Emily (centre above) uses a wheelchair and doesn’t speak. She’s also an artist who loves to paint and work with clay. The respite programs provided her with a creative, social and safe environment while giving her parents a break from round-the-clock care.

“I’ve seen other programs cancelled but I couldn’t swallow this one,” Vito says. “I can’t get that kind of arts programming in a respite service anywhere.” So Vito – who owns a construction company – set out to raise money to ensure the March Break camp’s survival. He had no experience fundraising.

He met with Bloorview Kids Foundation and developed a plan to raise enough money to keep the program running for five years – $250,000.

Then he went to his family and business associates to ask them to support a camp he describes as “unlike any other in the world.” Within three months he’d achieved his five-year goal and set a new target of raising $1 million to keep the March Break camp running forever.

“The foundation gave me the materials and the framework That included a personal fundraising page on the foundation web site; support when presenting to potential donors; and organization of a number of special events, including a gala reception.

“They would draft letters, and then I would personalize them, adding tidbits of our own family’s story because that’s how you connect with donors,” Vito says.

Having a dollar goal is critical, he says. “It has to be realistic. You have to look at how many business ties do I have, how much can I expect from my family?

Setting a target helps to motivate you. Larger donors want to see a long-term impact over years, not a stop-gap solution.”

Getting potential donors to visit the program was key. “You need to get them into the building to see it firsthand.”

Vito says there are countless creative ways to raise funds on a smaller scale to support programs you value.

“When Emily’s classmates heard what we were doing, they wanted to contribute. So on a PA day, one family donated the money to rent an ice rink and we had a Family Skate. Every family paid $20 to skate, and we raised $850 dollars.”

Vito has raised over $750,000 to date, and says the experience has been rewarding for his whole family. “It gives us a sense of giving back for what we’ve received from Bloorview. It’s a way of thanking the staff for running a great program. For Emily’s brother Max, it’s an important life lesson. He sees that we’re helping and that we don’t have to just sit on the sidelines and take whatever is given to us. We can be out in the community and make a difference.”

To find out more about the Emily Bigioni Endowment Fund, visit www.bigioni.giftsofpossibility.ca.