50 Women for Sunshine Coast Community Services Society
byFor the last two years I have participated in the “50 Women” campaign for Options Community Services in Surrey which raised over $1.5 million for Habitat@81st, a mixed income affordable housing building with onsite supports. Its 100 units are now home to many individuals and families in the community. Now, 50 Women are at it again and this time on the Sunshine Coast.
50 Women for Sunshine Coast Community Services Society
Sunshine Coast Community Services Society (SCCSS) is the largest community based nonprofit organization providing supportive programming and services to Sunshine Coast residents. As the organization celebrates fifty years of delivering critical community services, they need help closing the funding gap for a vital 6-storey development in the heart of Sechelt. This will help to create a program-rich community hub with safe and affordable housing for single women and women with children.
Of the estimated $34 million required for this project, SCCSS has secured 90% of the funds. The 50 Women for SCCSS aim to raise an additional $1.5 million to help with a portion of the remaining gap in funding.
For the campaign, 50 Women from across the Sunshine Coast, and beyond, have united with a common goal of supporting the health and wellbeing of vulnerable residents. Comprised of women from various professions, of all ages, and each with a unique life experience, all share a vision of contributing to an engaged, healthy, and thriving Coast.
The new building will have 35 safe, secure, and affordable housing units (the top four floors of the new 6-storey building) for single women, and women with children, who have experienced, or are vulnerable to experiencing violence. Two lower floors of the new development will introduce a community hub that provides flexible meeting spaces, food solutions, crisis response, and support and prevention programs—all in one place.
59% of children living with single parents on the Coast are living below the poverty line—that’s 1,100 children and their families, struggling every day. Single mothers, children, and women over 50 are most at risk. Often they struggle to meet the fundamental needs of safety, food, and housing.
The 50 Women for SCSS include: Linda Curtiss (Coordinator, Outreach Healthy Meal Program); Keely Halward (artist); Jennifer Oke (photographer); Deb Mealia (Retired, founding member of Yew Transition House); Jessica Silvey (Coast Salish Weaver and Fibre Artist); Susan Doyle-Ingram (CEO of Prominence Publishing, Inc); board members, volunteers, business operators, realtors, and more.
How to Support
You can donate directly to my fundraising campaign here, and I have just launched the Miss604 Sunshine Coast Collection! You can shop these t-shirts, mugs, and totes with 25% of proceeds going to the campaign thanks to MAKE Vancouver who is hosting the online store.
SCCSS will also be at the Sechelt Farmers and Artisans’ Markets and Gibsons Night Market this season if you have any questions or want to show your support in person:
Sechelt Farmers and Artisans’ Markets
- When: Saturdays – July 6, August 10 and 31, and September 21
- Time: 9:00am to 2:30pm
Gibsons Night Market
- When: Fridays – August 2 and August 30
- Time: 4:00pm to 10:00pm
