Sandy Vander Ziel Keynote Speaker: Children’s Hospital Aid Society

Outside of work, you’ll see many of DBB’s lawyers volunteering for issues they care about. Sandy Vander Ziel, family lawyer with DBB, is no exception. Sandy carries her passion for protecting families by serving as the Board Chair of Sonshine Community Services, a second-stage transitional shelter for women and children fleeing domestic violence.

Sandy was recently featured as the keynote speaker at the Children’s Hospital Aid Society Holiday Luncheon held at the BMO Centre Palomino Room at Stampede Park. Proceeds from the luncheon went to Sonshine Community Services to open a new Children’s Centre.

The Children’s Centre, which will open in early 2015, will help children who have been exposed to domestic violence through therapeutic interventions to lessen the long-term effect of trauma. It is an integrated program that provides up to 40 spaces for young children living at Sonshine Centre and children referred from the greater community.

“This centre will be the first-of-its-kind in North America,”says Vander Ziel. “Our focus is to prevent the cycle of violence from continuing by intervening early on in a child’s development, so they can grow into healthy, positive youth and adults. This is a very exciting initiative.”

The number one indicator that a person will grow up to be a perpetrator or victim of domestic violence is that he or she witnessed it as a child.

“Our goal is that all children live in safe and healthy families in the community,” adds Vander Ziel.

DBB is proud of Sandy’s initiatives that support and strengthen families. Learn more about the Children’s Centre by clicking here>>