Christina Boram is a member of The Village, our monthly donor club.
This past spring, she shared her story. And what motivates her to give. Watch her share her story. Or read the transcribed interview below.
My brother was born 18 years ago. And back then it was really hard for us to understand his needs.
I distinctly remember our family thinking, “Okay, our brother is going to need 100% of my mom’s time.”
But we didn’t really understand how to properly support her. It took us years for us to be able to go out as a family to do things. We would always say, “Somebody needs to stay at home with Justin.”
So a lot of times, for things like my high school or university graduation — all of these really key events — we weren’t necessarily able to have him there. We just didn’t know how to support him.
He may not be comfortable. He might get too stimulated. Or it may be just too difficult for him.
But I remember the first time I went and witnessed a CAN family experience. The first one was the Chilliwack Corn Maze a few years back.
So many families were talking about how important it was that these services existed for them. And it was from that moment that I really wanted to get involved with CAN.
As a donor, being able to give back and share the impact that CAN has — that’s going to increase inclusivity.
Thinking about my brother, I was always in fear that he wouldn’t be accepted. I want the families coming to CAN to know there is a place for you here.
What would you say to encourage someone to become a monthly donor?
I would say if someone isn’t giving already, start small. Don’t feel like you need to make ripples right away.
Whether that be $10 or $20, just start off with something that’ll help you get into the routine of giving.
And being able to see the impact, I think it’ll compel a lot of people to continue to give more. When I first started to give, I was able to see it right away, which compelled me to continue to donate.
And I continue to see the impact in the quality of resources that come out, the services, and the lived experiences.
Anytime I speak to the participants, they tell me it’s life changing and that they can’t live without it.
That tells me everything I need to know – and how important it is to give to CAN.