The Help Our Students Program provides financial support to hard-working high school students living in difficult financial circumstances to help them graduate high school.

We ask the schools to select the students who meet our criteria - hard-working and living in difficult financial circumstances. They are required to open a bank account and, from September through June, we transfer $100 per month directly into their account.

There are no restrictions on how the students can use the money. Over the years, we have learned that they use it primarily to help their family with essentials like food, transportation, gas for mom’s car and other household expenses; they use it to pay for their school expenses and, for Grade 12 students, to pay for their university or college applications and their grad fees.

Our only requirements are that they write us a letter in April describing how the HOST Program award has impacted their lives and complete a brief online survey in May. I publish excerpts from these letters in my President’s Report each July.

One of the features of the HOST Program that we are most proud of is the fact that 100% of donations go directly to help students in need.  The Board pays all administrative expenses.

This year, we are helping 89 students from 59 Ottawa high schools.  I hope that, next year, our 10th year, will provide support to two students (one boy + one girl) in every high school.