Young girls in the community will suffer the most.

A badly-needed program to educate and empower young girls has shut its doors after falling victim to COVID-19.

A GoFundMe page has been launched to raise funds for the Jean Augustine Centre for Young Women’s Empowerment after 95% of its funding was lost due to financial setbacks suffered by a major donor as a result of the pandemic, says Executive Director Emma Asiedu-Akrofi.

“The organization is being faced with the gut-wrenching decision to close its doors,” Asiedu-Akrofi says in a release. “Help us keep the Centre open to provide the necessary and essential services to girls and young women during COVID-19 and beyond.”

The Portland St., centre was founded by former MP Jean Augustine in 2014 to help girls between 7-17-years-old with after-school programs, workshops, life skills, academics and leadership skills. It also offered public speaking, resume building, tutor training, and courses in the sciences and technology.

“As a result of the impact of COVID-19, we have unfortunately lost our primary source of funding,” Asiedu-Akrofi told residents on April 17. “Programs are being suspended immediately as we make necessary adjustments.”

The popular Centre has been a pillar of strength in the community in helping to educate and empower more than 200 girls, young women and families in the last six years, she wrote.

Augustine, a former teacher and high school principal, was the first African-Canadian woman elected to the House of Commons. She was elected in the riding of Etobicoke-Lakeshore in 1993 and sat in Parliament until 2006. She served as the Fairness Commissioner for the Government of Ontario advocating for Canadians with foreign credentials from 2007 to 2015.

Donations can be made to ‘Help Save the Jean Augustine Centre’ at gofundme.com to help keep the Centre open to provide the essential services for girls and young women during COVID-19. So far almost $2,000 of a $100,000 goal has been raised.