(Ottawa, ON) June 9, 2025 – The Legacy of Hope Foundation (LHF) is honoured to receive funding from Indigenous Services Canada’s (ISC) Family Violence Prevention Program (FVPP) for our project, Sacred Connections and Healing Hearts. This initiative takes LHF across the country to collaborate with Indigenous communities in developing a comprehensive, culturally grounded approach to family violence prevention—both at the provincial and national levels. Through a series of workshops, we promote healing and well-being using holistic methods that incorporate traditional ceremonies and practices to help address the impacts of family violence and the disconnection of many experiences from their Nation, culture, and teachings.

The project uses cultural practices, well-being teachings, and financial literacy workshops to play a vital role in fostering healthy relationships by encouraging individuals to first care for themselves—mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically. By reconnecting with traditional knowledge and teachings, these workshops help Indigenous Peoples return to ancestral roles and values where relationships are sacred, women are deeply respected, and the home is a place of peace, safety, and love. When individuals are empowered through healing practices and financial independence, they are better equipped to nurture strong, respectful connections with others, creating a foundation for healthier families and communities rooted in cultural pride and mutual support.

“We are excited and encouraged to receive support from ISC for this important work,” said Teresa Edwards, Executive Director and In-House Legal Counsel of LHF. “This project supports healthy relationships and violence prevention by addressing the lasting effects of Residential and Day Schools and the Child Welfare System—key steps in advancing Reconciliation in Canada.”

“As Indigenous Peoples, we carry the weight of a colonial history that has disrupted our families and communities, including through the profound harms of Residential and Day Schools. With our support for the Sacred Connections and Healing Hearts Initiative, we are investing in a path of healing that is rooted in our traditions and teachings. This vital work will empower Indigenous women and families to reclaim their strength, rebuild sacred relationships, and break the cycles of violence by returning to our ancestral values of respect, love, and community,” stated the Honourable Mandy Gull-Masty, Minister of Indigenous Services.

The LHF is a national, Indigenous-led, charitable organization that has been working to promote healing and Reconciliation in Canada for 25 years. The LHF’s goal is to educate Canadians about the history and impacts on seven generations of Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) Peoples, Nations and communities because of their time in Residential and/or Day School. By cultivating empathy and understanding, LHF encourages people to address discrimination and injustice which contributes to the equity, dignity, and respectful treatment of Indigenous Peoples, fostering Reconciliation in Canada.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Teresa Edwards, B.A., LL.B / J.D.
Executive Director and In-House Legal Counsel
Legacy of Hope Foundation
tedwards@legacyofhope.ca