We Hosted Our Most Successful FIG Fund Fete to date!

Our most recent FIG Fund Fete was hosted at Quidi Vidi Brewery May 7th 2023 and was the most successful fundraising event we have held to date! Thank you to everyone that showed their support and raised funds for the women & girls in our province, it was a beautiful day, with lots of smiles, celebration and sun.
We are incredibly grateful and humbled by the enthusiasm our peers continue to show in support of our mission to help women & girls in need, throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.
 It was especially heartwarming to hear from a couple of our grant recipients:
✨Laura Winters, the CEO of Stella’s Circle, spoke passionately about the value of their FIG Fund grant, emphasizing how the Naomi’s Centre Shelter program gives women access to therapy and movement with a focus on trauma-informed practice that can help them move past their barriers.
✨Jenn Dionn spoke enthusiastically about PerSIStence Theatre and the use of their grant towards the production “Stolen Sisters”. The production is the first Indigenous written, performed, content show, and story to be told in the province.
✨Lucille Brennen, the Guest Empowerment Coordinator at the Gathering Place, highlighted the heartwarming impact The Gathering Place’s 2021 grant had on their program “My Sister’s Kitchen”.
“It assisted The Gathering Place in building a community and support system for some of the most vulnerable in our community. We developed relationships and a safe space where women could gather and share on a level that is not possible in the day-to-day operations of The Gathering Place.”
We want to say a sincere thank you to everyone who contributed to the success of the 2023 Fête. To those who attended, purchased tickets for family and friends, sent donations and wished us well from afar.
A special thank you to our Fundraising Committee & their chair Sherri Miller for all your hard work in organizing such a successful event , Quidi Vidi Brewery for hosting, Figs & Fromage for the delicious charcuterie, to our treasurer, Jessie Cooper, for the beautiful photos and Deb Noseworthy, Andy Miller, John McNicholas, Phil Mills and Nicholas Dobbin for donating their beautiful artwork and homemade items for the raffle.
Thank You!

 

Previous Fundraising Events

At the 2022 Fête, The FIG Fund celebrated its 10th Anniversary and Charitable Status by announcing an additional $10,000 to be awarded in grants for 2022, directly supporting Women & Girls in need throughout Newfoundland & Labrador.

 On Sunday May 1st 2022, The FIG Fund kicked-off its 10th Anniversary celebrations at Quidi Vidi Brewery and announced its recently granted Charitable Status, marking a huge step forward for the locally grown fund which aims to support Women & Girls throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

 

“We are so excited to share that after a thorough application process, The FIG Fund has just been accepted as a registered charity under CRA.” – Kate McNicholas, current Chair of The FIG Fund Board. 

The mission of the fund is to provide financial and non-financial support to women who are facing challenges moving forward in life or who must overcome significant obstacles to achieve their education, career, or life goals. The FIG Fund was created in 2012 by well-known community leader, Adele Poynter, through her desire to make a difference to the lives of women in Newfoundland and Labrador. The FIG Fund name represents the initials of three women who inspired Adele and set an example of how to support and encourage the women around them.

Adele passed away in 2016, leaving the fund in the hands of her daughter, Kate McNicholas and her trusted board of colleagues, family and friends.The FIG Fund Fête is an annual fundraiser held close to Mother’s Day, a wonderful time to remember, celebrate and connect with the many strong women who have shaped our lives.  Kate is the current chair of The FIG Fund, and spoke to their friends and supporters at the event. 

“I really want to thank our board, made up of 11 female volunteers, who through hard work and dedication grew the FIG Fund to a place where we could become our own registered charity. To celebrate this milestone we are adding an additional $10,000 to our granting total this year so this achievement can really be felt in the community.” – Kate McNicholas.

This year’s Fête was once again in person and featured charcuterie from Figs and Fromage, presentations from grant recipients and a silent auction.

Representatives of Big Sisters Big Brothers NL spoke passionately about the value of their FIG Fund grant, emphasising how it deeply affected the lives of young girls who worked under the guidance of mentors to improve their self esteem and general outlook on life.

A grant of $3,000 was presented to the Gathering Place for “My Sister’s Kitchen”, an evening cooking class for its female clients.  The women will decide on the menu, make the grocery list, determine amounts, prepare the food and pack containers to take food home.  The program will develop resilience for those experiencing food insecurity, improve social skills, provide nutritious food and build confidence and enjoyment in cooking.    

May 24 Charcuterie Picnic Boxes 2021

In the spring of 2021 we partnered with the wonderful team at Figs & Fromage NL a new sister led business here in St. John’s. Together, we offered gourmet charcuterie boxes, just in time to enjoy over the May 24 weekend!

We sold all 100 boxes in just 5 days! We are so grateful that our FIG Fund Family continues to inspire us with their support.

 

Girls’ Night Out Basket 2020

Due to restrictions surrounding COVID-19 the Fête has been postponed for two years and so we have become more creative with our fundraising initiatives!

In December 2020 we sold tickets on a girls’ night out gift basket valued over $1000 and featuring:

✨ Hair Factory & Arbonne Canada Pamper Package
✨ Moët & Chandon Champagne With Royal Doulton Glasses
✨ Chef’s Dinner At Terre Restaurant For Two
✨ Taxi Vouchers

 

We raised an incredible $4,000 for programs that will directly help women in our communities.

Previous Fêtes 2014 -2019

The Fête is a joyous occasion with afternoon tea, talks from previous grant recipients, musical performances and locally crafted auction items.

For many years The FIG Fête was held at the Murray Premises which had been generously provided by Murray Premises owner, Bill Mahoney. In 2019 we changed our venue to the Quidi Vidi Brewery Taproom to accommodate a growing crowd.

In 2019, the space was graciously donated by Quidi Vidi to host the annual The FIG Fête. The event’s success was also made possible with delicious food donated by Mallard Cottage and entertainment by Lisa Moore and Melanie O’Brien.

With the help of these local volunteers and businesses, along with the wonderful and diverse crowd that supports the event every year, The FIG Fund has continued to grow since 2012.

We thank the community of women who attend the event, the generous contributions from donors and the incredible hard work by our fundraising committee ,  all of who help to make The Fête a huge success every year.

Donate Now

Donations to The FIG Fund can be made year-round and will be given a charitable receipt through the CFNL, please contact thefigfund@gmail.com for more information. Thank you for your support!