Newmarket resident helps women make changes

Yorkregion.com
Nov. 27, 2015
By Chris Simon

Kate Riley aims to inspire.

The Newmarket woman has been volunteering at the Women's Centre of York Region since January. During that time, she's developed a fondness for the Making Changes program, a series of four 10-week seminar sessions that teach about 100 women life skills such as effective communication, empowerment, conflict management and healthy boundaries.

"This is a program that runs all over York Region," Riley said. "The centre is in Newmarket but they reach out. It can help people in moving forward if they've been struggling with mental health. It's all encompassing."

Riley volunteers at the centre two days per week, but has noticed Making Changes is restricted by a lack of funding. So, she started a fundraiser with a goal of $5,000 recently - a number that was reached within five weeks.

An additional 50 women can enter the program as a result of Riley's efforts. Now, she's hoping to inspire others to help out.

"The biggest struggle for the women's centre is the lack of funding; they've had to lay off multiple staff due to this," Riley said. "Our program was severely affected. Most of the women that come to the centre are struggling with low income or mental health, or are coming out of abusive relationships. So this is an opportunity for them to get the resources they need."

Jennifer Rodrigues, co-ordinator of Making Changes, said the centre has been forced to turn women away from the program, due to a lack of financial resources.

"At the beginning of the year, I had 147 women signed up and I can only take about 120 to 130; we do not advertise this program, it's all referrals," she said, noting Making Changes has been offered by the centre for about 30 years. "My goal is to always have the women become assertive in their lives and make better choices. There’s such a need for this program. I’m ramping up for the January cycle and I’m already over capacity. I call her My Amazing Kate because she's so full of life and enthusiasm. She just saw a niche. Funding is always challenging."

The program runs eight groups per week in five separate locations, but as the region’s population continues to grow, there’s clearly a burgeoning need to expand into areas like Sutton and Vaughan, Rodrigues said.

Riley collected the money by appealing to family and friends, starting a Go Fund Me campaign, and selling her paintings at a church artisan and craft show.

"It's something I believe in," she said. "People can catch the fire and continue giving and helping the women in their own community move forward. I'm not a fundraiser at all. My original goal was $500 because I was terrified to have to ask for money from people. I was so incredibly surprised that people just kept giving."