World Vision launches the Southwestern Ontario Campaign for Children

International organization thanks area residents for their generosity

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Oct. 7, 2015 /CNW/ - Today World Vision is launching the Southwestern Ontario Campaign for Children. It is an opportunity for the international aid organization to thank residents for their incredible generosity, and give others a chance to sponsor a child and change a life. More than 30,000 people from Windsor to Guelph are World Vision sponsors, helping over 40,000 children around the world. The organization is rallying to help an additional 1,000 children waiting to be sponsored.

"Residents of Southwestern Ontario are overwhelmingly generous," says World Vision spokesperson Joyce Gonzales.  "So many children all around the world are positively impacted by sponsors from the area, and we want to say thank you." Sponsors are providing access to education, health care, nutritious food, clean water and helping parents find economic opportunities so they can provide for their children.

Sarnia resident and great-great-grandmother Dani Gattinger has been sponsoring children for forty years.  "In 1975 I started my extended family with one child and over the years I have increased that to six, the current number I now support," she says.  "Throughout the years of my extended family, many have come and gone, so to speak, as they've grown up, and each one has brought great happiness to me and my husband John." 

During the months of October and November area residents may hear and see more about World Vision, and door-to-door representatives will be in communities in the region, to answer questions about World Vision and provide the opportunity for area residents to sponsor a child and change a community.   

QUICK FACTS:

• There are more than 30,000 World Vision child sponsors in the Southwestern Ontario region who help over 40,000 children.
• Child Sponsorship makes World Vision's community development programs possible; providing communities with sustainable access to necessities like clean water, nutritious food, economic opportunity, health care and access to education. 
• If every World Vision child sponsored by a person from the Southwestern Ontario region were put on a school bus, they would fill 1,148 buses; if these school buses were lined up they would stretch more than 15 km!
• The Southwestern Ontario Campaign for Children hopes to find an additional 1,000 sponsors to change a life, and connect with a child in a World Vision community around the world.

HOW AREA RESIDENTS CAN HELP:
Sponsor a child at worldvision.ca or call 1-877-34CHILD (24453) to find out more, or sponsor a child.

World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. Visit our News Centre at worldvision.ca

SOURCE World Vision Canada

Image with caption: "Eleven-year-old Oscar's family can't afford to send him to school, instead he walks two hours to the garbage dump to look for cardboard, scrap metal and cans to recycle to help support his family. (CNW Group/World Vision Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20151007_C6537_PHOTO_EN_514428.jpg

MEDIA CONTACTS: Sarah Bartley; 905-565-6200 ext. 4054, 647-274-4774, [email protected]; Genevieve Handler Barber; 905-565-6200 ext. 2176; [email protected]