Foundation Magazine May/June 2022

FOUNDATION The Business & Spirit of Philanthropy in Canada May/June 2022 | Vol. 3 | No. 14

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INSIDE: • My Road Back to AFP • Seven Faces of Philanthropy • International Star Brian Nowak

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COURTESY NEXT EARTH

The World Around Us

The Metaverse Comes to Philanthropy IN BUDAPEST, HUNGARY, Next Earth established a new collaboration with SEE Turtles, a non-profit organization working to protect endangered sea turtles through conservation tours, education, funding, and more. The campaign ran from 19 May to 2 June.

As part of the “Clean-the-ocean” charity campaign, a game is being launched in the Next Earth metaverse: Users can contribute to a good cause in the real world by buying land in certain areas of the metaverse and cleaning it up. By purchasing land, they have the chance to win $200,000 worth of NXTT and 5 unique NFTs created by TinyWasteland. 20 percent of all proceeds made within the campaign will go to SEE Turtles to support their plastic waste collecting projects which will take place on the same locations but in the real world.

Noemi Magyar, Head of CSR at Next Earth, explained the campaign: “With this campaign, Next Earth is building a bridge between the virtual and the real world, where the bridge is social responsibility. To this whole experience, we are adding an extra with a gamification feature. Though our community members are physically far from the locations where our partner organization, SEE Turtles, will carry out their plastic projects, users can actively participate in the mission of getting rid of plastic waste.”

She added: “At Next Earth, we believe that business and philanthropy can and should go hand in hand. Raising awareness of environmental issues is one important thing, but inviting users to take action together is another level of social responsibility. At Next Earth we want to make a real impact and we are grateful to our community for joining us in this mission.”

Next Earth is a sustainability-focused Metaverse. Environmental awareness is built into their core operations, with 10 percent of the proceeds always going to a charity pool. This has already resulted in $1 million being donated to environmental issues. However, with the current collaboration, Next Earth is ready to take it to the next level: they are launching a social responsibility campaign that no other metaverse has ever done before.

Next Earth hopes that their campaign will contribute to the recognition of the many ways in which a metaverse can make an impact. foundationmag.ca

May/June 2022

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CONTENTS

ON THE COVER May/June 2022 | Vol. 3 | No. 14 www.foundationmag.ca

Twitter: @foundationmaga1 PRESIDENT / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Steve Lloyd - steve.lloyd@lloydmedia.ca

DESIGN / PRODUCTION Jennifer O’Neill - jennifer@dmn.ca PHOTOGRAPHER Gary Tannyan CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mark Blumberg Sherry Joy Hugh Michael Brooke Martine Lepine Malcolm Burrows Helene Mersky Shannon Craig Brad Offman

Daniel Oh Kathleen A. Provost Cezarina Trone

LLOYDMEDIA INC. HEAD OFFICE / SUBSCRIPTIONS / PRODUCTION:

302-137 Main Street North Markham ON L3P 1Y2 Phone: 905.201.6600 Fax: 905.201.6601 Toll-free: 800.668.1838 EDITORIAL CONTACT: Foundation Magazine is published bimonthly by Lloydmedia Inc. Foundation Magazine may be obtained through paid subscription. Rates: Canada 1 year (6 issues $48) 2 years (12 issues $70) U.S. 1 year (6 issues $60) 2 years (12 issues $100) Foundation Magazine is an independently-produced publication not affiliated in any way with any association or organized group nor with any publication produced either in Canada or the United States.

Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome. However unused manuscripts will not be returned unless accompanied by sufficient postage. Occasionally Foundation Magazine provides its subscriber mailing list to other companies whose product or service may be of value to readers. If you do not want to receive information this way simply send your subscriber mailing label with this notice to: Lloydmedia Inc. 302-137 Main Street North Markham ON L3P 1Y2 Canada.

POSTMASTER: Please send all address changes and return all undeliverable copies to: Lloydmedia Inc. 302-137 Main Street North Markham ON L3P 1Y2 Canada Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40050803 4

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May/June 2022

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ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Laura Tyson - laura.tyson@lloydmedia.ca

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foundationmag.ca

CONTENTS

ISTOCK/ LIGHTCOME

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ISTOCK/ Z_WEI

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LEGAL MATTERS

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2022 Canadian Federal Budget How will it affect the Canadian charitable sector?

