Charities in Canada engage in fundraising activities, offer support and services to vulnerable groups, and work to address health, economic, and social issues. Some of the top charitable organizations are the Boundless School, Calgary Food Bank, Indspire, and Chalice Canada.

Calgary Food Bank

Established in 1982, this organization offers emergency food assistance to individuals and families in need. The food bank organizes a number of fundraising events such as the Calgary Corporate Challenge, Fill Your Boots, Empty Boots Benefit, and City-Wide Food Drive. It also runs several programs targeting vulnerable persons, local communities, and agencies. Programs include Hampers for the Homeless, Weekends and More, and the Welcome Home Program. Weekends and More offers food hampers to students to ensure they have access to nutritious meals. Under the Welcome Home Program, homeless families and individuals moving into a new home are offered hygiene and cleaning supplies and food staples. The food bank accepts donations in the form of volunteering, food, virtual food drives, and monetary donations. The food wish list includes cereal, rice, macaroni & cheese, chicken, ham, and other items. Hampers include grains (20 percent), perishable items (28 percent), and non-perishable items (52 percent).

Boundless School

Founded in 1984, the Boundless School first opened doors as an outdoor adventure centre and was transformed into charity in 1989. Having education as its main focus, the school offers programs for students referred by the Children’s Mental Health Agencies, Toronto Catholic School Board, and other partners. Summer Adventures is a program for youth in grades 9 – 12, helping students to master decision making, conflict resolution, and leadership skills. Activities range from paddling and hiking in the woods to team challenges and group discussions. Courses cost $2,950, and the 4-credit program – $9,500. Courses in English are also available, and credits can be counted toward university or college admission.

Chalice Canada

This is a Canadian charity that works to break the cycle of poverty through education. Chalice sponsors children regardless of religion, gender, ability, age, or race. It also offers different programs and activities such as feeding programs, children’s Christmas celebrations, and disaster relief efforts. Financial support is available for emergencies such as accidents and surgeries. The charity also offers financing for farming, construction, training, and other programs and projects and grants for small-scale projects. Grants are extended to support children’s families, children, and sites, and the funds can be used to cover programming and operational expenses as well as income.

 Critical needs funding is also available to families and individuals to help with congenital, serious, and chronic conditions. In addition, financial support is extended to communities affected by natural disasters such as tsunamis, fires, volcanic eruptions, drought, floods, and hurricanes. Finally, Chalice offers assistance for community projects in areas such as health, water, nutrition, food security, community improvements, and training and education. Capital projects that have been extended funding focus on water purification, sports facility repairs, and clean water infrastructure. Besides Canada, Chalice works in other countries, among which Cameroon, Tanzania, Peru, and Chile.

 Indspire

An indigenous charity, Indspire offers financial support toward education for Metis, Inuit, and First Nations people. It runs programs for educators and students, including Student Success and Rivers to Success, the latter aiming to ensure that students complete their education. Scholarships and bursaries are also available to indigenous students. Donations are accepted in the form of airline points, corporate matching gifts and sponsorships, financial and estate planning gifts, personal fundraising campaigns, etc. Planned gifts include charitable reminder trusts, charitable gift annuities, and gifts of securities, stocks, and residual interest.

Indspire also organizes onsite and virtual events, including live chats, webinars, and fundraising initiatives. Among the many sponsors of the charity’s initiatives are RBC Future Launch, CBC, and Birch Hill Equity Partners.

Other top Canadian charitable organizations include CanadaHelps, the Fresh Start Recovery Centre, and Youth Without Shelter.

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Founded in 1882, the Salvation Army works in 400 communities and offers social, food, and emergency disaster services. It is an evangelical Christian church that helps vulnerable people and is the biggest charity offering family and community services.

The Organization at a Glance

The charity provided assistance, clothing, and food to 1,320,000 people and served 3.3 million free meals. Members visited 103,000 persons in different facilities, including daycare centers, prisons, nursing homes, and hospitals. Some 169,000 school-age children were offered free meals through breakfast programs, and 233,000 households received toys and food hampers at Christmas time.

Values and Goals

The services offered by the Salvation Army help improve the lives of people by meeting their needs. Its core values are stewardship, dignity, service, and hope.

Social Services

The charity runs a number of service programs, including school breakfast and nutrition programs, camps, palliative and long care, rehabilitation, shelter, and hunger relief. Members help persons with addictions who are offered outpatient recovery, day treatment, and withdrawal management programs. Family services and programs are also available and focus on education, social life, personal finances, and nutrition. Food assistance is offered through community kitchens, food banks, school-based programs, gardens, and cooking classes. Vulnerable persons are welcome to join community meals, including physically disabled people, persons with addictions, underemployed and unemployed community members, and newcomers.

The charity also provides services to help improve financial health, including volunteer tax clinics, budgeting assistance, and trustee programs. Refugee and immigrant support programs are available and so are coat and boot and camp programs for children.

Services are also offered to victims of domestic abuse, including social, financial, and emotional abuse and aggression. Support takes different forms, some being advocacy and referrals, counseling, and children’s activities and programs.

Housing

The Salvation Army assists children, families, women, and men who are at risk of becoming homeless. They benefit from emergency shelter services such as recovery support, case management, advocacy, and follow-up assistance. The charity also runs transitional housing units and offers wellness and health activities and job search support and job training. Youth in shelters has access to multiple programs and services, including crisis intervention, job assistance, and education programs.

Disaster Relief

Recovery and disaster relief services help communities and individuals to recover in times of emergencies and disasters. The focus is on response, preparedness, and mitigation. Vulnerable persons are offered emotional support, medications, shelter, clothing, and food. The goal is to provide support to communities affected by emergencies such as tornadoes, forest fires, tsunamis, hurricanes, and earthquakes.

Camps

Camping programs help children to master new competencies and skills through activities such as crafts, swimming, rock climbing, and canoeing. Camps are available across Canada – in Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, British Columbia, Alberta, and other provinces. Programs run by the charity include the Twin Ponds and Camp Starrigan and Beaver Creek Camp, offering activities such as photography, campfires, wall climbing, and others. Sports and adventure programs are available in Ontario, with children enjoying fun activities and sports, including archery, hockey, crafts, and high ropes.

Financial Support

The charity accepts donations in different forms, including legacy giving, gifts of securities, gifts in a will, in honour/memoriam, and monthly giving. Special events are also organized, among which Adopt-a-Family programs, toy drives, and concerts.

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