KAIROS focuses program, reduces staff in response to financial crisis
Media release
| 01.05.09For Immediate Release Tuesday, April 28, 2009
(Toronto) KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives today announced that, faced with major financial challenges, it has responded with a new plan to bring about long-term sustainability. With deep regret, KAIROS has cut staff positions and several important program areas as part of this plan.
The KAIROS Board affirmed values critical for program as KAIROS moves forward, including: a more focused program, faith-based in every way – its identity, its program, its commitments, integrated with social movements and retaining KAIROS’ theological courage.
In a special consultation, KAIROS’ member churches and organizations gave high priority to the following program areas for KAIROS’ work in future: Indigenous rights, ecological justice, global human rights, and human rights in relation to poverty and injustice in Canada.
The program will be organized within two major themes: Sustainability, with a primary focus on ecological justice, and Rights and Dignity, which includes Indigenous rights and global human rights. International development work will be focused on the same themes of Sustainability and Rights and focused on more support to fewer partners. Education and grassroots advocacy will be integrated with, and inform the work of, each major theme.
Although KAIROS will not continue its refugee program, member churches will continue their own refugee work and also work through the Canadian Council for Refugees. There will no longer be full programs related to international debt and trade or corporate accountability, although economic justice will inform research, policy and advocacy.
The KAIROS Anti-Poverty Fund grants have not been carried forward. KAIROS will continue to work with its anti-poverty networks across the country and will develop a response to poverty in terms of the need for just and sustainable livelihoods, including migrant justice.
The financial crisis that emerged late in the fall of 2008 was a result of reduced contributions from KAIROS member churches, greatly increased rent, steadily increasing program and staff costs, and decreased endowment revenue caused by the global economic crisis.
“We believe this new plan is a good one in response to the challenges we are facing. But we are grieving the loss of valued colleagues and important areas of work,” says KAIROS executive director Mary Corkery. “KAIROS is losing staff whose work is excellent. We honour and thank them.”
KAIROS’ restructuring plan includes outreach and fundraising. Additional resources have been allocated for work in “new media” and for new programs to generate revenue.
KAIROS thanks its member churches and organizations, and networks across the country, for their continuing support and prayers.
– 30 –
For further information contact:
Mary Corkery
Executive Director
KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives
(416) 463 5312, ext. 244
mcorkery[at]kairoscanada[dot]org