PERSONAL INSIGHTS

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Taking to the Streets Once More My Road Back to AFP

MARKET RESEARCH

26 3 THE LEAD IN 7 SEEN, HEARD & NOTED COLUMNIST

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Seven Faces of Philanthropy Wealth Management - Malcolm Burrows

A New Generation of Volunteers Change seen as an opportunity Leadership - Kathleen Provost

MARKETING & FUNDRAISING SARAH CHAMBERLIN will return next issue THE ACCIDENTAL PHILANTHROPIST MARK HALPERN will return next issue foundationmag.ca

COURTESY ANTHONY SCHULTZ

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2022 Giving Report Unprecedented strain meets new opportunities for Canadian charities

PROFILE

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From the Heart: Brian (Barké) Nowak - Inspirational Philanthropy

FINANCE

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The Role of Finance Continues to Evolve

HISTORIC PLAQUES

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The Friends of Leith Church

FUNDRAISING

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Fundraising Legacy Creates Endless Opportunities for Amputees

Next Issue…

Coming in the July/August Issue...

Fundraising, Healthcare and FinTech & Finance.

May/June 2022

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SEEN, HEARD & NOTED

May 17th was International Day against homophobia and transphobia. For this occasion, the Fondation Émergence and advertising agency Havas Montréal, created at the Haute École d’Horlogerie Arc in Switzerland, a first of its kind: a 54-second watch, illustrating that time is different for everyone depending on your sexual orientation, identity or gender identification.

For sexual and gender minorities, intolerance still too often has tragic consequences. In 2017, an increase of 86 percent in homicides against members of the LGBTQ+ community was recorded in the U.S. Young lesbians, gays and bisexuals are 4 times more susceptible to attempt suicide than young heterosexuals—and between January 1st, 2008 and September 30th, 2021, 4,042 trans persons were murdered around the world.

Violence, whether physical, psychological, sexual, institutional, medical or economic, reduces the life expectancy of LGBTQ+ 6

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persons. Available in video, poster, print, digital and in radio, this public awareness campaign created by Havas seeks to put a spotlight on fundamental injustice.

While many specialists judged this as an impossible task, the creation of this 54-second watch posed an impressive technical challenge that Swiss watch making engineer Melanie Guillaume couldn’t resist.

“When the team at Havas contacted me I thought, what an intriguing idea and a great cause! But how am I ever going to be able to alter the measure of time? No one had ever willingly created a watch that doesn’t tell the right time!”

With only 12 watches made, the 54-second watch highlights in a symbolic manner, the time stolen due to intolerance and violence towards LGBTQ+ persons.

Why 54 seconds? 6 seconds less for every one of the colors of the pride flag.

“When minutes are only 54 seconds long, time goes faster, years are shorter and lives end far too early. As long as there is violence, we must continue to educate and raise awareness,” says Laurent Breault, Director General of the Fondation Émergence.

“It was very important for us to create an object that could exist in the real world, explains Félix-Antoine Brunet, art director. We also wanted to create a digital version of the 54-second watch so that it would be easily accessible and people could demonstrate their support.”

The digital version of the 54-second watch is available to be downloaded from

May/June 2022

Google Play app as of today.

“Our goal was to create a meaningful object that reminds us that every second counts, when it comes to supporting this cause. It’s a watch that doesn’t tell the right time, but it does tell us that the time is right to act,” add copywriters Vanessa Harbec and Olivier Goulet-Lafond.

Translated into over 20 languages, it will be broadcast by organizations dedicated to the protection of LGBTQ+ persons in numerous countries around the world.

