Support kids at risk with a share of the ProAction IPO

When they aren’t on the beat, many Toronto’s police officers are coaching kids in neighbourhood gyms or on football fields. Volunteering their time to run a variety of programs for kids at risk in the GTA.

The corporate funding vehicle that provides the financial support to give “kids at risk” an opportunity to interact with Metro Police in a mentor/mentee relationship is called ProAction, a charity Wellington Financial has supported in the past.

Courtesy of CIBC I-Banker Don Fox and entrepreneur Tom Bitove, ProAction has launched a neat fundraising initiative on Bay Street: the initial public offering of the charity. Most Bay Street brokerage firms joined the syndicate. Here is the backgroud:

“HISTORY

– In 1991 ProAction Cops & Kids was founded in Toronto by John L. Bitove Sr., and since that time ProAction has become the
largest private donator of Toronto Police programs for at-risk youth. In 2007, ProAction opened its second Chapter in Durham
Region and a third, Hamilton Chapter was established in 2008.

– The majority of ProAction program participants are 7 to 18 years old. Police officers and at-risk youth interact in constructive,
non-confrontational circumstances and develop a better understanding of one another.

– Most programs focus on the arts, sports, education, safety, mentorship, or camping.

– Program participants may be identified by local police officers, schools, parole officers, or youth workers. Programs may be cooperative between community and the police. Programs must have a high ratio of police to youth, and ongoing (versus one-off)
programs are encouraged to ensure the bonds created are real and lasting. ProAction-funded programs provide kids with safe
places to go and engage in positive activities.

The risks of not investing in our youth are many; some immediate while others may surface in the long term. Youth with too much time, negative influences and peer pressure can easily fall into
trouble:

– The number of families living in poverty in Ontario grew 3.2% in the first 5 years of the decade, with Toronto’s poor families growing by 10%

– Poverty rates for children in Aboriginal, visible minority and immigrant families are double the average rate

– 16% of those charged with violent crime in Toronto in 2007 were 12-17 years old

– According to a student census: 24% of students did not feel safe ‘often’ or ‘all the time’ in their neighbourhood or school property.

– Almost one in ten students reported that they were a victim of crime, including assault, theft and bullying, in their school in the past year

www.copsandkids.ca”

Having spent 6 years on the ProAction board earlier this decade, I can tell you that the system works. If you are interested in supporting the IPO, you can “buy” some of their IPO shares here. The AGM is on May 12th if you’d like to learn about getting more involved.

Congrats to the Board, staff and officers on a great idea.

MRM