Sign of Hope meets its goal

CSS to bolster parent-teen mediation

Special to the WCR
Edmonton

"Donors want to support an organization they can believe in and trust, where they believe their donation will make a difference in the life of someone in need," said campaign chair Mary Molloy.

"The success of Sign of Hope also speaks to the strength of Catholic Social Services: its employees, volunteers and excellent programs they provide," she said.

The actual amount donated is nearly eight per cent more than the original goal. It is the 18th consecutive year the Sign of Hope has achieved its campaign funding objective.

Sign of Hope dollars fund 139 Catholic Social Services community-based programs.

Al Pierog, chief operating officer of CSS said several programs, including Safe House for sexually-abused youth, Kairos program for women and men living with HIV/AIDS and First Step for mothers at risk, are especially dependent on Sign of Hope dollars.

In fact, the campaign's success means it is slotting extra funding to the parent-teen mediation program.

Specially-trained counsellors with the program assess and mediate a workable solution for parents and their teenage youth caught up in seemingly irreconcilable situations.

"Without this service, many teenaged youth end up running away from home, quit school and often end up as clients in the costly juvenile justice or child welfare systems," says Pierog.

Catholic Social Services provides services to people of all faiths and cultures and served 60,000 clients in 2001.

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