Julie Fiorini
General Manager, Donor Services,
CanadaHelps
Canadians are a generous bunch. In fact, Canadians are so generous that nearly half say they would prefer to receive a charitable gift in their honour over a material item according to a 2022 Ipsos poll conducted by CanadaHelps.
This is great news for anyone looking to get some holiday shopping done quickly and easily online, while alsohaving an impact — and the tax receipt doesn’t hurt, either.
Your impact can be felt even more by choosing charitable gifts for causes that is not as likely to be supported.In a recent poll conducted by Ipsos on behalf of CanadaHelps, only six percent of Canadians selectedsupporting new immigrants or refugees as one of the top five causes important to them, and only eightpercent selected causes supporting two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex(2SLGBTQI+), and other diverse sexual identities. This holiday season is a great opportunity to demonstrateyour own commitment to diversity and inclusion in Canada through your own gift-giving by giving a gift that makes an impact.
Give the gift of peace
“This was the first full night’s sleep I have had since arriving in Canada,” shared one refugee who recentlyreceived a new bed through the Hamilton Refugee Clinic (HRC). “I feel at peace.”
“Refugee claimants have been forced to flee persecution in their homeland in search of protection and securityin Canada,” explained Julie Chamagne, Executive Director of the HRC.
Many refugee claimants don’t have a safe place to sleep or are staying on a community member’s couch.Services from charities like the HRC provide support in their legal, settlement and housing journey.
With a gift of $200 to the HRC, you can provide a new bed, mattress and bedding for a refugee moving out ofemergency shelter and into an apartment, offering these new community members physical comfort and also asense of safety, stability, and dignity during an incredibly vulnerable and uncertain time.
Give a healthy meal to someone in need
Canada’s vibrant cultural diversity is one of its greatest strengths. However, many families experiencing food insecurity are forced to compromise their traditions and dietary preferences, making a challenging situation even more difficult.
Food Banks Mississauga is changing that by offering culturally appropriate food options to ensure that everyonecan access ingredients that feel like home.
Claira primarily cooks West-Indian food. Having access to the types of food she’s comfortable preparingthrough Food Banks Mississauga helps her save her monthly budget for other essential needs.
“Usually those are the things that I have to purchase separately from the grocery store,” Claira said. ‘They’re notalways cheap and they’re not always available.”
For every $1 donated to Food Banks Mississauga, you can provide a healthy meal to someone in need.
Connect 2SLGBTQI+ youth with peer support
Canada is home to about one million people who identify as members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community. However,Government of Canada data found 39% of 2SLGBTQI+ Canadians have experienced violence due to their sexual orientation or gender identity in the last five years. Organizations like the Lesbian Gay Bi Trans YouthLine provide 2SLGBTQ+ youth facing a vital lifeline.
Lauren Pragg, Executive Director of the Youth Line, says the organization has experienced “an unprecedentedspike in activity” since Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election last month.
“For many 2SLGBTQ+ youth, this moment brought heightened fears and anxieties around safety, acceptance,and their futures,” Pragg said.
This holiday season, your gift of $50 to the Lesbian Gay Bi Trans Youth Line can connect 10 youth withcompassionate, affirming peer support that helps them feel understood. One youth helped by the charitysays:
“I definitely feel a lot more relaxed and more confident in my journey moving forward.”
To browse and buy meaningful gifts with impact, visit CanadaHelps.org to explore a range of charities which canbe filtered by cause, location and different price points.
Together, we can promote diversity, belonging andinclusivity and make the holidays a
little brighter for all.
