Women Strut for Women is Back!

We’re hosting it again! If you were at our Strut fundraising event last year in May, (read the YYZ feature here) you’ll recognize the flavour for sure, but this year we’re adding even more strut to our stuff. Hope you will like it!

So, here are the well-heeled details.

When: Thursday, March 8th, 2012
Where: Glenn Gould Studio
             CBC Building, 250 Front Street (John and Front)
Time: 6:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Tickets: $55 through our website. Click here.

The event is called, Women Strut for Women, because last year you told us the fashion show was great! So, we’re going for the runway one more time.

We also decided International Women’s Day was the perfect day to Put the Boots to Poverty, so the event will be held on March 8, 2012 at the Glenn Gould Studio. In addition to the sensuous sounds of singer/performer Suzana Da Camara, a silent auction, and lovely finger foods, we will be presenting the Women with Purpose - Mary Sheffield Award. It is the award created by Fred Victor to honour women who have taken leadership on homelessness and poverty and made a difference in our city. Angela Robertson, the former executive director of the community organization for women called “Sistering” was the most recent winner.

So, help support women who share the same Toronto sidewalks as you, but who are experiencing homelessness and poverty, and need your support. Buy a ticket… or two… or three… or get a whole flock or gang of 10 women together! Ten tickets mean 50 women maintain their dignity by having access to basic items that maintain hygiene.

Tell your friends. It’s a guaranteed great evening out. Take a look at this short piece below that was circulating around emails recently…

They Teach It at Stanford

"I just finished taking an evening class at Stanford. The last lecture was on the mind-body connection — the relationship between stress and disease. The speaker (head of psychiatry at Stanford) said, among other things, that one of the best things that a man could do for his health is to be married to a woman, whereas for a woman, one of the best things she could do for her health was to nurture her relationships with her girlfriends.

At first everyone laughed, but he was serious.

Women connect with each other differently and provide support systems that help each other to deal with stress and difficult life experiences. Physically this quality "girlfriend time" helps us to create more serotonin — a neurotransmitter that helps combat depression and can create a general feeling of well being…." 

 Marathon Fundraiser - We did it!

For the first time, Fred Victor had a team of runners in the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon 2011. The final tally of fundraised dollars was a respectable $10,000 for Fred Victor's affordable housing, healthcare, food access, emergency shelters, our drop-ins and much more.  You can still support Fred Victor by making an online donation.

Why contribute?

Because Fred Victor is a great organization. And the people who use our services and programs need innovative programs and services that have staying power… just like our runners! And did you know this?  Both exercise and giving have been proven to increase endorphins, the brain chemical that makes you feel happy.  So, give and feel good! 

Have you been to one of Fred Victor’s fundraising events?

Maybe you came to our inaugaral Women Strut for Women event in May, 2011.  The Women Strut for Women event in support of women’s services was a fun and successful event. Volunteer extraordinaire Suzana Da Camara Barbosa from Marketing Provocateur in collaboration with Fred Victor's communications and fundraising department and women's shelter and services, were delighted with the turnout, the excitement and the fundraising results of the event.

You might have been to our Wine and Cheese event in spring 2010. Guests enjoyed wine from six of the best wineries in the Niagara Region along with beautiful cheese trays from the Leslieville Cheese Market.  Photographs and paintings from Fred Victor’s creative arts programs were auctioned. Funds raised from this event supported our creative arts programming. Again, volunteers were the backbone of the fundraising activity. Thank you!!

Or maybe you came to our 14th annual fundraising gala in fall 2009. It was a great evening of food, fun, auctions and entertainment. Angela Robertson, former executive director of Sistering, was awarded the Mary Sheffield Award.  Her exceptional service, vision and leadership in addressing poverty and homelessness in Toronto made her the outstanding candidate. Fred Victor’s friends and supporters raised money for Fred Victor women’s services.  An extraordinary volunteer committee made it all happen. Thank you!!

We’ll keep you posted on more upcoming events.  So, stay tuned... 

In the meantime, take a look at our guest’s faces during one of our Galas. They look like they’re finding it easy to have a good time!