Who We Are Silent Voice is a registered charity serving Deaf adults, youth, children, and their families in an

American Sign Language (ASL) environment.

Our Charitable Registration Number is 107980625 RR0001

Our Programs

Deaf Adult Services: One-to-One Support, Deaf Parenting Program, Free Tax Clinic, Settlement

Services, Housing Resource Centre, and Deaf Financial Literacy education

Deaf Child and Family Services: Sign Language Summer Camp, Youth Leadership & Sports

Development Program, Family Communication Program, and ASL Services of the Ontario Infant

Hearing Program

Subscription Option If you wish to opt out from future communications from Silent Voice, please email

i.osman@silentvoice.ca with “unsubscribe” in the subject line or call 416-463-1104 x 201

SILENT VOICE CANADA’S STEWARDSHIP NEWSLETTER

Contact Us

50 St. Clair Avenue East, Suite 300 Toronto, ON M4T 1M9 Phone: (416) 463-1104 TTY: (416) 463-3928 Fax: (416) 778-1876 www.silentvoice.ca

You inspired al l of us

The theme of the night was “inspiring and being inspired”. And indeed you inspired us once again by your presence, your support and your enthusiasm

Our generous sponsors

Our gratitude to SHAMBA Foundation (Platinum sponsor), Meridien Credit Union (Gold Sponsor) and ALL the donors who supported the event with cash and in-kind gifts

You made it happen

A big shout out to all our staff and volunteers who executed the event so beautifully

Please visit http://silentvoice.ca/40th-birthday/

for more event photos.

This is our 40th Birthday! It has

been a journey of successes and

challenges as well as growth and

reward. The organization that was

started in 1975 by a few community

minded individuals has endured in

its path, standing tall and unique

supporting Deaf adults, youth,

children, and their families in a

multitude of ways.

We as a community thrive because

of our commitment to include

everyone, and to celebrate their

success stories.

On April 16, our donors,

supporters, service recipients, well-

wishers, members, volunteers,

partners, Board members, and staff

came together to celebrate our 40th

Birthday and Fundraiser at the

Shamba Foundation.

In this Issue

40th Celebration P.1

Your Feedback P.2

Engagement = Recognition P.3

Your Impact P.3

I S S U E

2015-01

GRATITUDE Issue 2015 - 01

At Silent Voice Canada, we

celebrate YOU because without

your continuous support and

compassionate hand, we would not

have been able to withstand this

long journey. Thank you from the

bottom of our hearts!

we all want to communicate

More than 130 guests enjoyed the

inspiring speeches by four service

recipients and the silent auction

with Canadian art. The evening

was another golden milestone in

our history. We raised a net total

of $12,595!!!

Impact

We were excited by the

results of our first online

survey! In our vision to

move towards a donor-

centric approach, we

invited our event

attendees to share their

thoughts with us.

“There was a wonderful balance of showcasing the value of the Silent Voice programs along with a clearly sincere appreciation of each of the donors. Well done!”

Comments Highlights:

“I like this survey because every

organization should imagine possibilities of

growth.”

“I thought that the speakers were very

powerful. They were a real eye-opener for

those unfamiliar with the Deaf community

and Silent Voice.”

“Everything was first class - profound tribute

to wonderful Silent Voice! So glad I decided

to participate - genuinely happy &

joyous event….lots of laughter - special

memories, Congratulations!”

What is donor-centric approach to us?

Donor-centric specifically refers to philanthropic activity. However, we at Silent Voice Canada have an INCLUSIVE VISION for the definition. All our volunteers, donors, service recipients, ASL interpreters, and community partners who invest their

Time, Talent, and Treasure in our journey are our supporters. We will continue to learn what matters to all our stakeholders and help them realize their goal of making a difference in the Deaf community. We will build trust by recognizing their role in our mission’s success, informing them of how we make progress, and nurturing these relationships to achieve shared goals.

What’s New

1. Our Membership Drive will run from June 1 – Aug 31. We aim to get 100 new members this year. Would you like to join our wonderful group of supporters to make a difference in the lives of Deaf adults, youth, children, and their families? 2. A team from Silent Voice will once again participate in the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon (5k, half marathon or full marathon). We would be delighted if you could join our record-breaking team of runners on October 18.

