|
|
|
For as many years as I have been in business, I have felt the need to engage the community in positive ways and through important causes such as breast cancer research, homeless shelters, family violence and women’s causes.
In the late 1990s, my friend, local businessman David Lockett, was looking to fund a groundbreaking program designed to erode criminal and violent behaviour in urban youth. With David’s promise to create a program to deal with community and family violence, I pledged $10,000 to get things started. The fact that the PACT program was able to create significant change through private funding made me aware of a simple fact – most lasting change always starts with a grassroots commitment. Moreover, it made me realize that any sustainable social programs are sustained through community efforts, not through government funding. |