December 10, 2009 HELPLINE EXPANDS TO SERVE FAMILIES ACROSS THE PROVINCE

Halifax, NS (December 10, 2009) – Parents and individuals across Nova Scotia now have access to a support system simply by picking up the phone, and soon access will be enhanced further when it expands to 24-hour coverage.

FEED NOVA SCOTIA announced today the launch of a new provide-wide parental support service through a pilot project funded by the province’s Child and Youth Strategy.  Helpline, a telephone support service which has been operating in the Halifax area for 35 years and is now run by FEED NOVA SCOTIA, recently expanded to include parental support to assist individuals experiencing parenting challenges and to advance from a regional service to a toll-free provincial one. In the coming months, it will expand to include 24-hour access.

"The expansion of the helpline is another way we are responding to the Nunn Commission's recommendations," said Robert Wright, executive director of the province's Child and Youth Strategy.  "By making the service available province-wide more families and individuals will have access to the resources and information they need to support our children and young people."

Helpline is currently available seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Trained staff and volunteers provide non-clinical, empathetic support and connect callers with the services that can best be of help to them. The nature of the calls varies considerably, but often relates to parenting, domestic violence, loneliness and isolation, addictions, mental health issues, and food and housing concerns. Any calls that require emergency intervention are referred to 911.

“People experiencing distress in their lives, no matter what the issue, often feel frustrated trying to connect with the right service or organization. This includes people seeking support for parenting,” said Dianne Swinemar, executive director of FEED NOVA SCOTIA. “Now Helpline can be the starting point for Nova Scotians when they need some assistance.”

Helpline, along with the new parental support focus, can be reached by dialing 421-1188 in the Halifax area and toll free throughout the rest of the province by dialing 1-877-521-1188.

Click here to download the Helpline Poster

For more information, contact:

Karen Theriault
FEED NOVA SCOTIA
(902) 457-1900 ext. 226

Lucas Wide
Department of Community Services
(902) 424-4449

 

 

May 22, 2009 Dianne Swinemar to receive an Honorary Doctorate of Civil Law from Saint Mary's University

It is my great pleasure to announce that Dianne Swinemar, Executive Director of FEED NOVA SCOTIA, will receive an Honorary Doctorate of Civil Law from Saint Mary’s University on May 22, 2009, to acknowledge her outstanding leadership in community activism. This is the second time Dianne’s commitment to end chronic hunger and alleviate poverty has been recognized with an honorary degree. She also holds an Honorary Doctorate of Canon Law from the University of King’s College.

In her 18 years with FEED NOVA SCOTIA, Dianne has garnered a number of other honours for her dedication to promoting social justice, including the Governor General’s Golden Jubilee Medal, the Canadian Progress Women of Excellence Award for Communications & Public Affairs, the WAY TO BE Nova Scotian Award and the Elizabeth Ann Seton Award from the Sisters of Charity. Dianne also holds a Master of Management (Program for National Voluntary Sector Leaders) from McGill University.

Dianne led the transition of the Metro Food Bank Society from a Halifax-based distribution centre to FEED NOVA SCOTIA, a provincial food collection and distribution centre serving 150 food banks and meal programs province-wide. In the fiscal year ending June 2008, under Dianne’s capable leadership, FEED NOVA SCOTIA distributed 1.8 million kilograms of donated food, valued at $14.4 million, to local feeding programs across the province.

As Executive Director of FEED NOVA SCOTIA, Dianne has led the implementation a number of programs benefitting low-income Nova Scotians, including the Learning Kitchen, a culinary training program for individuals facing barriers to employment. She has also led research on hunger and poverty at the provincial and national levels, and has fostered relationships with agencies and individuals in the community to work cooperatively to end chronic hunger and alleviate poverty in Nova Scotia

On behalf of FEED NOVA SCOTIA’s Board of Directors, I would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to Dianne for this incredible achievement.

John Drish
Board Chairperson