Putting our best parts forward for charity!
We are excited to announce this year’s Fund recipients…
Rainbow Haven/Jewish Family Services
Rainbow Haven is a queer-positive refugee sponsoring group, raising money to bring highly vulnerable queer individuals to Canada from the Middle East. Canada’s policy is to admit, as refugees, queer individuals hailing from countries in which queerness is punishable by death or significant prison terms. To gain admission, these refugees often require the support of a private sponsoring group like Rainbow Haven. We support financially and emotionally their applications for resettlement in Canada, and we offer extensive support, also financially and emotionally, during the period of their resettlement and integration into Canada. Rainbow Haven is working with a sponsorship agreement holder (Jewish Family Services), with a long record of facilitating such sponsorships, and we are mentored by Capital Rainbow Refugee, an established group that has successfully sponsored several queer refugees from around the world.
Al Gustafson
https://www.youcaring.com/alan-gustafson-427086
Alan Gustafson is one of the finest people you will ever meet. He is kind, caring, and generous in every sense of the word. He would stop at nothing to help a friend or person in need. He already has, having made a huge impact on all those around him. He has supported the founders of Sexual Overtones since the start by enthusiastically attending shows and spreading the word through his networks. Now it’s our turn to help Al. Al has been diagnosed with ALS. He shares this struggle with his wife, Jess and their young baby, Harvey. Harvey was born just one month after Al’s diagnosis. It has been a tough reality for their family, but Al insists he’s going to give this everything he’s got. Al is a welder by trade and operated his own metal fabrication shop. He was forced to close his business after losing the mobility in his hands and arms. He doesn’t have occupational insurance, leaving their family in a tough spot financially. Part of the funds raised in tonight’s show will go towards helping Al and his family – to help Al with his medical needs and everyday living.
Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre
http://www.orcc.net/
The Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre is a pro-active, anti-racist, feminist organization. We counsel and support women, educate for change and work to create a safe and equitable community. Through education, empowerment and respect the ORCC serves to rally voices in the community around the issues of sexual violence and feminism. This may include: sexual assault, rape, childhood sexual assault/abuse, incest, sexual harassment and ritualized abuse. We also provide services to family, friends, and partners/spouses of women who have been sexually assaulted. Since 1974 we have developed into a community leader in the fight to eliminate sexual violence against women and creating safe communities for all. We are experiencing an epidemic of violence against women in our community, in our country and our global village – let’s work together from global to local to create safe spaces for all free of sexual violence.
VE Bursary Fund
http://www.venusenvy.ca/Ottawa/bursary
Created in winter 2000 as a way to give something back to the community that supports Venus Envy, the Bursary Fund aims to support women and trans people in need who wish to further their education. We are always impressed by the diversity of the applicants and the interesting things they are studying and what their plans are for the future. It’s exciting each year to open the envelopes and find out a little bit about some of the people who live in our community. Sometimes the stories are sad and painful to read but always told with a strength and a hopefulness that makes us wish we had more money to give to more people! We particularly welcome applications from people of colour, First Nations and trans people and encourage applicants to self-identify.