Another successful year for the Circle of 7.
The organization is a group of dynamic, community-minded people who work to enhance lives and quality of life in the Windsor-Essex region.
The local group raised $66,000 during two charity events last year including the annual Denim and Diamonds gala in November and the John Ferguson Charity Golf Tournament last June.
Some of the groups who will receive funding include: Autism Windsor-Essex, The United Way, Riverside Miracle Sports Field, Leone Residence, Sleep in Heavenly Peace, the Soup Shack, the Salvation Army, the Downtown Mission, the Windsor International Film Fest, the Windsor-Essex County Humane Society and others.
President Tony Haddad says the money will be split between 20 different groups.
"Organizations that are doing good for others, individuals that are in need, and those that are in the areas of sports, culture, human services, and those that don't receive a lot of support from other agencies - we like to feel like we're able to support them in some small way."
He says a lot of the beneficiaries make a proposal throughout the year.
"Some of them are quite emotional where they pull at the heart strings, and some are hard to believe that as much as we're a prosperous community in Windsor-Essex that there are still families and children that are in need. So, to be able to do the fun things that we do as a circle, and to be able to raise money, and provide support to those organizations - it's the best of both worlds."
Haddad says some of the money raised also goes to individuals in need who reach out for help.
"Children needed dental care, they had a dentist that was providing the dental care for them gratis, but they needed transportation, we provided funds for taxi service throughout their treatments. So, those are the individual cases that when you hear about them, how do you not want to help them?"
To date, the Circle of 7 has contributed over $4-million to local organizations and individuals, focusing on health and welfare, youth, sports, arts and culture.