HELP OUR STUDENTS (HOST) PROGRAM

BY-LAWS

Article 1 – Definitions

1.1 Definitions

1.1.1 AGM means Annual General Meeting.

1.1.2 Board means the Board of Directors of this Organization.

1.1.3 Director means any person elected or appointed to the Board. This includes the President.

1.1.4 HOST Program means the Help Our Students Program.

1.1.5 Member means a Member of the Organization.

1.1.6 Participating school means a youth high school that has agreed to participate in the activities of the Organization.

1.1.7 Recipient means a student selected by the Organization to receive financial support.

1.1.8 School Contact means the person appointed by the Principal of a Participating School to act as its liaison with the HOST Pprogram.

1.2 Interpretations

The following rules of interpretation must be applied in interpreting these By-Laws.

1.2.1 Singular and Plural: words indicating the singular number also include the plural, and vice-versa.

1.2.2 Masculine and Feminine: words indicating the masculine also include the feminine, and vice-versa.

Article 2 – Selection of Recipients

2.1 Selection criteria

2.1.1 Students who meet the following criteria are eligible to receive a HOST Program award:

a. The student must have completed the first year of high school and demonstrated a high degree of commitment to school, a strong work ethic and dedication towards his academic program.

b. The student must be in a difficult financial situation where financial assistance will have a significant impact on his quality of life.

2.1.2 HOST Program awards are intended to reward effort, not academic achievement.

2.1.3 A student who ceases to attend school becomes ineligible to receive any further financial support.

2.2 Selection process

2.2.1 Prior to the opening of the school year, the President communicates with each Participating School to confirm the number of students who will be provided financial support from the HOST Program for the next academic year. If a participating school has a returning student who was in receipt of financial support the previous year, the student is eligible to continue receiving it provided that the school confirms via email that the student still meets the selection criteria.

2.2.2 When a participating school has been informed that one or more new students will receive financial support, the school conducts the appropriate search for qualified candidates. Schools are expected to identify one male and one female candidate for each new award. This requirement ensures that both genders are well represented in the total number of recipients.

2.2.3 The School Contact and the President review the proposed candidates and, unless a specific gender selection is requiredpreferred, the student deemed most deserving by the school shall be selected.

2.3 Number of awards

2.3.1 Each year, the Board decides the number and amount of awards to be given for the next academic year.

2.3.2 Provided that there are sufficient funds, students already in receipt of an award will continue to receive financial support until they graduate provided that they continue to meet the criteria.

2.3.3 The Board considers the following factors in determining the number of awards to be given:

a. the amount of funds on hand;

b. projections for future donations;

c. the distribution of donations earmarked for a specific school and unrestricted;

d. current commitments (students currently in the Program until they graduate).

2.4 Emergency awards

2.4.1 At the request of a Participating School, the Board may approve an emergency, one-time payment to a student in financial need.

2.4.2 Students currently receiving an award are not eligible to receive an emergency award.

2.5 Use of awards

There are no restrictions or limitations imposed on a recipient on the use of his award.

2.6 Confidentiality

The identity of HOST Program award recipients, either by name or by describing the recipient’s circumstances, is not divulged to any person except to a school official or a member of the Board as required. There is no confidentiality restriction imposed on the recipient.

Article 3 – Participating Schools

3.1 Any youth high school within the City of Ottawa may be invited to participate in the HOST Program.

3.2 A school that wishes to become a Participating School signs a Memorandum of Agreement that sets out the respective rights and responsibilities of the HOST Program and the Participating School.

3.3 Right of inspection

The Principal of any Participating School may inspect the books or records of the HOST Program upon giving reasonable notice to the President or the Secretary of his intention to do so. Any costs associated with the inspection are borne by the Participating School.

Article 4 – Recipients’ Responsibilities

4.1 Each recipient is required to submit a letter to the President twice each year – on or after November 25 and on or after May 25 - describing how the HOST Program award support has impacted his life.

4.2 To encourage the timely delivery of the letters, the December and subsequent bank transfers are made once the first letter has been received and the June bank transfer is made after the second letter has been received. The President may waive this condition.

4.3 Letters can be given to the School Contact or emailed to the President.

Article 5 – Parent Councils

5.1 Each Participating School arranges for the President to make a presentation to its Parent Council to request that they provide financial support to the HOST Program in their school.

5.2 Financial support from a Parent Council is not a prerequisite for selecting a student for a HOST Program award. A substantial donation by a Parent Council will influence the decision to add an additional student.

Article 6 – Reporting

6.1 Each donor receives a Report to Donors three times per year - in October, at the end of December and at the end of June. Each report provides an update on the activities of the HOST Program and a current financial statement (Balance Sheet and Statement of Revenue and Expenses).

6.2 The December and June reports include excerpts from the recipients’ letters.

6.3 The HOST Program’s letterhead includes a list of the Participating Schools and Donors except that individuals are not named unless they have agreed to be listed.

Article 7 – Finances and Administration

7.1 Banking

7.1.1 The HOST Program banks with the Royal Bank of Canada. It operates two accounts: a Community business account and a savings account.

7.1.2 The Board may designate another Canadian chartered bank to conduct its banking.

7.1.3 The Board may add, change or delete an account.

7.1.4 Any two Officers of the Board sign cheques drawn on the business account.

7.1.5 The President makes electronic transfers to recipients and between the two bank accounts.

7.2 Investments

The Board may authorize the President to purchase Guaranteed Investment Certificates (GIC).

7.3 Payment of Awards

7.3.1 Recipients are required to have a bank account with the HOST Program bank and to inform the President of the details of the account: transit number and account number.

7.3.2 The financial support usually consists of ten (10) monthly payments of one hundred dollars ($100) to the recipient, beginning in September of the school year. At the discretion of the President based on circumstances surrounding the recipient, a different payment arrangement may be made.

7.3.3 Subject to the conditions set out in Article 4, the President will arrange for the electronic transfer of monies to the recipient to be made within two (2) days of the beginning of each month.

7.3.4 The first transfer to a recipient will be made retroactive to September 1 of the applicable year.

7.3.5 Electronic transfers to a returning recipient are made once a confirmation email from the School Contact is received by the President, confirming that the recipient continues to meet the criteria to receive an award.

7.4 Recording revenue

7.4.1 All donations will be recorded as “Unrestricted” except:

a. All or a portion of the donation made by a Board member may be designated as “Restricted for Administration”;

b. A Donor who makes a donation of one hundred dollars ($100) or more is deemed to have paid his Membership fee;

c. A Donor may designate his donation as “Restricted for” one or more Participating Schools.

Article 8 – Succession Plan

8.1 At the first AGM following the death or resignation of the Founding President, the Members shall elect a President for a term of five (5) years.

8.2 Upon the death or resignation of the Founding President, the Vice-President shall become Acting President until the next AGM. The Board of Directors shall appoint one of the Directors to act as Acting Vice-President until the next AGM.

Article 9 - Amending the By-Laws

9.1 These By-Laws may be cancelled, altered or added to by a resolution at any meeting of the Board of Directors.