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Executive
Director Jim Dahl
and friend in Bolivia
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Message from Executive Director
January 2010
On Tuesday, January 12, I left my office shortly after 5 pm and, driving home, heard the radio announcement that an earthquake of 7.0 magnitude had struck Haiti, with the epicentre being only 14 kilometres from the capital city of Port au Prince. I was stunned and horrified to hear this news, and knew from my past experiences with such disasters, that the devastation would be immense, particularly in a country such as Haiti, which is one of the poorest countries in the world, and the poorest in the Western Hemisphere.
I have worked for three different non-governmental organizations (NGOs) during my career and, in all positions, I have been involved in responding to natural and man-made disasters, including earthquakes. I can say without a doubt that the situation in Haiti has been the most overwhelming for me personally, and I know the same applies to all of us at Canadian Feed The Children – our Board of Directors, our staff in Toronto, our staff in Haiti and our dedicated partners and their respective communities in Haiti.
At the time of this message, we are so thankful that our Country Representative, Madsen Gachette, and his family are safe, as are our partners and the communities they serve, including the House of Hope orphanage, the Grace Children’s Hospital and OMES, a community health clinic, all located in the Port-au-Prince area. With respect to OMES, we are still trying to obtain further reports as to possible deaths or injuries related to patients using the clinic. Our other partner, SOE, is located outside of the disaster area and was not affected. In terms of physical damage, all of our partner’s buildings and the home of our Country Representative sustained considerable damage.
To date, thanks to our dedicated supporters, Canadian Feed The Children has sent $110,000 to our partners for what is most critically needed at this time: water and food. We had shipped $3 million worth of life-saving medicines to Haiti in December, 2009 and are awaiting government clearance so they can be distributed. The medicines include such items as antibiotics, anti-malarial tablets and anti-parasitic medications. The emerging concern now in Haiti is the outbreak of serious diseases such as malaria, intestinal parasites, dengue fever, typhoid and cholera – all of which can weaken or kill the most vulnerable, including children, in a very short time.
Our work is primarily focused on supporting long-term community development programs. Having said that, we have a policy that directs us to become involved in emergency situations where one of our program countries has been affected, such as Haiti. We are so fortunate to have been able to do that for the communities we support.
I want to acknowledge the incredible support that we have received from our loyal donors and sponsors, as well as many who have given to us for the first time. We are so touched by the generosity and compassion of all those who have contributed to our Haiti appeals and simply can’t thank you enough! For us at Canadian Feed The Children, it is a humbling experience to see this outpouring of generosity. We will ensure your support is well-managed and serves the greatest needs.
The immediate short-term needs of Haitians are immense, including water, food, medical treatment, security and many other related services, and it is gratifying that the world community has responded so generously, including the Government of Canada and all the Canadian NGOs. Of concern to many NGOs, not only in Canada, but globally, is the danger of this world commitment “drifting” off once another major disaster hits in some other part of the world. The commitment to Haiti has to be focused and durable, with co-ordinated rehabilitation/reconstruction programs, as well as long-term development support.
In our emergency response, as well as our ongoing community development programs, Canadian Feed The Children will be doing all we can for the precious children of Haiti – with your continued support.
I hope that my message is one of hope, despite the many challenges facing Haiti and the world community. We simply can’t despair and walk away from this situation. From this pain and suffering will emerge a new beginning for all Haitians, and those of us who care so deeply for their welfare.
With great thanks for your support,
Jim Dahl
Executive Director
See more info on Haiti
Senior Management Team
Canadian Feed The Children's senior management team is a dedicated
group of professionals committed to leading the organization in
the achievement of its mission with integrity, efficiency and
passion.
Jim Dahl, Executive Director
Jim has been leading Canadian Feed The Children in achieving our mission to reduce the impact of poverty on children since 2003. From his early career as social worker for the Children's Aid Society of Toronto to his increasingly
significant roles within Save The Children and Christian Children's
Fund of Canada, Jim has an extensive record of helping children
live stronger, safer lives.
Caroline Chikoore, Director of Programs
Caroline joined us in November 2009 with an extensive range of experience in international development, strategic planning and policy design. Caroline leads the Programs team in helping the communities we support improve access to health, education, food production, child protection, nutrition, water, sanitation, income generation and organizational capacity building.
Marianne Chilco, Director of Communications
Marianne has been with Canadian Feed The Children since 2002 and
has 20 years of experience as a communications professional, both
in the private and charitable sectors. She is responsible for developing and implementing our internal and external communications plans, including print and electronic publications, public engagement, and privacy matters.
Dusanka Pavlica, Director of Resource Development
For almost two decades, Dusanka had been building strong, positive
relationships with donors for a number of Canadian charities.
Here at Canadian Feed The Children, she is responsible for directing
as many funds as possible to our programs for children through
effective, donor-centred fundraising programs and responsive,
high quality supporter services.
Ray White, Director of Finance
Ray brings to Canadian Feed The Children close to 30 years of experience
working in the finance and accounting field for government and
not-for-profit organizations. He is responsible for ensuring the
financial integrity of the organization in strict adherence to
ethical codes and government regulations, and in accordance with
our mission and values.