A petition to have May 17th officially recognized by the UN as the International Day against homophobia and transphobia will accompany the launch of the campaign. To add your support, simply visit: www.54-secondwatch.com A special thank you to all of the partners, locally and around the world, who collaborated on this project: Andrée Giraldeau, AnneAndré Benoît, Bromar, Ève Bastien-Rouleau, Janie Lebel, Jérôme Couture, Johanne Pelland, Reliable Watch, Selco, Simon Provencher Allard, Tanina Drvar, Time Merchants ••••••••••••••••••• Podcast Series Real Country Livin ’ launches in partnership with SiriuxXM Canada. Since 2014, Gord Bamford and the Gord Bamford Foundation have donated $200,000 to MusiCounts to support school music programs, the largest donation ever received from an artist in MusiCounts’ history. Bamford’s 2020 Drive-In for Mental Health performance series raised more than $100,000+ for Mental Health charities in

Alberta. To date, Bamford has raised more than $4.5 MILLION dollars for various charities through the Gord Bamford Foundation. Bamford proudly released his 10th studio album, Diamonds In A Whiskey Glass, in the early summer of 2021, followed by the Diamonds In A Whiskey Glass (Deluxe Diamond Edition) in May of 2022.

Anthem Entertainment announces the first-of-itskind audio/visual musicfocused broadcast and podcast series Real Country Livin’ in partnership with SiriusXM Canada. The series will showcase some of the world’s best and brightest country artists and songwriters as they each share their own Real Country Livin’ story — defining what Real Country Livin’ means to them. With Gord Bamford as the inaugural host, the innovative series will launch with six themed episodes including Entertainin’, Fishin’, Farmin’, Givin’, Boatin’, and Drinkin’ that help guide the narrative as Bamford introduces audiences to his family and friends and their Real Country Livin’ way of life. Additionally, foundationmag.ca

SEEN, HEARD & NOTED each episode of Real Country Livin’ with Gord Bamford will feature some of Bamford’s greatest hits along with never-before-seen performances of new original songs off of Diamonds In A Whiskey Glass. The podcast will also include exclusive interviews with many of Bamford’s celebrity friends including Country superstar Terri Clark, NHL defenseman Brent Burns, and more.

“It’s time that country music had a lifestyle brand that reflects the great music, storytelling, food, and unique culture of our top country artists. Real Country Livin’ is a collision of Martha Stewart Living and country lifestyle,” shares Helen Murphy, CEO, Anthem Entertainment.

“We are excited to create this new global brand with SiriusXM. Gord’s lifestyle is so entwined with his music, and it continues to inspire and entertain fans around the world.”

Real Country Livin’ can be found on the SXM App, Stitcher, Pandora in the U.S. and other major podcast platforms. Australian-born and Alberta-raised, Gord Bamford stands as one of the most decorated artists in Canadian country music.

He has built a loyal fan base over the past decade with his traditional Country persona and captivating live shows and has been the recipient of 26 Canadian Country Music Association awards including Album of the Year, Single of the Year and Male Artist of the Year wins and received multiple JUNO Award nominations. Bamford is the 2019-2020 recipient of the MusiCounts Inspired foundationmag.ca

Minds Ambassador Award, presented by The Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation.

The award recognizes individuals who have had an extraordinary impact on music education and MusiCounts over the course of its history.

•••••••••••••••••••

They rode, they laughed, they raised funds. After two years of disruption and social distancing, over 1,500 motorcyclists coast-to-coast from across Canada will joined fellow bike enthusiasts around the world on Sunday, May 22nd for the 11th annual Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride (DGR). The global event brings together over 90,000 members of the motorcycle community from over 100 countries and 800 cities worldwide, united in their common goal to raise funds and awareness for Movember, the leading men’s health charity.

For the first time since 2019, riders will once again be dressed in their most eye-catching dapper gear and atop their classic, vintage motorbikes, finally taking to the roads together as a group, no longer having to participate in solo rides due to pandemic restrictions.

In Canada, riders across 29 cities will take part including:

Bathurst (NB), Berwick (NS), Calgary (AB), Drummondville (QC), Edmonton (AB), Gibsons (BC), Halifax (NS), Hamilton (ON), Kelowna (BC), Kindcardine (ON), Ladysmith (BC), London (ON), Moncton (NB), Montreal (QC), Niagara Falls (ON), Ottawa (ON), Parksville (BC), Pickering (ON), Quebec City (QC), Regina (SK), Rimouski (QC), Shediac (NB), Sherbrooke (QC), Squamish (BC), Toronto (ON), Vancouver (BC), Vernon (BC), Victoria (BC) and Winnipeg (MB).

