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History of the Committee for Relief to Polish Children

The history of the Committee traces its roots to November 1953, when a group of Polish women activists, in response to an appeal from the Union of Polish Women in Great Britain, took the initiative to help Polish children who were in dire straits after the war. Zofia Romer, together with Zofia Babinska, Irena Petrusewicz, Aniela Agopsowicz and Krystyna Idziak, founded the Committee For Relief To Polish Children in Montreal. Initially, the founders of the Committee, relying on their own funds, supported Polish children located in Germany - sending regular food parcels or helping Polish families adopt orphans. Gradually, income-generating activities were enriched with the organization of fairs, bridge tournaments, fashion revues, picnics, and social gatherings, which boosted the Committee's coffers and allowed for more coordinated assistance.

Objectives of the Committee for Relief to Polish Children

1. Assisting Polish children in Canada and abroad by :

assisting childcare and educational institutions in Poland;
assisting Polish youth organizations in Quebec;
providing scholarships to equalize educational opportunities for Polish youth from the Lisowski-Smykowski Fund until it is exhausted.

2. Asistance to Polish non-profit institutions for the chronically ill and disabled.

Lisowski-Smykowski Fund

The founder of this Fund was Ms. Marianna Lisowska. This Fund was established in 2015 in order to equalize educational opportunities for Polish children and young people in difficult financial conditions. The Fund gave rise to the Scholarship Program, which aims to:

financial assistance to study at the college or university levels for people of Polish descent in the province of Quebec;
financial assistance in acquiring a profession to wards of Children's Homes in Poland preparing for independence;
financial assistance in learning at the junior high school or university levels, to young people living in villages and small towns in Poland.

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Bord of Directors of the Committee For Relief To Polish Children

Kiti Rudnicka - president
Krystyna Dreger - vice president and event manager
Maryla Niedzwiecka - treasurer
Zdzislawa Chrzan - secretary
Ewa Maciasz - delegate of the Work Team
Barbara Rogowska - delegate of the Work Team
Mariusz Tutaj - delegate of the Work Team

On April 21-April 2022, the Board of Directors of the Committee, in recognition of her many years of social activity for the benefit of Polish children and the Montreal Polish community, granted Anna Bortnowska the status of Honorary President of the Committee.