Ozanam Education Fund Committee

Committee Members:

Chair: Jere Hartnett, St. Patrick’s Conf. Burlington

Alan Read, St. Paul the Apostle Conf. Burlington
Jim Ferguson St. Andrew’s Conf. Oakville
Margaret LaFontaine St. Raphael’s Conf. Burlington
Maria Scattolon St. Francis Xavier Conf. Hamilton
Cathie Sutcliffe St. Patrick’s Conf. Burlington
Chris Lenover St. Raphael’s Conf. Burlington
Helen O’Brien St. Patrick’s Conf. Burlington
Frank Marcantonio St. Raphael’s Conf. Burlington
Rob Greenaway, Blessed Sacrament Conference Toronto, ONRC

Mandate and Responsibilities:

The Ozanam Education Fund Committee provides educational funding for individuals or families who lack the financial resources necessary to sustain educational programs that could provide the knowledge and skills needed to obtain a decent job. This allows them to escape the cycle of poverty. The Fund is to be used by qualifying individuals and families for tuition, lab fees, computer equipment, trade tools, accommodation, food, transportation, day care, debt payments or any combination of these barriers to successful completion of appropriate educational programs.

The Fund works on a referral basis. Vincentians working in Conferences in Ontario identify individuals and/or families struggling to obtain further education or training due to lack of financial resources. The Committee requires the referring Conference and the applicant to provide complete financial information and background for the application.

The Committee is responsible for reviewing, awarding funds, and managing the Conference/Council sponsored applications for their neighbours requesting support. The applications and supporting submissions (letters of reference, application forms, and budget work sheet) are prepared by the Vincentian Conference/Council sponsor (s) and the applicant (s). All applications are reviewed by committee members who have no conflict of interest in the application and successful applicants are awarded funds based on the available budget of the Ozanam Education Fund. When awards are made the Ozanam funds are provided to the appropriate SSVP Conference/Council for local administration, reporting and follow up on the applicant’s progress and success.

Activity during 2024:

The Ozanam Educational Fund Committee met regularly (6 times) by electronic and in-person meetings. The review process and communications among members is done primarily electronically. The following activities were accomplished in 2024:

• We reviewed 36 applications from sponsors. In this review process we have discussions with sponsors and in many cases are able to suggest additional help for their applicants.
• We made 33 awards for a total of $74,400.
• The actual funding from ONRC was reduced to 45% of the 2024 budgeted amount. As a result, we had to make significant reductions in the amount of our awards.
• We reviewed and updated our Committee procedures and documentation including updates to our ONRC website. The objective was to clarifying procedures for the sponsors.
• Reviewed our Neighbour-In-Need records resulting in the following profile: female 80 %, male 20%, single parents 25%, students from single parent families 42%, Applicants with disabilities (physical, PTSD, MID, LD, Autism) 10%, Refugee claimants 5%, OW recipient/Family Recipients 15%, ODSP Recipient/ Family Recipients 15%.
• Due to the reduction in ONRC funding and the reduction in Conference and Council pass-ups directly to the fund our committee had to focus on obtaining external funding. We did this with some success; however, we were still short on funding at year end.

Focus of activity for 2025:

• The 2025 focus is on Fund Raising in order to sustain the Ozanam Education program.
• ONRC is not able to help fund the program for 2025.
• We are reaching out to Conferences and Councils to pass-up funds directly to the Ozanam Education Fund
• We are reaching out to Conferences to organize fund raising activities for the Fund. We have had success with this approach in one conf. by direct contact with the CWL and KoC and parishioners.
• We are soliciting outside Foundations, Corporations, Institutions, and Individuals.
• Donations can be directed to Society of Saint Vincent de Paul – Ontario Regional Council PO Box 23016 Brantford PO Main, ON N3T 6K4. Cheques should be made out to Society of St. Vincent de Paul - ONRC add “Ozanam Education Fund” in the memo line. You can also donate through CanadaHelps website Donate Now - SOCIETY OF SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL, ONTARIO REGIONAL COUNCIL
• Our focus will be on raising approximately $100,000. in order to sustain the program. This will require considerable effort from our Ozanam Committee. We welcome any and all help from any Vincentian from across Ontario in helping with fund raising to help people break out of poverty. If you are interested in helping, please contact us.

Jere Hartnett Chair ozanamfund@ssvp.on.ca
Ozanam Education Fund Committee of SSVP Ontario Regional Council

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