About Us
The Children’s Foundation (TCF) has been helping children and youth in Hastings County since 1991 and in 2015 expanded to include Northumberland and Prince Edward Counties.
The Children’s Foundation is an independent organization governed by its own Board of Directors and is the charitable arm of Highland Shores Children’s Aid (HSCA). TCF also supports families who have no affiliation to HSCA with funding and access to resources in their local communities.
Our Mission
The Children’s Foundation provides and funds programs aimed at ensuring all children and youth in Hastings, Northumberland, and Prince Edward Counties have social and physical opportunities to explore, learn, play, and thrive.
Our Vision
No child or youth will do without positive experiences and equal opportunities to help them realize their potential.
Meet the Team
Board of Directors
Mike Callaghan
Past-Chair
Retired, Chief, Belleville Police Services
Jack Miller
1st Vice-Chair
Sports Director, Quinte Broadcasting Ltd., Mix 97, Rock 107, 800 CJBQ, QuinteNews.com
Sheri Meeks
Director
Acting Deputy Chief
Belleville Police Service
Jess Uddenburg
Ex-Officio
Executive Director, Highland Shores Children's Aid
Sarah Rozema-Seaton
2nd Vice-Chair
Founder and CEO of Big Red Bow Digital Marketing
Liz Lehtinen
Director
Occasional Teacher, Hastings Prince Edward District School Board
Cynthya Schmidt
Treasurer
Owner/Operator, McDonald's Quinte West, Brighton, & Campbellford
Suzanne Hunt
Director
Partner, Templeman Menninga LLP
Allyson Williams
Director
Chief Operations Officer, Williams Hotel
Cassandra Bonn
Chair
Account Executive, Quinte Broadcasting Ltd - Mix 97, Rock 107, 800 CJBQ, Quintenews.com
Rick Phillips
Director
Reeve of Tyendinaga Township and Warden of Hastings County
Leslie Pallant
Director
Clinic Manager
Alyssa Parks
Secretary
Shopify Coordinator
TCF Staff
Executive Director
Melanie Cressman
Melanie has over 20 years of experience as a small business owner providing programming to children and at-risk youth in North Hastings. No stranger to the non-profit sector, she worked with United Way Hastings & Prince Edward for over 5 years in the role of Director of Strategic Operations as well as Director of Donor Relations. She has extensive experience in leadership, strategic development, communications as well as a proven track record of leading successful fundraising initiatives.
Donor Relations & Events Specialist
Zoey Jouwstra
Zoey is a seasoned, energetic, and resourceful event professional with expertise in event promotion, marketing, and donor relationship management. With a proven track record organizing successful fundraising events, Zoey is committed to building a strong community together with The Children’s Foundation.
Program & Outreach Coordinator
Donna Wood
Donna is a Records and Information Management specialist, and she also holds a diploma in Web Design and Development. She is a dedicated professional with a passion for organizing and streamlining information systems.
In addition to her professional pursuits, Donna is committed to making a difference in her community and is excited to be part of the team at The Children’s Foundation. In her free time, she enjoys spending quality time with her spouse and exploring all that Hastings County has to offer.
Finance Coordinator
Stephanie Olesen
Stephanie is excited to be part of The Children’s Foundation team. Stephanie is a soon to be graduate of the Business Accounting program at Loyalist College, and has previously completed the Social Service Worker program (with some courses in Child and Youth Work). Stephanie has always been passionate about serving her community and being part of the TCF team combines her passions in one place!
Partnerships & Engagement Coordinator
Farhat Zafar
Farhat moved to Toronto with her parents at the age of 12 from Bangladesh. Moving to Stirling from Toronto in August, 2017 felt like a bigger change than immigrating to Canada. Farhat is an animal lover, with four dogs and four cats.
Farhat studied Business and Finance, and has spent most of her career in that industry. She is new to the not-for-profit sector, but knows her experience in customer service will be an asset for The Children's Foundation and is looking forward to this journey of helping others.
Grant Writer & Event Support
Dreya Richardson
Dreya is a recent university graduate with degree in social work and a minor in Sports Management. Dreya is supporting TCF's grant-writing initiatives to ensure that funding is available for children and youth to have equitable access to sports, camps, mental health supports, and more. Her first-hand experience supporting children involved in child welfare as well as her passion for helping kids succeed makes her an excellent fit for the TCF team.