October 4th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
Funding a Not for Profit is not easy.
Along with operating the organization and finding the money to pay those people who do the day to day work – they have to find donors – and that is not easy.
Mental Health has become a serious issue; helping people learn how to cope with their personal issues– the need for support is rising.
Eagles Nest, an organization that works out of a church on the border between Burlington and Waterdown has been serving anyone in the Region that needs help for a number of years.
They offer a selection of services that are priced well below the market rate.
What allows them to do that is a collection of donors who gathered at Shy’s Restaurant to in Waterdown recently. Despite the rain a good crowd showed up for a quiet evening where people gathered to meet with and talk to other people about what the organization was doing.
There wasn’t much room to move around – the place was full.
There were two elected officials – no speeches – they were just acknowledged.
The rain didn’t lessen up; the tent that covered the deck leaked – didn’t matter – no one was leaving early.
The food – innovative would be a nice way to describe it. Those attending – close to 80 – maybe more was my count.
People got to mingle – I sat at a table with people I’d never met and learned that the Mother of a family made up of her three children and two children adopted from China and two people adopted from Africa. Fascinating to listen to how the family grew.
Tables were set out in three different parts of the restaurant. Many of the participants sat with friends other chose a table to sit at and spend the evening with people who were deeply committed to the work Eagles Nest was doing.
The letter included in this article was handed out to people during the evening.
Other than maybe five minutes – not more than ten – there were no speeches, no pleas for funding. Everyone attending was either a staff member or a donor – more of the latter than the former.
It is organizations like this that do the work governments have decided they cannot do.
The evening was titled “Embracing Change for Good”; they raised more than $22,000 for local, accessible, mental health services.
These funds will help provide adults, youth and children fully subsidized or low-cost mental health services like counselling, coaching and therapeutic programs.
The Eagles Nest web site sets out what they do and how they operate. If you know someone who is struggling with mental health issues direct them to the Eagles Nest web site – here is the link.
As a businessman, I used to give money to support local charities, support local businesses, employ local people and professional services plus pay all my relevant taxes; My name is David and I’m not running for Mayor.
The problem is closer than your Burlington Gazette readers think. Consider supporting this work. Thursday, October 10th is World Mental Health Day.
Thankful for people and organizations such as Eagles Nest. If only the Ford government would take a more balanced approach to the issues in our Province rather than focussing on construction, construction, construction. The approach to building without employing people within them – new hospitals, new long term care homes and now new schools is wasteful. The people of Ontario have been forgotten and need care.