WICS doles out the dough

Despite the glum economic times, West Island Community Shares was able to surpass its annual campaign objective last Thursday when it gave out $685,000 in cheques to various community organizations that help out West Islanders with various problems, from cancer to volunteer transportation.

"We worked very, very hard to make sure we'd reach our goal," said the organization's executive director Caroline Tison.

WICS, which has been collecting funds for West Island-based charities for over a decade, had set itself a goal of $675,000 this year. Tison said she was very impressed with both the community at large and the organization's fund-raising committee, which worked extra hard to minimize the effects of the recession on donor habits.

As usual, some of the groups benefiting from WICS' efforts found their donations raised this year, and it also welcomed two new groups into its fold.

"It's all depending on needs and finances," explained Tison, adding it is always a laborious process to determine which new group may join in, and which may receive increased funding.

Tison said the decision to help out new groups is also based on how unique each one is compared to what already exists in the area. This year, the new groups are Literacy Unlimited, which seeks to promote literacy among West Islanders, and the West Island Cancer Wellness Centre.

"We really appreciate that they helped us out and took us in as a new organization," said the wellness centre's co-founder Debbie Magwood.

The centre, which received $10,000 this year, will be putting it largely toward administrative costs, she said.

One organization that received an increase in funding is West Island Youth Action, which works with West Island youth to empower them about issues of poverty, drug addiction and homelessness. The organization's director Benoît Langevin said his group's subtle approach, which encourages getting to know children and teenagers first, without imposing any moral imperatives on them, is what makes it stand out. West Island Youth Action received $15,000 this year, an increase of $5,000.

AMCAL Family Services received the largest amount of money this year with a $60,000 cheque.

<@Cp>Chronicle, Jacques Pharand<@$P>