The Sudbury Community Foundation has long stood as one of the city's biggest supporters of non-profit organizations and charities.
With an endowment of $4 million and close to $1 million given to community groups, the SCF will add to that number on May 23 when they announce where their grant money will be allocated this year.
The foundation has provided grants to a countless number of community organizations in its 20 years of existence, and they are now building on their fledgling Emerging Leaders program.
SCF hosted an “Inspiring your Community” cocktail event on April 26 as a networking opportunity for their emerging leaders, with Senator Nancy Ruth paying a visit as the keynote speaker.
The Emerging Leacders program offers innovative leadership opportunities in Sudbury in order to provide resources and avenues for young professionals to plant their stake in the community.
“We wanted to invigorate our board with some younger members so we came up with this Emerging Leaders program,” said SCF board member, and Council of 100 co-chair, Ron Mulholland.
“It springs from something we have had, the Council of 100, it's an idea that we would develop 100 supporters who would contribute $1,000 a year, and with the emerging leaders we're getting council members to contribute $1,500 a year, $500 to support an emerging leader.”
The Council of 100, as its name suggests is made up of 100 people, but the Mulholland says that ideally there will be an 80/20 split with 20 members being young professionals.
What the Emerging Leaders program does is provide networking opportunities, informative seminars, and guidance from community leaders, to direct young people who want to get more involved with giving back to the community.
“It was really people who were already moving in the community and who wanted ways to connect with people who were more experienced and who wanted to give back,” said Judy Gougeon, Council of 100 co-chair.
“But it was also the 20-somethings who aren't really sure exactly how to start and how to network and how to give back.”
Senator Nancy Ruth is no stranger to philathropy, and has spearheaded the donation of millions of dollars to organizations such as the Women's Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF), the Toronto YWCA, and the Canadian Women's Foundation.
Ruth spoke about the importance of having young people get involved in giving back to their communities.
“People collect money and distribute money because they have goals and values and things that motivate them, things they want changed,” said Ruth.
“Philanthropy for me is a subsidiary of being an activist, you raise money to change the world, you give it away in a way you hope will change the world. Young people all have values and energy and drive, but it's about where are you going to put it and how is it going to make a difference. Are you going to join a gang and rob stores or are you going to join a gang like the SCF and do good for the town?”
The Emerging Leaders program will not put a cap on their number of members, though they are getting close to their goal of 20 young professionals, with 16 already committed.
The ideal age is anyone under the age of 35, according to Mulholland.
For more information about the foundation, visit www.sudburycf.ca.