2009/2010 Board of Directors
Canadian Feed The Children is guided by the expertise and insights of our volunteer Board of Directors. Our by-laws dictate that board members serve without compensation and that there be a minimum of five and a maximum of twelve members. There are three standing board committees: the Executive Committee made up of the Chair, Vice-Chair, Past Chair, Treasurer and Secretary (Executive Director); the Audit Committee, made up of at least three board members including the Treasurer; and the Nominating Committee, made up of at least three board members. We are grateful for the contribution and commitment of the following people:
Ms. Anne Marie Turnbull (Chair)
Anne Marie Turnbull is President of AMT Associates Ltd., a consulting firm focused on leadership team development, assessment and coaching, strategic human resource planning and effective organizational change. Anne Marie brings extensive experience in
leadership assessment, strategic human resources management and
organizational design and development acquired over a 20+ year
career in consulting and corporate roles. Anne Marie holds a Master of Industrial Relations
degree from the University of Toronto.
Mr. Rob King (Vice Chair)
Rob King is Managing Director in Corporate Banking at The Bank
of Nova Scotia with experience in corporate and investment banking
and currently specializing in arranging and structuring bank loans
and financings to Canadian companies in the communications, media
and technology industry. He also assisted in the design and implementation
of the integration of Scotiabank’s wholesale corporate and
investment banking division. Rob holds a Masters in Business Administration
from the University of Windsor and is a CFA charterholder.
Ms. Janet Bannister (Treasurer)
Janet has senior level business experience in the Internet, management consulting and consumer goods industries. Janet spent many years at eBay in a variety of business-building roles in both San Jose and Toronto and, most recently, was the Global General Manager for Kijiji, eBay's local online classifieds site. A graduate
of the Ivey Business School at the University of Western Ontario, Janet's experience includes brand management at Procter & Gamble and management consulting at McKinsey & Company.
Dr. Mark Wise (Past Chair)
Since graduating from the University of Toronto Medical School
with M.D., Mark has been a practicing family physician and is
currently a director of The
Travel Clinic. As a specialist in travel and tropical medicine,
he is a frequent lecturer to both medical and non-medical groups
on related subjects and, in a volunteer capacity, he advises non-governmental
agencies on issues related to preventative measures and tropical
diseases. Mark is the recipient of the Family Doctor of the Year
Award (1998) from Family Practice Magazine, author of The Travel
Doctor – How to Stay Healthy While Travelling, and a frequent
traveller to many parts of the world. On June 9, 2009, Mark stepped down as Chair after three years of outstanding leadership and support. We are grateful for his dedication. Read Mark's message to supporters here.
Mr. Ken Ashacker
Ken has 20 years of professional services and corporate leadership experience across multiple sectors including retail, consumer goods, media, energy, and bio-technology as both a consultant and executive. His experience includes management consulting with McKinsey & Company, Executive Recruiting and Talent Assessment with Egon Zehnder International and leading the strategy function at Priszm Income Fund. Ken holds a B.Sc. from the University of Alberta and an MBA from the Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario.
Mrs. Valerie Mah
Valerie Mah was the principal of Bruce Public School in South
Riverdale for nine years and ran a successful breakfast/snack
and hot lunch program in her school. She piloted the first
Canadian Feed The Children salad bar program in the Toronto Public
School System. She has served as an appointee to the National
Action Committee on Race Relations for the Federation of Canadian
Municipalities. Valerie brings rich experience of community service
as a founding board member of Mon Sheong Foundation, Yee Hong
Wellness Foundation and the Chinese Cultural Centre. She has also
served on the boards of the Volunteer Centre, Civic Civtor Municipal
Housing, Canadian Hearing Society, Toronto Public School Principals'
Association and as an appointee to the National Action Committee
on Race Relations for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.
Mr. Peter Stern
Peter Stern is currently the owner and president of Ontario Cinemas
Inc. and PNS Realty. He was past president of Galaxy Cinemas and
ran Lakeside Steel. Peter serves on a number of non profit
boards and charities.
Ms. Michelle Walsh
Michelle is Senior Recruitment Consultant at Cowan International, a specialized recruitment firm based in Montreal. Michelle completed her MA in International Economics with a regional focus on Latin America at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Her work experience in Washington D.C. includes research and project administration at think tanks and non-governmental organizations with projects in the developing world. Since moving to Montreal in 1988, she studied French and has worked in the private sector, travelling to Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
Celebrity Champion
Ms. Sheila McCarthy
Multi-award winning Canadian actor, currently starring in CBC's Little Mosque on the Prairie, Sheila McCarthy has been
a long-time supporter and spokesperson for Canadian Feed The Children.
After visiting our programs in Bolivia in early 2007, and meeting
some of the many children who benefit from her efforts, Sheila
is moved to "do more for the kids". She is an active
fundraiser and champion for Canadian Feed The Children, and we thank her for all she does for us!
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