Social Venture Partners selects Eva's Phoenix as first investee

"New wave" of philanthropists launches effort to reduce poverty in Toronto

TORONTO, June 2, 2008 – Social Venture Partners Toronto, an affiliate of Social Venture Partners International, announced today that it will grant Eva's Phoenix Print Shop $75,000 over three years. The print shop is an innovative social enterprise that offers homeless and at-risk youth a practical way to secure work in the commercial printing field.

Eva’s Phoenix was selected from a group of four not-for-profit organizations that made presentations to the partners of SVP Toronto on May 14. The ongoing grant is subject to certain milestones, and funding will be targeted to capacity-building initiatives that enable Eva's to grow and strengthen its operations. The partners of SVP Toronto will also work closely with Eva's in providing skilled volunteers to support the print shop with its sales and marketing initiatives and overall business strategy.

“In selecting our first investee, SVP’s aim was to help build the capacity of an organization that’s helping lift people out of poverty in an innovative, sustainable way,” said Kathryn Wortsman, the founding chair of Social Venture Partners Toronto. “Eva’s Phoenix made a compelling presentation showing how SVP Toronto could help them make a difference.”

The print shop empowers youth to secure work and stable housing, as well as the life skills required to sustain these gains. Eva's believes that rather than focusing on youth problems and vulnerabilities, more progress is made by nurturing their strengths, resources and the ability to recover from adversity.

Eva's Phoenix Print Shop has already connected more than 100 youth with career building opportunities in the vibrant graphic communications sector. Over 80% of youth who complete the program connect with full-time work, and many return to school through a special scholarship fund. Eva's is particularly proud of its commitment to long-term follow-up, which helps youth graduates achieve self-sufficiency.

Eva's Phoenix Print Shop is a social enterprise of Eva's Initiatives. A social enterprise is a business operated by a not for profit organization, with the dual purpose of generating income by selling a product or service in the marketplace and creating social, environmental or cultural value.

About Social Venture Partners Toronto (www.svptoronto.org)
Social Venture Partners Toronto is a diverse network of professionals who are pioneering a new model of giving -- venture philanthropy. The group’s aim is to bring its collective expertise and resources to innovative nonprofits in Toronto, collaborating with them to strengthen their organizations and expand their capacity to transform local communities. SVP Toronto is a chapter of Social Venture Partners International. SVP Toronto’s first investee is Eva’s Phoenix Print Shop (http://phoenixprintshop.ca/).

For more information:

Daniel Tisch, SVP Leadership Committee
(416) 968-7311, ext 223
dtisch@argylecommunications.com

Andrew Macdonald, Eva’s Phoenix Print Shop
(416) 364-4716, ext 262
andrewmac@evas.ca