Renfrew County Child Poverty Action Network makes difference in tough times   Toronto, December 3 – The Renfrew County Child Poverty Action Network (CPAN) is the 2009 recipient of the Ruth Atkinson Hindmarsh Award.  The $50,000 award by the Atkinson Charitable Foundation honours CPAN for their outstanding contributions to improving the wellbeing of children. “CPAN’s determination and resourcefulness in tackling child poverty in Renfrew County is remarkable and inspiring.  We applaud their ability to advocate for improved economic and social conditions while at the same time providing tangible, practical assistance to low income families during very difficult times,” said Nancy Hindmarsh, chair of the selection Committee and a Trustee of the Atkinson Charitable Foundation. CPAN is a grassroots network dedicated to the elimination of child poverty and minimizing the effect that poverty has on children living in Renfrew County.  Members from a wide range of social, economic, and geographic areas work together to provide practical assistance, advocate for stronger supports, and raise public education about poverty.  “Renfrew County Child Poverty Action Network (CPAN) is honoured to receive the Ruth Atkinson Hindmarsh Award.  There are so many worthy recipients many in extra need especially in these tough times.  We look forward to working alongside the Foundation in advocating for a better life for children and families that live in poverty,” said Lynn Smith, coordinator of CPAN. CPAN has been acknowledged for by all levels of government for their work in rallying all social sectors for a vision of an inclusive society.  CPAN leads initiatives such as Backpack Plus program, Operation Snowsuit and their Rural Inclusion and School Inclusion programs.  They have also encouraged and assisted numerous individuals and groups in eastern Ontario to adopt similar initiatives in their local communities.   CPAN has been cited by the Government of Ontario as an essential voice in encouraging the achievement of a provincial Poverty Reduction Strategy. The Ruth Atkinson Hindmarsh Award is presented annually in memory of Ruth Atkinson Hindmarsh president of the Atkinson Charitable Foundation until her death in 1994. Established in 1998 to improve the lives of disadvantaged children, the award is the largest of its kind in Canada. TORONTO STAR COVERAGE Charity honoured for helping needy kids December 04, 2009 - Laurie Monsebraaten Lyn Smith describes herself as the "chief cook and bottle washer" for the Renfrew County Child Poverty Action Network. She is certainly that – but so much more. Since the energetic and outspoken single mom of two teenagers took the reins of the fledgling Pembroke-based operation in 2006, Smith has "worked magic" to prevent her neighbours from falling through the cracks, community leaders say. In the rural Ottawa Valley area, where child poverty hovers at 26 per cent, Smith oversees a used snowsuit and winter clothing drive fuelled entirely by volunteers that provides coats, boots, hats and mitts to almost 300 children and teenagers. And this year, Smith is heading a pilot program in three county schools to cover extracurricular expenses and activities for needy kids, at a cost of about $216 per student. The network's "outstanding" contribution to improving the wellbeing of children in Renfrew County was recognized by the Atkinson Charitable Foundation yesterday with the 2009 Ruth Atkinson Hindmarsh Award. The award, which comes with $50,000, is the largest of its kind in Canada. It was established in 1989 to improve the lives of disadvantaged children and named for Hindmarsh, a former foundation president and daughter of legendary Toronto Star publisher Joseph E. Atkinson, who ran the newspaper for almost 50 years until his death in 1948. He founded the Atkinson Charitable Foundation in 1942 to promote social and economic justice. The network's "determination and resourcefulness in tackling child poverty in Renfrew County is remarkable and inspiring," said Hindmarsh's granddaughter Nancy Hindmarsh, chair of the selection committee and a foundation trustee. "We applaud their ability to advocate for improved economic and social conditions while at the same time providing tangible, practical assistance to low income families during very difficult times," she said at the award ceremony in Pembroke yesterday. For Smith, who has grown the network from 30 members to more than 250, it's all about bringing as many hands to the table as possible to help children. "We fly by the seat of our pants and trust in the universe to do right by us" said Smith, 53. The Atkinson award money will help the network introduce new programs such as children's guitar lessons and help her get the word out to other communities that may want to set up their own networks, she said.