Since its inception in 2012, DGR has connected over 400,000 riders of classic and vintage style motorcycles and have raised more than $40 million CAD for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer, and men’s mental health.

Since 2016, the event has partnered with Movember, which has played a significant role in funding programs that have supported men around the world.

Locally, over $2.5 million CAD has been raised for Movember by Canadian riders since the organization first came on board as DGR’s official charity partner in 2016. Funds raised have gone into projects such as prostate cancer research and support for men’s mental health. In 2021, a portion of the funding was used to support the motorcycling community itself, with over $1 million CAD injected into nine projects selected from ideas crowd-sourced around the world as part of the DGR Social Connections Challenge (DGRSCC). The projects have been rolling out over the last 12-month, with the aim of improving social connectedness, life satisfaction May/June 2022

and mental wellbeing among motorcycle riders.

Founder of The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, Mark Hawwa comments on the impact the event and Movember are making on men’s health. “Over the last ten years and 11 DGR’s later, we have raised a tremendous amount for men’s health, developing strong community connections and cause-related programs that have helped thousands of men around the world.

This year, we have continued to fund our DGR Social Connections Challenge and the Veterans and First Responders Grant, in partnership with Movember.

These programs have supported the motorcycling communities within various cities around the world, and have shown support in-kind to the veterans, police, fire, and emergency services who have sacrificed for their communities and countries.

We are proud to be able to support them in return.”

This year, DGR is excited to continue its partnership with Triumph Motorcycles, who have offered a one-ofa-kind Spirit of ‘59 prize in collaboration with Gibson Guitars. This partnership brings the 1950’s history of cafe racer culture to the 2022 Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride with a unique prize for the event. The 1959 Legends custom edition Les Paul Standard Reissue and Spirit of ‘59 Bonneville T120, featuring a host of beautiful hand-detailed custom touches, designed, and applied in Triumph’s factory workshop. To donate to the Distinguished Gentleman’s FOUNDATION Magazine

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SEEN, HEARD & NOTED Ride visit gentlemansride.com.

Movember is the leading charity changing the face of men’s health on a global scale. The charity raises funds to deliver innovative, breakthrough research and support programs that enable men to live happier, healthier, and longer lives. Committed to disrupting the status quo, millions have joined the movement, helping fund over 1,250 projects focusing on mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer.

The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride unites classic and vintage style motorcycle riders all over the world to raise funds and awareness for prostate cancer research and men’s mental health. First established in 1902, Triumph Motorcycles celebrated 118 years of motorcycle manufacture in 2020. For more than three decades, Triumph Motorcycles has been based in Hinckley, Leicestershire, and has produced iconic bikes that perfectly blend authentic design, character, charisma, and performance.

The Triumph Modern Classic motorcycle family represents the quintessence of The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride spirit: elegant, iconic, characterful, and built for the ride.

••••••••••••••••••• Too Good To Go Expands To Edmonton, its 6th Canadian City. Too Good To Go is thrilled to announce its launch in Edmonton.

Two months after a record Canadian launch in Calgary, it is now possible for Edmontonians to use this simple solution to save food 8

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every day around the city.

Food waste is a massive global issue that needs to be tackled at every level.

58 percent of all food in Canada goes to waste, which is much higher than the global average of 40 percent.

Additionally, 15 percent of all habitable land on Earth is used to produce food that we waste. This equates to the surface area of 26 million West Edmonton Malls.

Yet, there is cause for optimism, 74 percent of Edmontonians recognize that food waste is a serious problem and almost 60 percent say that they are making efforts to reduce personal waste from surplus food on a weekly basis.

Available in Canada since July 2021, Too Good To Go has already helped thousands of Canadians and more than 2,500 businesses to save almost half a million meals.

