Toronto school board includes
Aid to Women as part of pro-life week
Interim Staff
This year, the Toronto Catholic District School Board welcomed Aid to Women, a crisis pregnancy agency adjacent to a Toronto abortuary, into their 33 secondary and 168 elementary schools for Respect for Life Week.
Respect for Life Week takes place in the second week of May for educational purposes. Aid to Women hopes to raise its profile, educate students, faculty and public and fundraise during the week of pro-life activities after the TCDSB gave Aid to Women permission to partake in the event for the next five years.
In the secondary schools, the student body will have a "civvies day" during the week, during which students will pay a twooney or a looney for the opportunity to wear casual clothes. Monies raised will benefit Aid to Women. A fast-moving, seven-minute video about Aid to Women will also be shown. In the elementary schools, children will be asked to take a colourful, beautiful bookmark home in an Aid to Women envelope and either the children or parents can send it back with a twooney or a looney. Special pro-life posters will also greet speakers in the schools during the week.
Last year, the board ended the five-year practice of distributing fundraising boxes at Halloween, a major source of revenue for Aid to Women. Joanne Dieleman welcomed the opportunity to make the most of the new endeavour to raise both funds and awareness during a week of pro-life activities.
For more than 20 years, Aid to Women has helped women and babies in crisis pregnancy situations and has saved over 1,000 babies. It offers life-affirming options to mothers and babies, as well as practical help for as long as needed. Donations help Aid to Women provide compassionate pro-life counselling, medical and legal help, food, clothing, shelter, furniture, adoption assistance on request and spiritual and moral support.
