Ve’ahavta:theCanadianJewishHumanitarianandReliefCommitteeisacharitablesocialserviceorganizationfoundedin1996thatisdedicatedtopromotingpositivechangeinthelivesofpeopleofallfaithswhoaremarginalizedbypovertylocallyandnationally.Ve’ahavtaclientsincludehomelessindividuals,Aboriginalcommunities,aswellasothersfacingsocialinequitiesandlackofhealth-promotionresources.Ontheglobalstage,Ve’ahavtaiscommittedtointernationalaidandcrisisresponse.

Ve’ahavtaderivesitsnameandmissionfromtheTorah’scommandment,“ve’ahavtal’rayachakamocha”—loveyourneighborasyouwouldloveyourself.Itisourobligationandprivilegetoreachoutwithcompassiontothosewhoaremostvulnerableregardlessofrace,religion,ornationality.Ve’ahavta’sinnovativeprogramsaimtobreakbarriers,restorehumandignity,fosterinclusivity,andempowermarginalizedindividualstobreakthecycleofpovertyandfulfilltheiruniquehumanpotential.

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THETRAGEDYOFHOMELESSNESSINCANADAPovertyisthemajorcontributortohomelessnessinCanada.Therearetwodistinctgroupsofhomelesspeople:thosewhoaretemporarilyhomeless-thetransitionalhomeless,andthosewhoarechronicallyhomeless-livingonthestreetsformorethanoneyear.ThisisasnapshotofthetragedyonCanada’sStreets:

• Atleast200,000Canadiansexperiencehomelessnessinayear• Anestimated7,350womenandchildrenstayinviolenceagainstwomen shelterseachyearinCanada• TorontohasthesecondhighesthomelesspopulationofanyCanadiancity, withanaverageof5,250homelessonthestreetseverynight• Approximately3,970individualsexperiencinghomelessnessstayincity-administered shelterseachyearinToronto (Homelesshub.ca,2013)

ABOUTTHECREATIVEWRITINGPROGRAM:

$2,500

$1,500

CREAT IVE WRIT INGCONTEST BUDGET

TOTALCOST$14,710

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CENTRALADMINISTRATION $500WORKSHOPTRAININGFORFACILITATORS

$1,500WORKSHOPCOSTS

$1,500COFFEEHOUSEEVENT

$7,210PRIZES

InpartnershipwiththeTorontoWriter’sCollective,Ve’ahavta’sCreativeWritingProgramdeliversaseriesofongoing,creativewritingworkshopswhicharegearedtomarginalizedandvulnerableindividuals:thehomeless,youthatrisk,abusedwomen,Aboriginalpeoples,theLGBTQcommunityandothers.Thegoaloftheprogramistosupporttheestablishmentofcommunitiesofwritersinoftensilencedpopulationswhileincreasingtheliteracyskillsofparticipants.ItistheonlyprogramofitskindwhichofferstheAmherstWritersandArtistmethodspecificallygearedtoencouragevoicewithoutintimidation.

ThesewritingworkshopsconcludewiththeVe’ahavtaCreativeWritingContest(CWC)whichinvitesparticipantsoftheCreativeWritingProgramtosubmittheirwritingtobejudgedbyapanelofjudges.Contestantshavetheopportunitytowincashandotherprizes,linkwithmentors,publishtheirworkonlineandinaprintpublication,aswellasparticipateinaspokenwordevent.

Thecreationofacommunityofwritersthatoncefeltdisenfranchisedandinvisiblehastremendousbenefitsforallofus;creatingwindowsintounknownrealities,reducingapathy,encouragingtoleranceandcompassion,andgivingabroaderperspectiveonToronto’smostvulnerableand

marginalizedmembers.

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$450—RunnerUp(3prizesx$150)$500—WorkshopFacilitatorTraining$540—MeritAward(3prizesx$180)$720—HonorableMention(2prizesx$360)$750—FourthPlacePrizeSponsor$1,000—FoodSponsor$1,250—ThirdPlacePrizeSponsor$1,500—SecondPlacePrizeSponsor$1,500—WorkshopSponsor(20workshops)$2,000—FirstPlacePrizeSponsor$2,500—EventCoordinator$5,000—CoffeeHouseEventSponsor(NamingOpportunity)*$10,000—CreativeWritingContestSponsor(NamingOpportunity)*

VE’AHAVTA:THECANADIANJEWISHHUMANITARIAN&RELIEFCOMMITTEE200BridgelandAvenue,UnitD-Toronto,OntarioM6A1Z4

www.veahavta.org•TEL:416-964-7698•FAX:416-964-6582CharitableRegistration#BN999042439RR0001

SPONSORBENEFITS *Agiftatthe$10,000orthe$5,000level,willbeeligibleforaSilverorBronzesponsorshipatVe’ahavta’sannualSTARRYNIGHTSgalaandincludesthefollowingbenefits:

SILVERSPONSOR($10,000)• one(1)reservedblockof10tickets(premiumseating)• presentingsponsorofsilentauction,wine,orentertainment• corporatenameand/orlogowillappearonStarryNightspageonVe’ahavta’s website,andinahalf-pageadvertisementinprogrambook

BRONZESPONSOR($5,000)• one(1)reservedblockof10tickets(premiumseating)• quarter-pageadvertisementintheprogrambook

“ThekeepersofAnishnabetraditionalknowledgesayitbeginswithawhisper.Sometimesthere’ssomuchgoingontoevenpayattention,especiallywhenyou’reconstantlytryingtostayonestepaheadoftrouble.Lookingback,IfigureIheardthatwhisperwhenIwas

sevenyearsoldalongaprairiehighwayonabitterlycoldwinternight.”AWhisperintheWindbytheCWCfirstplacewinner2013,WestwindEvening

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WWW.VEAHAV TA .ORG