to split such a small sum among so many in need. This year, our decision was harder than ever, with many, many deserving charities submitted we relied on a guiding principle that we would fund charities where our own faculty and students are participating in the work.

It is my humble privilege to inform our members that your Union supported these initiatives this year:

The Camosun College African Awareness Committee, nominated by Francis Adu-Febiri

The AAC have a reduction of digital divide project at Nkoranza Senior High School and a youth soccer project at Akropong Elementary & Junior High School in rural Bono East region of Ghana. Camosun ITS has donated an overhead projector and through a service-learning project SOCIOLOGY 211 student has provided laptops for the senior High school digital divide project. An Oak Bay High School in Victoria has collected seventeen boxes of soccer equipment from his soccer club for the elementary & Junior high school soccer project. Camosun AAC needs to ship these items to Ghana but have not been able to raise money for the shipment during the COVID-19 situation. The CCFA has donated the funds needed for shipping and looks forward to hearing how this program helps to reduce the digital divide in these communities.

Soup Sisters, nominated by Sarah Erdelyi

In November 2018, a soup sisters event was organized in the kitchen at the Interurban campus. The culinary arts program donated their space so that faculty and students could make soup for those in need. The students from our program [MRAD] who participated raved about this opportunity and could not wait for the next one. The medical radiography faculty, alumni, and students would be thrilled to participate in another soup sisters event, allowing students and faculty to donate their time to make soup, while supporting a good cause. I think this is a very unique way to use the money, as it would cover the cost of the ingredients, but also bring individuals together and strengthen the professional community. It has been very difficult to share these moments during the pandemic. The CCFA has donated funds to help sponsor another such event at Camosun College and looks forward to hearing more about out members’ participation.

Victoria Native Friendship Centre, nominated by Artemis Fire

The Victoria Native Friendship Centre Elder’s program, run by Lisa Mercure, works in partnership with Camosun by offering onsite upgrading courses, educating practicum students from many CFCS programs, as well as the Indigenous Family Support program. Also, Ron Rice is now the ED there (former Camosun Board of Directors). Currently Lisa is spearheading many initiatives to support Indigenous Elders (a valuable resource in our communities), many of whom are living in poverty, with outreach, support, access to needed resources and the most valuable resource, Language reclamation. Language programs build resilience, cultural connection/pride, and healing from the traumas of the past (this includes counselling). The CCFA has donated funds to the Victoria Native Friendship Centre to help them continue to do their good work.

The CCFA Exec would also like to thank the following members for their thoughtful submissions and encourage you to follow the embedded links to learn more about the charities we funded and those we weren’t able to help this year.

Keep an eye out for next year’s call for submissions around AGM time next year!

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