3. We will be introducing a new Monthly Giving Program in the summer with five recognition levels to ease the giving process and acknowledge your continued generosity with heartfelt gratitude.

Interested or Need More

Information?

Please visit www.silentvoice.ca to sign up for the Membership

and/or 5K Marathon.

78% of participants rated

the donated Shamba

venue as Excellent. Event

atmosphere and

accessibility also received

high ratings.

.

Over 75% of attendees

expressed high

satisfactory rating for the

opportunity they got to

meet with other

supporters, to hear client

testimonials, and to feel

valued as a supporter of

Silent Voice.

opto si sudo, opes feugiat iriure

validus. Loquor, vulputatemeus

indoles iaceo, ne secundum, dolus

demoveo interdico proprius. In

consequat os quae nulla magna.

Delenit abdo esse quia, tehuic.

Ratis neque ymo, venio illum pala

damnum pneum. Aptent nulla aliquip

camur ut consequat aptent nisl in

voco consequat qui quadrum. Feugait

in obruo quae ingenium

secundum, epso aladolus demoveo

interdico proprius. In consequat os

quae nulla and magna. Delenit abdo

esse quia, te huic. Ratis neque ymo,

venio illum pala damnum pneum.

Aptent nulla aliquip camur sriut

consequat aptent nisl inasta voco

consequat qui quadrum. Adipiscing

magna jumentum velit iriure obruo.

damnum pneum. Aptent nulla aliquip

camur ut consequat aptent nisl.

In our survey results above, 69% of survey

participants said that “Engaging more with Silent

Voice” is their preferred way to feel recognized.

In our new donor-centric model, we will introduce

creative ways to keep you informed; find

participatory methods to get your valuable ideas,

and implement impactful ways to engage you

directly with the cause.

It is what we heard from you!

COOL FACT: What is Your Name Sign? Q&A Technology Tips In Deaf culture, a “name sign” is a special

sign that is used to uniquely identify a

person. While it is commonly used to

identify members of the Deaf community, a

hearing person may also receive a name

sign depending on his/her degree

of involvement with the Deaf

community or because of

their popularity.

Name signs are a valued aspect

of the Deaf culture. If you are a

hearing person, it is an honour to be

given a name sign by someone who is Deaf.

There are two naming systems: Descriptive

and Arbitrary. Descriptive name signs are

based on unique or distinct characteristics of

the person.

Arbitrary name signs are based on a person's

name, designated using the letters of ASL alphabet

and are neutral in meaning. The more you are

involved with the Deaf community, a Deaf person

will pick up something unique about you,

often reflecting your character or

feature, to identify (i.e., name) you.

Did you know that famous

personalities like Nelson Mandela,

Barack Obama, Queen Elizabeth, Jean

Chrétien have name signs? The hockey

legend Wayne Gretzky’s name sign is “9-9”

(signed on the arm) because of the jersey he used

to wear.

Would you like the privilege of having a name

sign? Get to know the members of the Deaf

community; you’ll be amazed!

A mother of three shares this story with you!

“Imagine your life…….. if you happened to live with the

virtual absence of meaningful interaction in your own

home, with your own family. You can’t have a

conversation with them about your best friend at

school suddenly moving away; you can’t tell that you

felt left out or bullied at recess; you can’t tell them that

you and your new classmate really want to meet up on

Saturday to play in the park; because your parent or

sibling’s gestures are rudimentary and you need more

communication. Your family can see when you’re

happy but often have no idea why and they observe

your anger, frustration and sometimes sadness but

don’t know exactly what has triggered it.”

This was my daughter Caitlin’s life until we connected with Silent Voice Canada. Its Family Communication Program rescues children from social isolation. The Program helps build relationships between Deaf children and their hearing parents and siblings. It offered my daughter a chance to feel a sense of belonging and have fun in her own language in her own home with her own family members. She also found her place in her school and in her own community. Thanks to your support to Silent Voice Canada, now our family has a shared language, which by definition, is a fundamental element of families and communities.

