‘New journey’ will see Cornerstone separate fundraising and social care functions
Leading social care provider, Cornerstone, has announced the launch of a new Charitable Foundation to separate its fundraising and social care functions; a vision set out by the organisation’s new business model launched earlier this year.
Cornerstone has taken inspiration from international counterparts by separating its donor funded charitable activities from work carried out on behalf of local government and Health and Social Care Partnerships.
Their new strategic plan, titled Local Cornerstone, aims to help the organisation overcome the well-documented challenges in the social care sector.
Lisa Duthie, Leader of The Cornerstone Foundation, said: “As we embark on this new journey as an organisation, we felt it was vital to change our approach to fundraising in order to increase charitable income and in turn take a long term view at how we can have a more positive impact on the lives of people we support.
“To do this, we carried out extensive research, looking at our charitable messaging, offering and capability, and this has resulted in the creation of The Cornerstone Foundation as a separate fundraising body, working hand-in-hand with Cornerstone’s care-providing activities.
“An integral part of this change is the desire to continue building long-lasting relationships with supporters and focussing on telling compelling stories to engage and inspire people to donate. To do this we aim to ensure the stories of how Cornerstone makes a difference to the lives of the people we support are told passionately, and frequently, by our team.”
The Cornerstone Foundation aims to achieve the ambitious goal of doubling annual philanthropic income to more than £2million per year and to achieve this, will focus on four key funding themes;
- People and their Families – supporting the whole family of someone with a disability and being there when we are needed to offer practical and emotional support
- Connections – connecting people with others, extending their circle of friends, connecting them to their community, to local activities and help with accessing education and employment opportunities
- Quality of Life – enabling the people we support to enjoy a valued life. Providing the time, equipment and resources required to do the everyday things that may become challenging for people with a disability
- Home is Where the Heart Is – creating a home that is safe, comfortable and adapted to suit the needs of the individual now and into the future.
Edel Harris, Chief Executive of Cornerstone, said: “As an organisation, we are immensely proud of the care we provide and the tangible difference it makes to the lives of the people we support. While we will continue to concentrate our efforts on working with Health and Social Care Partnerships to deliver great care in the communities which we serve it is no secret that social care budgets are constantly being tightened and in order to meet our charitable purpose of helping the people we support to live a valued life – the life they choose, we rely more and more on generous donations from our loyal supporters.
“The establishment of the Cornerstone Foundation will help us give clarity to potential donors about why they should support Cornerstone by demonstrating the immediate difference they can make to someone’s life in their local community and I hope that groups, individuals and businesses across Scotland are encouraged to continue to support us and the valuable work we do.”
Since 1980, Cornerstone has grown to support more than 2,200 people each year, delivering services within 18 local authority areas across Scotland.
Pictured (L-R) Edel Harris, CEO of Cornerstone, comedian Francesca Martinez and Lisa Duthie, Leader of The Cornerstone Foundation at Cornerstone’s Annual Fundraising Dinner in Aberdeen.
