Since 1983, Partners of the Cardinal has supported thousands of families, helping them improve their quality of life.
We believe that children’s physical, emotional, intellectual and social well-being is a priority. Within their families and their immediate surroundings, children must be able to feel secure and receive the support required for their development.
The projects funded by this division are therefore aimed primarily at women and children facing hunger, poverty, and violence.
Results that show…
Last year, these efforts have allowed 50 community agencies to receive a total of nearly $475,000. Through this collaboration, L’ŒUVRE LÉGER has supported over 60,000 people.
Objectives
The general objective of Partners of the Cardinal is to help improve living conditions for underprivileged or vulnerable families and therefore increase the feeling of security of each of their members.
To better meet the current needs of those families, we have set the following specific objectives for the next five years (2009-2013):
Supporting initiatives regarding food security
These activities will be primarily aimed at stimulating the capacity of families to provide for their own food requirements, such as:
- Emergency food programs (distribution of food baskets, meals, snacks), inasmuch as this activity allows participants to become independent in the medium term;
- Transmission of culinary skills and nutritional knowledge (collective kitchens, gardening lessons);
- Community projects focused on cooperation, mutual aid, and the sharing of resources involving individuals and corporations (community gardens, recycling/reclamation activities, buying groups);
- The purchase of community equipment to carry out certain food security activities (outfitting kitchens or community halls).
Supporting structuring initiatives geared to the psychosocial development of families
These activities must help children and their parents strengthen their self-esteem and their capacity to take charge of themselves, such as:
- Peer support groups focused on acquiring or strengthening parenting skills;
- Training activities on dialogue and non-violence to counter episodes of loss of control, both within the families and between children;
- Accompaniment and support activities aimed at helping children mobilize their own personal resources to succeed in their undertakings and be proud of themselves.
