An event in downtown Toronto is bringing hundreds of young changemakers and business leaders together this weekend to raise funds for an innovative post-court therapy program that will support young abuse survivors in the city.
The party, organized by a group of an all-women fundraising committee RISE, will take place June 20 at the Globe and Mail Centre on 351 King St. E., and will unite nearly 400 businesses leaders and changemakers for a good cause.
The fundraiser hopes to support a program led by non-profit organization Victim Services Toronto (VST), which aims to offer free therapy services to child and youth abuse survivors after they testify in court.
According to VST social worker and RISE Co-Chair Alison Albright, the program is still under development, but aims to fill in a significant gap of support needed by survivors, whose mental health is often impacted by having to testify in court.
“The goal of the program is actually to fill a very long-overlooked gap for these young people, [who] so often turn to me after court and say court was just as bad as the abuse, and sometimes they even say worse,” she told Now Toronto on Wednesday.
The social worker explains that testifying in court against their abuser can often be difficult for young survivors’ mental health for years, as they not only have to re-live the trauma but also face cross-examination.
The developing program would be offered to survivors after court by social workers or other professionals as a way to help them deal with the court trauma.
“When the court case is over, their work as a victim or a witness is also over, and so that’s when a lot of the support ends, traditionally. And that’s what we’re trying to challenge, because there’s actually research that shows that after court… their mental health and wellness and well-being [are] still often deteriorating because of those intersecting traumas,” she added.
A FUN NIGHT FOR A GOOD CAUSE
Although the event is for an important and serious cause, RISE is redefining philanthropy promising to bring a real party to Toronto’s downtown core.
“It’s gonna be a fun night. We have brand activations. We have incredible food and cocktails that have been curated for our special guests. All throughout the evening, everyone will be leaving with a gift bag with $500 worth of incredible stuff that they’ll be able to take home with them and continue the experience,” RISE Co-Chair and Révolutionnaire Co-Founder Justice Faith told Now Toronto.
Faith says that the rooftop party will also feature a beautiful view of Toronto’s skyline, while the city’s beloved CN Tower will be lit in tons of white and purple to support the cause.
The organizers say the initiative has already exceeded expectations, as they’ve already managed to raise half a million dollars ahead of the event.
“I think so often when we think about philanthropy, especially in Toronto, it’s been gatekept and really difficult for young people to participate. It’s inaccessible. It’s not inclusive. And so RISE is really flipping all of that on its head and creating an avenue for young people to support this really vital cause,” the event’s Co-Chair and Révolutionnaire Co-Founder Nia Faith said.
“We’re very excited to continue to build on that success, build on that momentum, and bring together 400 of Toronto’s young business leaders and tastemakers and changemakers to be a part of this mission and to continue to bring this vision of this necessary program to life,” she added.
While the event’s tickets are (happily) sold out at the moment, the organizers said that interested guests can still join RISE’s waitlist for a chance to attend, and are more than welcome to make a donation online.