Impact

We were excited by the

results of our first online

survey! In our vision to

move towards a donor-

centric approach, we

invited our event

attendees to share their

thoughts with us.

“There was a wonderful balance of showcasing the value of the Silent Voice programs along with a clearly sincere appreciation of each of the donors. Well done!”

Comments Highlights:

“I like this survey because every

organization should imagine possibilities of

growth.”

“I thought that the speakers were very

powerful. They were a real eye-opener for

those unfamiliar with the Deaf community

and Silent Voice.”

“Everything was first class - profound tribute

to wonderful Silent Voice! So glad I decided

to participate - genuinely happy &

joyous event….lots of laughter - special

memories, Congratulations!”

What is donor-centric approach to us?

Donor-centric specifically refers to philanthropic activity. However, we at Silent Voice Canada have an INCLUSIVE VISION for the definition. All our volunteers, donors, service recipients, ASL interpreters, and community partners who invest their

Time, Talent, and Treasure in our journey are our supporters. We will continue to learn what matters to all our stakeholders and help them realize their goal of making a difference in the Deaf community. We will build trust by recognizing their role in our mission’s success, informing them of how we make progress, and nurturing these relationships to achieve shared goals.

What’s New

1. Our Membership Drive will run from June 1 – Aug 31. We aim to get 100 new members this year. Would you like to join our wonderful group of supporters to make a difference in the lives of Deaf adults, youth, children, and their families? 2. A team from Silent Voice will once again participate in the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon (5k, half marathon or full marathon). We would be delighted if you could join our record-breaking team of runners on October 18.

3. We will be introducing a new Monthly Giving Program in the summer with five recognition levels to ease the giving process and acknowledge your continued generosity with heartfelt gratitude.

Interested or Need More

Information?

Please visit www.silentvoice.ca to sign up for the Membership

and/or 5K Marathon.

78% of participants rated

the donated Shamba

venue as Excellent. Event

atmosphere and

accessibility also received

high ratings.

.

Over 75% of attendees

expressed high

satisfactory rating for the

opportunity they got to

meet with other

supporters, to hear client

testimonials, and to feel

valued as a supporter of

Silent Voice.

opto si sudo, opes feugiat iriure

validus. Loquor, vulputatemeus

indoles iaceo, ne secundum, dolus

demoveo interdico proprius. In

consequat os quae nulla magna.

Delenit abdo esse quia, tehuic.

Ratis neque ymo, venio illum pala

damnum pneum. Aptent nulla aliquip

camur ut consequat aptent nisl in

voco consequat qui quadrum. Feugait

in obruo quae ingenium

secundum, epso aladolus demoveo

interdico proprius. In consequat os

quae nulla and magna. Delenit abdo

esse quia, te huic. Ratis neque ymo,

venio illum pala damnum pneum.

Aptent nulla aliquip camur sriut

consequat aptent nisl inasta voco

consequat qui quadrum. Adipiscing

magna jumentum velit iriure obruo.

damnum pneum. Aptent nulla aliquip

camur ut consequat aptent nisl.

In our survey results above, 69% of survey

participants said that “Engaging more with Silent

Voice” is their preferred way to feel recognized.

In our new donor-centric model, we will introduce

creative ways to keep you informed; find

participatory methods to get your valuable ideas,

and implement impactful ways to engage you

directly with the cause.

It is what we heard from you!

COOL FACT: What is Your Name Sign? Q&A Technology Tips In Deaf culture, a “name sign” is a special

sign that is used to uniquely identify a

person. While it is commonly used to

identify members of the Deaf community, a

hearing person may also receive a name

sign depending on his/her degree

of involvement with the Deaf

community or because of

their popularity.

Name signs are a valued aspect

of the Deaf culture. If you are a

hearing person, it is an honour to be

given a name sign by someone who is Deaf.

There are two naming systems: Descriptive

and Arbitrary. Descriptive name signs are

based on unique or distinct characteristics of

the person.

Arbitrary name signs are based on a person's

name, designated using the letters of ASL alphabet

and are neutral in meaning. The more you are

involved with the Deaf community, a Deaf person

will pick up something unique about you,

often reflecting your character or

feature, to identify (i.e., name) you.

