A family legacy dating back to 150 years fuels a donation that will sustain the Second Chance Cafe in Saanich for years to come.
Growing up in the Cridge family comes with stories of community works dating as far back as great, great, great grandfather Bishop Edward Cridge whose work alongside wife Mary led to the creation of the BC Protestant Orphans Home in Victoria in 1873.
The orphanage shifted focus by 1970 and became The Bishop Cridge Centre for the Family, altered in 1980 to what it’s called today, The Cridge Centre for the Family. It developed from an institution that cared for children without families, to one supporting families.
For pharmacist Jason Cridge it's more than a history lesson, but a standard set by family in caring for community, one his father Mike continues as a three-decade member of the Cridge Centre board.
A longtime supporter of the brain injury program, Jason’s latest nod to that tradition is a $100,000 donation to Cridge brain injury programs, specifically earmarked for the Second Chance Cafe at Saanich's Cedar Hill Rec Centre where brain injury survivors from across Greater Victoria take on all of the staffing roles.
“Growing up it’s part of the family story. This is one way I can help in particular,” he said. “It’s one of the values of Cridge Pharmacy, that we give back to the community.”
It’s there, through his work, Jason regularly sees brain injury survivors. He’s also attended previous Survive, Strive, Thrive Conferences (Oct. 5 at the University of Victoria) that connect survivors, caregivers, professionals and more. He’s heard stories of survivors and knows “it could happen to anyone.”
Statistics show survivors of brain injury are more likely to experience homelessness, poverty and addiction, so programs providing job training, employment, and fulfillment are crucial. Cridge sees those attributes credited in the continuum of care developed by the Cridge Centre for the Family, specifically for brain injury survivors, including the cafe. A partnership between the District of Saanich and the Cridge Centre, the cafe is staffed by survivors, led by Geoff Sing, manager of brain injury programs for the Cridge.
“I’ve got a lot of faith in Geoff knowing the next best steps for people,” Jason said. CCFF figures it will sustain the cafe for a number of years, where the focus is on education and employment.
While there’s an eye to the bottom line for sure, Sing says, the funding allows freedom to highlight more critical pieces. It equates to greater opportunities for survivors and by proxy broader education for the public.
“It gives us stability. It allows us to grow our program with more creativity,” Sing said. “When people see Jason Cridge say ‘I believe’, the greater community believes.”
