HED: Emergency Support Fund for Canadian Journalists underscores the duty of care we owe to each other

TORONTO, Dec. 22, 2023 /CNW/ - The Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) is launching a groundbreaking new pilot project that will help provide invaluable short-term financial support to its member journalists during times of crisis.

The Emergency Support Fund for Canadian Journalists will provide eligible members of the CAJ with microgrants to cover short-term expenses related either to threats and crises caused by one's work as a journalist or as a means to support wellness and/or other care-based needs. The emergency fund has been made possible with a generous donation from the Inspirit Foundation.

"The responsibility of covering the cacophony of conflict in all corners of our world is taking a toll on the physical, emotional and existential well-being of so many journalists in Canada right now," said Brent Jolly, president of the CAJ.

"The prevailing sense of insecurity, the exasperation and burnout being felt in many corners of our industry right now is a reality we cannot ignore," Jolly said. 

Examples of immediate needs include:

• Grants for psychological and medical expenses from physical or emotional injury,
• Preliminary costs of work-related legal support or litigation
• Digital security services
• Efforts designed to facilitate peer support
• Any other emergency situations stemming from member journalists trying to do their jobs (security or emergency lodging).

Applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis, prioritizing those from marginalized communities and/or limited financial means.

"Whether it's the rise in Islamophobia, anti-semitism, or any other forms of racism designed to silence journalists from reporting that strives to speak truth to power, it is our hope that this emergency fund will serve as a lifeline of support to our colleagues in a time of unquestionable need," Jolly said.

Details on how to apply for support can be found on the CAJ's website.

The Canadian Association of Journalists is the country's largest professional organization that serves to advance the interests of journalists from coast to coast to coast. The CAJ's primary roles are public-interest advocacy work and professional development for its members.

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SOURCE Canadian Association of Journalists