<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_quote"><div lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple"><div class="m_-3122856724096443632WordSection1"><div><br></div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">I'm writing to let you know about the Social Infrastructure Campaign.</span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">This fall, various non-profit social services in Ottawa are lead<span style="color:#1f497d">ing</span> a campaign to encourage the City to prioritize social infrastructure services.  In support of the non-profit, social infrastructure sector, the campaign will engage the public to sign a petition and to reach out to their City Councillors to let them know that #SocialServicesMatter.</span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">I am writing today to seek your organization's support<a href="http://www.coalitionottawa.ca/en/social-services-matter.aspx" target="_blank"> to share this petition widely</a> and to set-up deputations for the community and protective services committee on November 21st at 9:30. </span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">I'm available to connect by phone anytime to provide more information if that's helpful. I'm at 613.325.2619.</span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">Background Information</span></b></p></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">Two years ago, social service agencies in Ottawa completed a survey that informed the </span><a href="http://www.coalitionottawa.ca/en/a/ottawa-community-wellbeing-report.aspx" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">Ottawa Community Wellbeing Report</span></a><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">.</span></p><div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">The report highlighted pressures the sector is facing in terms of increasing access to services, increased complexity of client needs without an increase in funding. </span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">In response, the social infrastructure campaign urges Ottawa City Council to make social services a council priority, and to invest an additional $5M in funding towards social services in Ottawa.</span></p></div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">The $5M would make up for the City of Ottawa’s elimination of a non-renewal project grant program (cancelled in the 2011 budget), and for the removal of a sustainability fund that allowed agencies to be funded on an ongoing basis (cancelled in 2012). </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">We recommend that the City make evidence-informed decisions regarding how to distribute the funds, in collaboration with the non-profit sector. </p><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif""> </span><span lang="EN-CA"></span></p></div><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">Campaign asks</span></b><span lang="EN-CA"></span></p><p style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:21.3pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">•    Create a 2019-2022 Term of Council Priority that includes expansion of non-profit social services, with clear targets for strengthening these services. </span><span lang="EN-CA"></span></p><p style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:21.3pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">•    Invest at least $5 million, over and above existing funding, for non-profit social services in Ottawa during the 2019-2022 Term of Council</span><span lang="EN-CA"></span></p></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif""> </span><span lang="EN-CA"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">The campaign will be ongoing until November 20th, 2019. Andrea will collect the paper petitions before that date. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">The organizations that are partners on the campaign include:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"> </span></p><p style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:1.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif"">Carlington Community Health Centre</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif""></span></p><p style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:1.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif"">Rideau Rockliffe Community Resource Centre</span></p><p style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:1.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif"">Somerset West Community Health Centre </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif""></span></p><p style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:1.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif"">Centretown Community Health Centre </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif""></span></p><p style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:1.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif"">Vanier Community Resource Centre</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif""></span></p><p style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:1.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif"">Lowertown Community Resource Centre</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif""></span></p><p style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:1.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif"">Orleans Community Resource Centre</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif""></span></p><p style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:1.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif"">Eastern Ottawa Community Resource Centre</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif""></span></p><p style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:1.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif"">Pinecrest Queensway Community Resource Centre</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif""></span></p><p style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:1.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif"">Sandy Hill Community Health Centre</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif""></span></p><p style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:1.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif"">South East Ottawa Community health Centre</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif""></span></p><p style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:1.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif"">Nepean Rideau Osgoode Community Resource Centre</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif""></span></p><p style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:1.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif"">City for All Women Initiative</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif""></span></p><p style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:1.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif"">Parkdale Food Centre</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif""></span></p><p style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:1.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif"">Caldwell Family Centre</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif""></span></p><p style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:1.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif"">Options Bytowne</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif""></span></p><p style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:1.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif"">Centre Éducation financière EBO/EBO Financial Education Centre</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif""></span></p><p style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:1.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif"">Healthy Transportation Coalition</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif""></span></p><p style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:1.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif"">Centretown Community Housing Corp</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif""></span></p><p style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:1.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif"">ACORN</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif""></span></p><p style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:1.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif"">Community Legal Services of Ottawa</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif""></span></p><p style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:1.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif"">CMHA Ottawa </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif""></span></p><p style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:1.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family:"Calibri Light","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">Please let us know if we can add your name to this list of partners and supporters.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">Andrea </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"><br>Andrea Poncia, she/her</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">Coordinator, Coalitionof Community Health and Resource Centres</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">Coordinator, Social Infrastructure Campaign</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"><a href="mailto:aponcia@swchc.on.ca" target="_blank">aponcia@swchc.on.ca</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">613.325.2619</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"> </span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>