The app connects consumers with businesses who have surplus food at the end of each day. Too Good To Go believes in a world without food waste and is making it possible to ensure that delicious food does not get thrown out. Too Good To Go is very proud to launch in Edmonton with beloved local partners: Neo Juicery, Kinnikinnick, Meuwly’s, Sugared & Spiced. From

May/June 2022

Strathcona to Garneau to Westmount and everywhere in between, 80+ stores are already live. Edmontonians can start reserving Surprise Bags today and should expect to see many more businesses added daily as expansion continues.

“It is with great excitement that we launch in Edmonton — a vibrant city with a reputed culinary scene. We have seen a great response from local businesses and are confident that a large number of Edmontonians will be saving meals, as of today”, said Sam Kashani, Too Good To Go Country Manager. Only 4 percent of surplus edible food is rescued in Canada; which shows how much food is still to be redistributed.

Too Good To Go is proud to partner with food banks and charities across the world to tackle the problem of food insecurity, which is closely linked to surplus food waste.

In Edmonton, Too Good To Go is honoured to be partnering with Edmonton’s Food Bank, supporting the crucial work being done in the region. Said Marjorie Bencz, Executive Director, “Edmonton’s Food Bank was created 40 years ago because of two issues — hunger affecting the lives of many and edible food being wasted in the community. Each meal rescued equates to the CO2e emission of charging one smartphone fully 422 times. Founded in 2016, Too Good To Go has saved more than 136 million meals from more than 153,000 partners in 17 countries. Beyond the app, Too Good To Go has launched initiatives to change date labelling on food,

produced free educational resources for schools, and inspired households to change food waste behaviours.

••••••••••••••••••• Food insecurity, combined with the pandemic and rising inflation, is a major cause for concern, leading many families across the country to struggle to put food on the table — resulting in 1 in 5 Canadian children regularly missing a meal.

With World Hunger Day around the corner, Mealshare, an awardwinning social enterprise, and SkipTheDishes, Canada’s largest and most trusted food delivery network, are coming back to the table to dive into the important issue of food insecurity and are inviting Canadians to do the same during their second annual Food For Thought campaign.

Through storytelling, colouring, collages, and creative writing activities, the Food For Thought resource package provides fun-filled activities for children and is an opportunity to spark engaging conversations from the classroom to the dinner table. For each completed activity that is submitted, foundationmag.ca

SEEN, HEARD & NOTED Skip will donate five meals to children in need and will be kicking off the campaign with an initial campaign donation of $25,000 to Mealshare.

“Food insecurity continues to be a major issue for individuals and families across the world and here at home,” says Julia Hunter, Executive Director, Mealshare. “That’s why our Food for Thought campaign in partnership with SkipTheDishes is vital to spark conversations and empower the younger generation to learn about the intersectionalities of systemic issues we face, including hunger and poverty.”

Parents, guardians, and educators can download the resource package for children to complete at home or in the classroom.

Completed activities can be submitted online by visiting www.mealshare. ca/FoodForThought. The resource package is geared towards Grades K-6 and aims to educate and inspire through fun-filled and informative content. The deadline to submit is June 10, 2022.

“Staying true to our Canadian roots, Skip is committed to giving back to organizations that make a direct impact right here at home, and helping to feed families across the country,” says Kevin Edwards, CEO SkipTheDishes. One in 5 children experience food insecurity in Canada and we’re not okay with that.

Mealshare’s mission is to ensure no child goes hungry.

Since our inception in 2013, we have provided over 5.3 million meals through our simple Buy One Give One foundationmag.ca

model that makes it easy to turn dining out into helping out. For every Mealshare menu item purchased at a partner restaurant, one meal is provided to a youth in need through our network of charity partners.

••••••••••••••••••• The Pacific Alzheimer Research Foundation (PARF) is changing its name to Canadians for Leading Edge Alzheimer Research Foundation (CLEAR).

CLEAR has launched a brand new website, ClearAlzheimers.ca, and is asking Canadians to donate today in support of muchneeded scientific research.

The Pacific Alzheimer Research Foundation (PARF)—a registered charity funding scientific research into the cause, prevention and treatment of Alzheimer disease and related dementias — announced today that it is changing its name to Canadians for Leading Edge Alzheimer Research (CLEAR), as well as launching ClearAlzheimers.ca.

