Thank You!

Once again, Give Girls A Chance have provided a grant to VSEA and were delighted with the response from Peggy Palmer, the executive director.

"Happy New Year Maxine - we received the cheque from Tides" (GGAC is a fund of Tides Canada Foundation) in the mail yesterday.  What a wonderful start to our new year!  I really appreciate your enthusiasm and support for the work we are trying to do.   We are hoping to have our program expanded by +20 girls for  September, including pregnant teens and young moms with their babies.  Having the your support is a tremendous encouragement to the board and staff.  All best wishes, Peggy" (Maxine is a GGAC board member in charge of researching projects)

 

Outcomes:

"Our girls come with such challenges.  They are all at different places in their lives, and "success" means different things, and is unique for each girl."

Student "A"

We had one girl came to us four years ago.  "A" had been out of school since grade 8.  With a history of running away, substance abuse, violent boyfriends, multiple arrests, and raging anger, A's family was frantic.  Now 18 and pregnant, A began at Artemis Place with crossed arms and a closed mind.  It didn't take long, however, for the program to draw her in.  The counselors in the program helped her to develop the skills and insight to break away from her abusive boyfriend, and supported her through the emotional and legal process as he was charged with her attempted murder.  A's transformation was powerful.  She was happily living back with her mother and sister, and determinedly working on her courses for adult graduation.   Within a few month of her baby's birth, A finished Grade 12.  She went straight on to college and then to university.  She is about to graduate with her Bachelor of Commerce, a four year program which she completed in just three years, with As and Bs.  Her daughter is happy and healthy, and Heather is engaged to a respectable and loving accountant.  Heather passionately believes that Artemis Place played a pivotal role in turning her life around.

Student "B"

"B" is another success story.  The horrors of her early life were widely reported in the newspapers of the day, but 15 years later, B had been overlooked by society.  With physical, mental and emotional scars, B's needs were so high that no foster home had been able to keep her.  She joined Artemis Place skinny, addicted and doing what she could to support her habit.  She was the most challenging girl any of the staff had ever worked with, and keeping her safe was very difficult.  But, bit by bit, B grew stronger.  Now, two years later, B is happily living on a farm and working as a cashier at a local grocery store.  She is clean and sober, healthy and happy.

"Not all our girls are in such dire circumstances, by any means.  For others, "success" means overcoming anxiety or learning disabilities to continue on in her education"