Making a Difference This Holiday Season

By Jennifer Finjan

For those lucky enough to have gainful employment, money to spend, a roof over their head, and a loving family, it’s easy to lose sight of others less fortunate during the holiday season.  Yet, the holidays can be a time of extreme poverty, sadness, loneliness, isolation, and shame for many families in our city.

We all grew up watching those holiday television specials and movies that paint a blissful picture of what the dream holidays should be, but for many it is far from reality. The idea of providing and experiencing a picture-perfect holiday is hard for many of us to live up to.  Not only do many children and youth in Toronto go without gifts, many go without shelter, loving families, food, and a sense of safety.

During this holiday season of gift-giving, partying and visiting with family and friends, take a few moments to consider  the blight of others (it’s not hard to miss) and give from your heart, especially to charities that help children in need.  After all, this season is all about children.

I’ve compiled a partial list of several charities of my favorite child/youth charities in the city. Knowing you can make a difference in a child’s life will not only provide some relief to a child in need, but also benefit society as a whole and warm your soul and give you a sense of purpose.

Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Toronto
2345 Yonge Street, Suite 501
Toronto, ON M4P 2E5
Tel: (416) 925-8981
www.bbbst.com

For almost 100 years, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Toronto has been providing important services to children and youth in our community. Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Toronto is a non-profit organization that provides mentors to children and youth in need of additional positive adult support. Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Toronto matches adults over the age of 18 to children between the ages of 6 and 18 in a one-to-one or group mentoring relationship that is fun and rewarding for both.  They also provide youth over the age of 16 an opportunity to be a Big Brother or Big Sister to a child through their School-Based Co-op Program.

The Children’s Breakfast Clubs
101 McNabb Street
Markham, ON  L3R 4H8
Tel: (905)474-8054
www.breakfastclubs.ca

The Children’s Breakfast Clubs is a non-profit charitable organization that believes every child is entitled to a nutritious breakfast. An estimated 4,000 meals are served each week in the 20+ clubs across the Greater Toronto area. In addition to serving hot, wholesome meals, the offer social and intellectual stimulation to children in the communities where the Clubs are located. Breakfast Club activities include arts and crafts, homework clubs, reading circles, art and photographic exhibitions, theatre and visits from special guests. The children of the Clubs are also included in special events that expose them to activities that would be otherwise unavailable to them – a bike program, tree planting, trip to Ottawa and to sporting events – Toronto Blue Jays and Argonaut games and ball hockey tournaments.

The Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada
725 Westney Road South, Unit 7,
Ajax, ON L1S 7J7
Tel: 1 (800) 267-WISH (9474)
www.childrenswish.ca

The Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada grants wishes to children with high-risk life-threatening illnesses. Staff and volunteers work tirelessly to maintain the highest quality of service to wish families with attention to the most minute details so as to ensure the total satisfaction of each and every wish child.

The CP24/CHUM Christmas Wish
Tel: (416) 384-4199
www.thewish.ca

The CP24/CHUM Christmas Wish has become one of the largest distributors of toys to those in need in the GTA, as well as providing financial assistance to hundreds of agencies.  With many funding cuts in recent years, the CP24/CHUM Christmas Wish has become the last hope for many to give a child a Christmas.  With generous financial donations and new unwrapped toys, the CP24/CHUM Christmas Wish supplies registered charitable organizations, social service agencies, churches, and community centres.  In turn, they distribute the donations to those families, of many faiths and cultures, who require their support.

Covenant House Toronto
20 Gerrard St. E.,
Toronto, ON M5B 2P3
Phone: (416) 598-4898
www.covenanthouse.on.ca

Covenant House Toronto is a leading expert in and advocate for homeless youth in Canada. They serve the largest homeless youth population and provide the most comprehensive range of housing and support services through our facilities and in collaboration with community partners, to meet the needs of street youth.  More than a place to stay, they provide 24/7 crisis care and have the widest range of services under one roof, including education, counselling, health care and employment assistance. Covenant House has helped thousands of young people move from a life on the street to a life with a future.

Daily Bread Food Bank
191 New Toronto St.
Toronto, ON M8V 2E7
Tel: (416) 203-0050
www.dailybread.ca

Daily Break Food Bank provides food and resources for hungry people. Food donations, coming from the public and the food industry, are sorted and delivered to our member agencies. Agencies provide food relief programs, such as food banks and meal programs, for diverse members of our community. Clients are also offered advocacy support in resolving issues that may accompany hunger, such as access to social benefits, housing, immigration, and employment.  Getting to the root causes of hunger is vital to solving the problem. Daily Bread develops innovative, practical government policies that reduce hunger and poverty. By conducting community-based research and gathering statistics through an annual survey of food bank clients, Daily Bread Food Bank creates reports that increase public and political responsiveness and encourages dialogue about the issues of hunger and poverty.

