The following News is from a local news article:
Sep 06, 2016 by Laurie Weir Smiths Falls Record News
Canadian Tire Store owner Joe Cayen is working on plans to increase the awareness and funding needed for the Jumpstart program in Smiths Falls so that all kids can play sports and enjoy recreational activities, no matter what their financial circumstances.
“People can also get applications at Open Doors, or at the Canadian Tire Store.
“I’m a conduit,” he said. “We have partners in Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Lanark County, Open Doors, the Town of Smiths Falls, and the big one now is Gerry Lowe Committee. We have a really strong community partnership now to help us with our Jumpstart program.”
Smiths Falls is one of the highest needs communities in Canada, he said.
“We have given out a lot of money in this community, not just to sports,” Cayen noted. “We are also involved with the After School Program through Big Brothers Big Sisters. This is new to me… I had no idea this program even existed. We haven’t all sat in a room together to see what we can do. That’s probably the next thing we should do.”
Cayen works closely with Pierre Hofstetter, owner of the Perth Canadian Tire Store.
“Pierre’s got a hugely successful program there, that’s been going some 18 years. and he’s so engrained in the community that people readily donate to his fundraising,” he said.
Cayen is encouraged that his program will be just as successful, now that there are several community agencies working alongside him for the kids.
“The ideas are endless,” he said of fundraising. “One of the biggest challenges is always raising funds. To do that you need awareness.” To read the full article click the attached link.