In the month of November, we matched donations to JA Ottawa up to $18,000. During this campaign we raised $26,705.53 for this innovative program that ignites our community’s future leaders. We are deeply grateful to all who donated, and especially to the Kaitlyn Bates Initiative and anonymous donors who made the match possible.  

 

We learned a lot from this campaign. 

 

Of ONFE’s 8 educational programs, JA Ottawa is one of our greatest fund-raising challenges. While many people understand the need for financial literacy and entrepreneurship education, and JA volunteers are consistently impressed by the impact of the program, there isn’t currently a culture of financial giving to JA. We are not unique in this; many JA charters across Canada struggle to fund raise for this work-readiness educational opportunity. 

 

We believe that one of the leading causes of this issue is the perception that students who participate in JA come from prosperous backgrounds, and that therefore the program will not have a meaningful influence on their lives. In reality, JA Ottawa is equalizing access, offering this program to full classrooms across the city, free of charge to teachers and students, so that every student is given the chance to learn these important life skills. 

 

JA Ottawa inspires K-12 students to explore career pathways, make better financial decisions, and take on the world with an entrepreneurial mindset. We believe every child should have this opportunity to thrive. Through ONFE’s partnerships with Ottawa’s 4 school boards, JA Ottawa staff and volunteers reach over 6,000 students each year. To learn more about JA Ottawa’s impact, check out this great infographic, or visit our JA Ottawa page. 

 

JA Ottawa needs $350,000 every year to sustain its programs, and it has been facing a deficit of $100,000 for the last 2 years. We at ONFE are working hard to build a pipeline of monthly and annual donors to help sustain this program.  

 

If you would like to help us by becoming a monthly donor or spreading the word about JA Ottawa to your friends and family, your support would be so appreciated – by us, and the children and youth we serve. Learn more here, donate here, or contact us  — we would love to talk to you and answer any questions you may have.