The BC-based research foundation, the only in Canada to direct 100 percent of funds to research into Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, takes these important steps

forward as it continues on its path to raise public awareness of the devastating impact of these diseases.

CLEAR’s mission remains to eradicate all forms of dementia, including Alzheimer disease, by funding research for a cure.

“Until we have a diseasemodifying intervention — or, even better, a cure — we will be unable to reduce the devastation of a dementia diagnosis to the sufferers themselves, and to their loved ones,” said Dr. B. Lynn Beattie, President, CLEAR Foundation. Canada’s oldest Baby Boomers, now in their 70s, are already at a heightened risk of developing dementia, and in the next ten years that risk will skyrocket; a tidal wave of dementia

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diagnoses is coming. CLEAR is asking Canadians across the country to make a donation to take the next big step in our fight against Alzheimer disease and related dementias.

Since its inception, CLEAR Foundation has quietly funded 40 leading edge Alzheimer and dementia research projects with over $15 Million. The research we fund could lead to the breakthrough the world has been waiting for. Or it could become a missing piece in other research — a catalyst to another lab’s groundbreaking discovery, here in Canada or somewhere else in the world. In the global fight against this unforgiving disease, we’re all in this together.

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COLUMNIST

WEALTH MANAGEMENT MALCOLM BURROWS

Seven Faces of Philanthropy

T Malcolm Burrows 10

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May/June 2022

GARY TANNYAN

BY MALCOLM BURROWS

he Seven Faces of Philanthropy: A New Approach to Cultivating Major Donors is an iconic American fundraising book published in 1994. In it authors Russ Allen Prince and Karen Maru File neatly categorize charitable profiles.

While written for a fundraising audience, the book is a helpful reminder that charitable motivations are diverse. There is not a single way that donors approach philanthropy.

The book focuses on lifetime “major gifts” and the seven donor profiles are skewed to who best to solicit and how. While the profiles are helpful, they are also a bit dated. I have added additional observations below about the estate planning context and the authors’ blind spots. foundationmag.ca

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The seven “personalities” are: Communitarians. Communitarians give because “doing good make good sense”. There is an ethical underpinning to their giving, but also a practical approach of doing well by doing good. The classic Communitarian is a local business owner, volunteer and/or civic leader. They bring a community focus to their giving. The authors observe they are most common major gift donor profile, but they are not the most common estate donor profile. Their giving arises out of a sense of responsibility; they respond well to recognition and community. They are grounded social donors.

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The Devout. They are religious and act on God’s will. Faith inspires their giving. It is a moral obligation.

They often have a stewardship mentality and consider their wealth to be a blessing that needs to be cared for and shared. The Devout give routinely. They often donate a relatively high portion of their income, partly due to concepts like tithing, or giving 10 percent of earnings/ wealth. They are intrinsically motivated and often have no interest in donor recognition. The Devout are common estate donors.

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Investors. They are pragmatic donors. To them giving is good business and tax savings are a motivator. Investors respond to pitches that are factual and use business language, including a focus on impact and outcome. They are less likely to be inspired by emotional appeals or ethical concepts. foundationmag.ca

Investors may be estate donors, but they often engage in complex planning.

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Socialites. They give and have a good time doing it. They like events and social functions and are motivated by the energy and engagement of other people. Socialites use their social capital to raise money from friends, family and business associates. Giving is about network and they are rarely big donors relative to their financial capacity. Socialites are generally bad estate donors.

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Altruists. These individuals give out a sense of moral imperative.

They wish to “do the right thing” and are intrinsically motivated. Like the Devout, they are often modest and do not seek donor recognition. Altruists are the classic “generosity first, self second” donors. They are a common estate donor profile. They give when no one is looking.

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Repayers. The Repayers “pay it forward” and “give back”. They are often people that have received services or experienced a profound life experience, such as childhood poverty or a life-threatening disease. Out of a sense of gratitude, Repayers often give to healthcare and education. Repayers are a common estate donor profile.

