Four St. Albert area non-profits hope residents will step up and work out this November to help prevent family violence.
Athletes across the Edmonton and St. Albert region will walk, run, swim, and perhaps even jazzercise this November as part of the inaugural Illuminate Challenge — a new campaign that aims to raise money to prevent family violence during November’s Family Violence Prevention Month.
The challenge is a collaboration between Stop Abuse in Families (SAiF) Society, the Jessica Martel Memorial Foundation (JMMF), the Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton (SACE), and the Realtors Community Foundation.
SAiF, the JMMF, and SACE often work together to address family violence, but have historically run separate fundraising campaigns during Family Violence Prevention Month, said Mark Dixon, executive director of SAiF. But with campaign costs up and donations on the decline, the groups needed a new approach.
Dixon said he reached out to the JMMF and SACE to see if they wanted to run a joint campaign backed by the Heka Well fitness app, which he had previously used to encourage seniors to get active. The groups agreed, and the Realtors foundation signed on to handle the donations for the campaign.
Dixon said the app is essentially a step-tracker that lets participants track physical activity. Users will set a fitness goal and collect donations for the three organizations all November. Participants will get to form teams and compete against each other, with top fundraisers earning a chance to win various prizes. As they do so, they will also learn about and spread awareness of family violence.
“We’re shining a light on domestic abuse, bullying, and sexual assault,” Dixon said, in reference to the challenge’s name.
Dixon said he hopes the challenge will raise $30,000 to be split between the three groups, adding that he’d be happy if they just broke even. If the challenge proves to be a hit, he hopes other charities will join it in the future.
All too common
Alberta has the third highest rate of self-reported spousal violence among Canadian provinces, the Alberta government reports. Alberta women’s shelters received 59,215 calls for help in 2022-23, which was the most in 10 years, according to the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters.
Family violence can take many forms, including physical, emotional, financial, and psychological, Dixon said. SAiF research suggests some 66 per cent of St. Albert residents have been affected by domestic violence, whether as victims, witnesses, or perpetrators.
“We have our counsellors pretty much at full capacity, and we have a two-week waiting list,” he said, with similar organizations reporting 11 month waits.
Dixon said groups like SAiF address family violence through shelters, counselling, and public education. Money raised by Illuminate will support their efforts.
JMMF spokesperson Jessica Montgomery said she is confident Morinville residents will step up to the Illuminate Challenge, adding that she plans to hold dance parties with her kids as part of it.
“Domestic violence, while it happens to individuals, is not an individual problem. It’s a community problem, so it’s really going to take everyone to solve this issue and create a future free of family violence.”
The Illuminate Challenge is sponsoring Sports Day this Nov. 2 at Servus Credit Union Place. This free event will let residents see demos and try out various sports. Guests who exercise at Servus Place can also scan a QR code to get 1,000 points toward their challenge goals.
Visit illuminate-challenge.raiselysite.com for details.
