Our Response to COVID-19
To our Dream Factory Community,
The last few weeks have been full of uncertainty for all of us. We hope that you are all staying healthy, and safe; and are sending a little bit of extra love to our Dream Factory families already dealing with some very tough situations.
It is our absolute privilege to work alongside families in our community who have children battling life-threatening illnesses. Together, with the support of our community, we are able to bring dreams to life and create some truly magical moments.
We have a responsibility to keep our Dream Families, volunteers, and supporters safe during challenging times. In light of the current situation surrounding COVID-19, The Dream Factory has implemented the following measures to date to ensure safety of our immediate community:
1. All travel-related Dreams have been postponed until advisable to reschedule. We anticipate that 10+ dreams will be postponed as a result of COVID-19. We want to be clear that these dreams will come true when it is safe and when the experience can once again be one where families are able to relax and enjoy time together.
2. The Dream Maker Auction, scheduled for April 24th, 2020 has been postponed until November 10th, 2020. The Dream Maker Auction is our largest fundraiser of the year, responsible for a significant portion of the revenue that enables dreams to come true and is a true celebration of our community. We thank our dedicated sponsors and guests for their ongoing support as we begin planning for our new date. We hope to see you there!
3. All third-party fundraising events and group outings from now until June have been postponed or re-organized virtually to ensure the safety of participants, supporters, volunteers, and guests. This includes Deadlifts for Dreams and the River City Dragon Boat Festival, both of which will be rescheduled when advisable.
4. As restrictions loosen, we are evaluating ways to safely begin making local, non-travel Dreams come true.*
5. While many activities in the community are still on hold, additional expenses associated with caring for a sick child are not. Thanks to our generous supporters, we have been able to continue providing financial assistance to our Dream Families through our Dream Family Funds. Over $12,000 has already been distributed to help these deserving families cover costs of things like hospital meals, groceries, medications, and bills.*
The Dream Factory team will be working virtually until it is advisable to resume regular operations. If you have any inquiries, please feel free to contact our team directly via email. All staff emails are available on our website at http://www.thedreamfactory.ca/staff. We will also be checking our voicemail box multiple times per day and responding to messages as promptly as possible.
To our Families, Supporters, and Volunteers - we appreciate your understanding, flexibility, and compassion during these challenging times. We are looking ahead to the time where our Dreams and events will be rescheduled, and when we can celebrate with you for helping continue to bring dreams to life.
Further updates will be forthcoming and shared here on our social media platforms to keep you up to date. We will be exploring virtual opportunities to continue creating memories and experiences for families in our community battling life-threatening illnesses. If you are wondering how you can get involved or support The Dream Factory during this uncertain time, please contact us or consider making a donation online at www.thedreamfactory.ca/donate
Thank you again for your continued support - and for believing in the magic of a dream come true!
Howard Koks
Executive Director
The Dream Factory
*Updated May 19th, 2020 to include points 4 and 5