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socialized to the “value and justness” of giving to “worthwhile” causes. They value the role of family in philanthropy and are often attracted to, or associated with, a family foundation. Inheritors have traditionally prioritized lifestyle and family over giving, but that is changing with in age of affluence and emergence of the concept of radical generosity. Dynasts may be estate donors.

I would argue that there are categories of estate donors not captured by this list. For example, there is the donor without kids.

She may not have donated much during life and yet plans to give most of her estate to charity. I think of this profile as philanthropist defined by circumstances, or accidental donors.

The book also blithely assumes that donors are men and share a white American culture. Women give in different ways than men. The world is rich with a variety of giving traditions. Race may shape engagement.

Whatever the list, the key insight is that not all philanthropic individuals are motivated or act the same. The Seven Faces ask us to check our own assumptions when helping others with their giving.

MALCOLM BURROWS is Head, Philanthropic Advisory Services for Scotia Wealth Management. He is also a volunteer director of CanadaHelps. He writes this column exclusively for each issue of Foundation Magazine.

Dynasts. The Dynasts either create a family tradition of giving or are inheritors who have been inculcated to give. They are May/June 2022

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LEADERSHIP KATHLEEN PROVOST

A New Generation of Volunteers Change seen as an opportunity

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BY KATHLEEN A. PROVOST, CFRE, MAdEd

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May/June 2022

s a professional fundraiser, I sometimes wonder — if change is good, why is it so difficult? In my article entitled The Great Awakening (Jan/Feb 2022 issue), I talked about the learning coming after weathering this COVID storm, this new post pandemic era. At times, I think “change” implies what we used to do was not good, or not good enough. But keep in mind that change may also provide us with the opportunity to question our purpose and allow us to ask “how can we improve something” in a manner that reflects current realities, or priorities.

Every year, at the end of April, we celebrate “National Volunteer Week”. I believe this year was not like any other. In 2022, our awareness for a need to explore new options and new foundationmag.ca

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visions was heightened by an extended global pandemic that reminded us how interconnected we all are.

Volunteer Canada was established in 1977 to provide national leadership and expertise on volunteer engagement and to increase the participation, quality, and diversity of volunteer experiences.

This year’s theme was “Volunteering is Empathy in Action”, and according to Volunteer Canada, this theme was chosen because it affirms the strong connection between volunteerism and empathy.

Given that empathy is a quality that can help people relate to others and build awareness around different experiences, empathy can also connect people in ideas and actions which helps create bonds forged in common goals and aspirations.

Reflecting on this theme, I wanted to further explore what volunteering means today, at a time when human connections continue to be at the heart of communities and a bright young woman named Whitney MacLean came to mind.

Let me tell you why.

Whitney MacLean, CFRE is the current Manager of Philanthropy and Engagement at the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) Foundation

IN CONVERSATION WITH WHITNEY MACLEAN I believe we have all met a “Whitney” in our lives. A genuine individual who wants to make a difference in the world and give foundationmag.ca

back for what she has received. Whitney MacLean, CFRE is the current Manager of Philanthropy and Engagement at the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) Foundation, and a true inspiration.

and while she attended NSCC, she was a student representative on the AFP Board of Nova Scotia.

According to Whitney, what really inspired her are the opportunities that

Whitney told me that she wanted to “give back” for what she has received from the non-profit sector.

Originally from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Whitney completed her Bachelor of Business Administration (Cape Breton University) and an Advanced Diploma in Public Relations (at NSCC). She then decided to follow her passion for community work and in 2017 started her career as a Campaign Officer at NSCC as part of the Make Way Campaign- their first province-wide fundraising Campaign.

In 2021, she was recognized by her peers at the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Nova Scotia Chapter with their Rising Star Award. Whitney’s volunteer positions include incoming Chair of the Board of Directors for AFP Nova Scotia as well as being a committee member for the scholarship program of the AFP Canada Foundation Board. In a recent conversation, Whitney told me that she wanted to “give back” for what she has received from the non-profit sector. I found her so inspiring that I wanted to better understand her deep commitment to volunteerism. Here is what she had to say.

What motivates a volunteer?

