November is Family Violence Prevention Month!

GivingTuesday - the global day of giving

Most people know about Black Friday and Cyber Monday … now we celebrate GivingTuesday, November 28, 2017.

It is a global movement for giving and volunteering, taking place each year after Black Friday. The “Opening day of the giving season,” it’s a time when charities, companies and individuals join together and rally for favourite causes. In the same way that retailers take part in Black Friday, the giving community comes together for GivingTuesday.

GivingTuesday harnesses the potential of social media and the generosity of people around the world to bring about real change in their communities; it provides a platform for them to encourage the donation of time, resources and talents to address local challenges. It also brings together the collective power of a unique blend of partners - nonprofits, civic organizations, businesses and corporations, as well as families and individuals - to encourage and amplify small acts of kindness. Across Canada and around the world, GivingTuesday unites communities by sharing our capacity to care for and empower one another.

As part of our GivingTuesday campaign, we are bringing awareness to the impact that family violence has on a child’s ability to learn.

Airdrie and District Victims Assistance Society Core Services:

Court Support- Our court support program is our biggest program as we support individuals who are involved in criminal court proceedings. In accordance with the Canadian Victims Bills of Rights, ADVAS will ensure victims are given the necessary information as well as attend court for victims and provide immediate court outcomes. The Court Coordinator will liaise with the Crown Prosecutor and the victim to ensure questions regarding their case are answered in a timely manner, provide status of the accused and any release conditions. ADVAS will also meet with victims before significant court dates to provide support and preparation. Special provisions for children and people with special needs will be arranged by ADVAS.

Court support has increased significantly by 110% over the past 5 years.

Crisis Support - Our crisis support program is volunteer based, providing 24 hour crisis response and support to victims of crime and/or tragedy. Working in partnership with Airdrie RCMP, ADVAS will contact victims within 24 hours of receiving a referral and or/ will provide immediate crisis support to individuals by providing a compassionate response, emotional and practical assistance, information on victim’s rights and any referrals necessary to help reduce the negative impact of victimization.

In 2016, volunteers and staff were available for 24 hour on call crisis support for a total of over 20,000 hours.

ADVAS assisted 4,928 people (3,566 adults and 1,362 children) in 2016. An increase of 25% from 2015 and a substantial 87% increase in the last 5 years.

W.H Croxford High school students have launched their videos that highlight the impact that family violence has on a child’s ability to learn. New videos to be posted daily. Check them out!

A big thank you to Davis Chevrolet Airdrie, Airdrie Chrysler Dodge Jeep, Airdrie Honda and Cam Clark Ford Airdrie for kicking off our campaign with generous donations!