Did you know that famous

personalities like Nelson Mandela,

Barack Obama, Queen Elizabeth, Jean

Chrétien have name signs? The hockey

legend Wayne Gretzky’s name sign is “9-9”

(signed on the arm) because of the jersey he used

to wear.

Would you like the privilege of having a name

sign? Get to know the members of the Deaf

community; you’ll be amazed!

A mother of three shares this story with you!

“Imagine your life…….. if you happened to live with the

virtual absence of meaningful interaction in your own

home, with your own family. You can’t have a

conversation with them about your best friend at

school suddenly moving away; you can’t tell that you

felt left out or bullied at recess; you can’t tell them that

you and your new classmate really want to meet up on

Saturday to play in the park; because your parent or

sibling’s gestures are rudimentary and you need more

communication. Your family can see when you’re

happy but often have no idea why and they observe

your anger, frustration and sometimes sadness but

don’t know exactly what has triggered it.”

This was my daughter Caitlin’s life until we connected with Silent Voice Canada. Its Family Communication Program rescues children from social isolation. The Program helps build relationships between Deaf children and their hearing parents and siblings. It offered my daughter a chance to feel a sense of belonging and have fun in her own language in her own home with her own family members. She also found her place in her school and in her own community. Thanks to your support to Silent Voice Canada, now our family has a shared language, which by definition, is a fundamental element of families and communities.

Who We Are Silent Voice is a registered charity serving Deaf adults, youth, children, and their families in an

American Sign Language (ASL) environment.

Our Charitable Registration Number is 107980625 RR0001

Our Programs

Deaf Adult Services: One-to-One Support, Deaf Parenting Program, Free Tax Clinic, Settlement

Services, Housing Resource Centre, and Deaf Financial Literacy education

Deaf Child and Family Services: Sign Language Summer Camp, Youth Leadership & Sports

Development Program, Family Communication Program, and ASL Services of the Ontario Infant

Hearing Program

Subscription Option If you wish to opt out from future communications from Silent Voice, please email

i.osman@silentvoice.ca with “unsubscribe” in the subject line or call 416-463-1104 x 201

SILENT VOICE CANADA’S STEWARDSHIP NEWSLETTER

Contact Us

50 St. Clair Avenue East, Suite 300 Toronto, ON M4T 1M9 Phone: (416) 463-1104 TTY: (416) 463-3928 Fax: (416) 778-1876 www.silentvoice.ca

You inspired al l of us

The theme of the night was “inspiring and being inspired”. And indeed you inspired us once again by your presence, your support and your enthusiasm

Our generous sponsors

Our gratitude to SHAMBA Foundation (Platinum sponsor), Meridien Credit Union (Gold Sponsor) and ALL the donors who supported the event with cash and in-kind gifts

You made it happen

A big shout out to all our staff and volunteers who executed the event so beautifully

Please visit http://silentvoice.ca/40th-birthday/

for more event photos.

This is our 40th Birthday! It has

been a journey of successes and

challenges as well as growth and

reward. The organization that was

started in 1975 by a few community

minded individuals has endured in

its path, standing tall and unique

supporting Deaf adults, youth,

children, and their families in a

multitude of ways.

We as a community thrive because

of our commitment to include

everyone, and to celebrate their

success stories.

On April 16, our donors,

supporters, service recipients, well-

wishers, members, volunteers,

partners, Board members, and staff

came together to celebrate our 40th

Birthday and Fundraiser at the

Shamba Foundation.

In this Issue

40th Celebration P.1

Your Feedback P.2

Engagement = Recognition P.3

Your Impact P.3

I S S U E

2015-01

GRATITUDE Issue 2015 - 01

At Silent Voice Canada, we

celebrate YOU because without

your continuous support and

compassionate hand, we would not

have been able to withstand this

long journey. Thank you from the

bottom of our hearts!

we all want to communicate

More than 130 guests enjoyed the

inspiring speeches by four service

recipients and the silent auction

with Canadian art. The evening

was another golden milestone in

our history. We raised a net total

of $12,595!!!