Badge of Hope Foundation Invests $450,000 to Strengthen Supports for Survivors in Waterloo Region

We are honoured to share that the Badge of Hope foundation, founded by Magnet Forensics’ co-founder Jad Saliba, has committed $450,000 over the next three years to support survivors of sexual violence and human trafficking in Waterloo Region. 

This gift of $150,000 annually is unrestricted, which means we can be flexible and respond directly to the needs we see on the ground. It will help us continue to reduce wait times for counselling and advocacy, sustain safe shelter options for survivors of trafficking, and expand prevention education in schools and communities. 

One of our biggest challenges has been the growing demand for counselling and advocacy. At the height of the pandemic, more than 350 survivors in our community were waiting for support, with some facing delays of up to a year or longer. For survivors of sexual violence, waiting can mean reliving trauma alone, struggling with mental health challenges, or being unable to fully participate in school, work, or family life. Investments like this one from the Badge of Hope foundation are critical because they allow us to add counselling capacity and bring wait times down. Today our waitlist is closer to 50, and with continued support, we are working toward our long-term goal of ensuring every survivor can access help when they need it most. 

In addition, the need for anti-human trafficking supports and prevention in our region is urgent. Waterloo Region has the third highest rate of human trafficking in Canada. In the past year alone, we supported over 145 survivors of trafficking, including 55 youth under the age of 18. At the same time, requests for prevention workshops far outweighed what we had resources to provide.  

“This gift is about more than dollars. It is about hope, safety, and the chance to heal,” said Sara Casselman, Executive Director. “Because the funds are unrestricted, we can put them to work where survivors need them most. Survivors in our community cannot afford to wait months or years for counselling, nor should they have to face systemic barriers alone. Every survivor deserves timely, compassionate support and the opportunity to rebuild their lives. A gift of this scale allows us to lead boldly, invest in the future, and continue pushing for the systemic changes needed to end sexual violence. We are deeply grateful to Jad Saliba and the Badge of Hope foundation for standing with survivors and helping us address one of the most urgent issues facing our community.”
 
Founded in 2022, the Badge of Hope foundation directs resources to organizations that provide safety, healing, and hope to people facing trauma and adversity. 

“We are proud to partner with SASC,” said Jad Saliba, Founder of Badge of Hope foundation. “When you look at the data, Waterloo Region has one of the highest rates of trafficking in Canada, and the demand for counselling and prevention education continues to grow. We cannot ignore those realities. Supporting SASC means survivors can find safety today and also access the tools to build stronger futures. We believe in the power of prevention and education, and we believe that when community members and organizations step up together, real change is possible.” 

Since 1989, SASC has supported survivors of sexual violence in Waterloo Region. We provide individual and group counselling, advocacy, accompaniments, a 24-hour support line, practical supports, prevention education, legal information, and specialized anti-human trafficking programming.