Delisle Youth Services
40 Orchard View Blvd.
Suite 255
Toronto, ON
(416) 482-0081
www.delisleyouth.org

Delisle Youth Services supports children and youth through difficulties at school, at home, among their friends, or in the community. Our professional, caring staff offer a full range of innovate programs and services, including counselling, day programs, and residential support.  Delisle acts as an access point for residential beds for emotionally-disturbed children and provides temporary and long-term shelter for youth in need. They provide a single point of entry into residential services for special needs children and monitors institutional placements to ensure that children are appropriately placed. Delisle also provides parents and their children with on-the-spot counselling and supports the needs of children with mental illness — an organization that people can turn to for help when they’ve exhausted all of the other community services available to them.

Easter Seals Ontario
One Concorde Gate, Suite 700
Toronto, ON M3C 3N6
tel: (416) 421-8377
www.easterseals.org

Since 1922, Easter Seals Ontario has been helping children and young adults with physical disabilities to address life’s challenges and achieve personal goals. Families rely on Easter Seals to help purchase expensive equipment needed for mobility and communication, send kids to camp and other recreational programs, and provide access to information and resources.

Habitat for Humanity Toronto
120 Eglinton Ave. E, Suite 600
Toronto, ON M4P 1E2
Tel: (416) 755-7353
Email: www.torontohabitat.on.ca

Habitat for Humanity Toronto is a non-profit, non-denominational Christian housing organization. They welcome all people without discrimination to join us as we build simple, decent, affordable homes in partnership with low-income families. One hundred percent of all administrative and fundraising costs are paid for by the operation of three ReStores. Habitat ReStores sell quality new and used donated building materials. Every 10 minutes, Habitat for Humanity helps a family improve their housing situation in more than 100 countries around the world.

Kids Help Phone
300-439 University Avenue
Toronto, Ontario M5G 1Y8
Donation Line: 1 (800) 268-3062
www.kidshelpphone.ca

Every day, Kids Help Phone counsellors answer calls and online questions from across Canada. No matter what the problem or concern our counsellors are there to provide immediate and caring support, information and referrals to the kids who reach out to us.  Their mission is to improve the well-being of Canadian children and youth by providing them anonymous and confidential professional counselling, referrals, and information through technologically-based communications media. Last year, they helped Canadian kids in need well over two million times through our phone and online counselling services.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Canada
4211 Yonge Street, Suite 521
Toronto, Ontario M2P 2A9
Tel : (416) 224-9474
www.makeawish.ca

The Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Canada is part of the largest not-for-profit wish granting organization in the world, serving 30 countries with International affiliates on five continents. Since their inception in 1983, the volunteers of Make-A-Wish® worldwide have helped make hundreds of thousands of wishes come true. They grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.

Native Child and Family Services of Toronto
30 College Street
Toronto, ON M5G 1K2
Tel: (416) 969- 8510
www.nativechild.org

Native Child and Family Services of Toronto strives to provide a life of quality, well-being, caring and healing for children and families in the Toronto Native Community.  They do this by creating a service model that is culture based and respects the values of Native people, the extended family and the right to self-determination.  Most of NCFST’s clients are self-referred single parents with young children. Many are currently before the Child Welfare courts, some have children in care and wish to work toward their return, most are poor, isolated, and suffer a lack of support in an environment deemed insensitive and inaccessible to Native people.

The James Fund for Neuroblastoma Research
www.jamesfund.ca

In 2001 the Birrell family started The James Fund for Neuroblastoma Research at SickKids to raise money for research to find treatment to save 7-year-old James. Since his death The James Fund has raised over $725,000 to find a cure for this deadly Childhood cancer.

SickKids Foundation
525 University Avenue, 14th Floor
Toronto, ON M5G 2L3
Tel: 416.813.6166
www.sickkidsfoundation.com

SickKids Foundation is the largest non-governmental granting agency in child health in Canada. Established in 1972, SickKids Foundation has granted over $500 million to The Hospital for Sick Children and over $60 million to researchers across the country.

Starlight Starbright Children’s Foundation
2770 14th Avenue Suite
100 Markham, ON L3R 0J1
Tel: 905 752-7827
www.starlightcanada.org

The Starlight Starbright Children’s Foundation is dedicated to brightening the lives of seriously ill children and their families by providing a broad array of both in-hospital and out-patient programs designed to enhance their ability to cope with the stress of illness.

United Way of Greater Toronto
United Way of Greater Toronto
26 Wellington Street East, 11th Floor
Toronto, ON M5E 1W9
www.uwgt.org

United Way of Greater Toronto is an incorporated non-profit charity focused on improving the long-term health of our community. They run Canada’s largest annual fundraising campaign in support of 200 social service agencies providing a vital network of support.

The YMCA of Greater Toronto
Markham YMCA
101 YMCA Boulevard Markham, ON L6G 0A1
Tel: (905) 513-9622
www.ymcatoronto.org

The YMCA of Greater Toronto is a charity offering opportunities for personal growth, community involvement, and leadership. They offer a variety of programs for Families, Children, Youth and Adults including summer camps and services for new residents of Canada.