THUNDER BAY – Children have endless potential.
But for some children, especially those in care, circumstances can get in the way of pursuing their passions and dreams.
That’s where the Mazinaajim Children’s Foundation is hoping to make a difference.
Formerly known as the Dilico Children’s Foundation, the organization has been rebranded and relaunched to better help provide opportunities for children receiving or who have received services from Dilico Anishinabek Family Care.
Board chair Wendy Landry said it’s important to help children
“It definitely takes a community to raise a child. Everything costs money and sometimes when money is a hindrance to people participating in extracurricular activities, we don’t’ want that,” Landry said.
“We want them to have the same opportunities as other youth to be able to take those options and buy those instruments or participate in those sporting events or whatever it might be.”
The new name is designed to reflect the countless paths children can take to forge their own identity.
“Mazinaajim means to create a story or to design your story and we felt that was very relevant with the foundation. The funding behind that is dependent on the individual and what they’re looking for,” Landry said.
“Everybody needs help in different ways so this could be anything. It’s not specific or tied to any type of programming. We’re trying to make sure it’s available to whatever that story might be.”
The relaunch was announced Friday morning to coincide with Dilico’s annual children’s mental health barbecue.
Dilico executive director Darcia Borg said the support from the foundation goes a long way.
“It’s critical for our youth to have the same opportunities other youth have to offer them hope for the future,” she said.
The foundation received a $13,700 donation from Lowerys during the announcement.
Lowerys partner Shawn Christie said giving back to the community is important. They have given the foundation more than $30,000 over the past three years.
“Most of us have children so we know the troubles they can go through and in order to help them out, grow and become adults and integration into the community, it’s a key role,” he said.