Whitney shared with me that her mother was a volunteer with the Red Cross. So as a child, Whitney would follow her mother, door-to-door in her neighbourhood. In Whitney’s words, “it was just the thing to do” in a rural community. When she was in high school, Whitney said she was involved with the Rotary Interact Club

others have given her. For example, receiving bursaries to attend conferences enabled her to meet a number of individuals who she connected with and is proud today to be able to call them “mentors.” She also reflects on the importance of ethical fundraising practices, knowledge she acquired when she prepared for her accreditation to become a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE). All of these have solidified her passion for community work and involvement.

Whitney said it was because of all this learning that she wants to “give back” and ensure others can also have these opportunities.

What are your thoughts about volunteering?

Whitney and I both agreed that engaging volunteers is no longer about large meetings, long mandates and descriptive volunteer “positions”. We talked about “micro volunteering” which happens when there is a short time commitment for quick projects to be accomplished on one’s own time. We also talked about virtual volunteering done exclusively online, as a flexible way to engage volunteers to complete a task or project around their own schedule and is not limited by geography, physical ability or work arrangement.

Whitney aspires to push and remove existing barriers such as time and skill sets

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COLUMNIST

to enable more individuals to experience volunteering in the charitable sector. So, she shared with me, her experiences with her volunteers.

Whitney told me that the most important thing is to get to know your volunteer. She said she starts the relationship by asking: Why do you want to be involved? What do you need? How can I help you be a greater advocate or a better fundraiser? In Whitney’s words “It is not one size fits all.” Whitney said we need to be creative in building relationships with volunteers, so together using our creativity, we developed a “3S” volunteer model to engaged volunteers in a meaningful way. “3S” stands for Short mandate — Small groups — and Specialists in their task. As a result, we may need to expand on this “3S” volunteer model and pilot it to further engage volunteers within our charitable sector.

Has the pandemic over the last two years impacted volunteering?

I had the pleasure of hearing Whitney talk about the biggest impact this global pandemic has had in her professional life, and to quote her own words: “we had to throw out the rule book”. What is most inspiring from Whitney’s experiences is that she embraces the need for “a new rule book” and by doing so, she embraces change in a positive way.

We talked about the effect a global pandemic may have on volunteering in the charitable sector. I agree with Whitney’s opinion when she said that over the last number of years volunteers have become more selective in their involvement with the charitable sector.

We both think that a global halt for some 24 months may have acted as a catalyst in bringing to light our true values and even change the reasons why volunteers engage with charities.

Volunteers are always challenged by time limitations and an increased number of non-profit organizations looking for help. On this topic, Whitney reminded me that organizations have the opportunity and perhaps the responsibility to adapt foundationmag.ca

3S

SHORT MANDATE SMALL GROUP SPECIALISTS

Volunteers are always challenged by time limitations. to the time limitations of volunteers, for example by redefining how we recruit people, train volunteers, and when we need to hold meetings.

Whitney and I both agreed that volunteers today look for impact, to have the greatest impact on the greatest need.

Hence, unless we are willing to throw out the “rule book” and re-write “the rules” success may be limited.

My final thoughts For a successful relationship to occur between an organization and a volunteer, consideration must be given to the types of skills and talents the volunteer wants to share and match with the needs of a non-profit organization. Volunteer Canada states there has been a trend in volunteerism over the last ten years that has given rise to micro volunteerism and

virtual volunteering. I believe, in the last two years, this innovative trend has been heightened to address community needs.

Today, each of us must define what volunteerism really means. I found an interesting tool, “Value of Volunteering Wheel” available on Volunteer Canada’s website. It is one way to examine the social and economic value to organizations, neighbourhoods, businesses, society-atlarge when considering volunteerism. As we journey and attempt to affirm our own purposes with regards to volunteerism, a different perspective, or even a new perspective, may help us to self-identify skill sets and prioritize relevant projects for us--because as Whitney put it, “one size does not fit all.”

Though the pandemic isolated many of us, it has also made us more aware of the inequalities and diversities that make up our communities. This pandemic may have enabled some of us to get involved and volunteer for an organization in our local community, across the country, or across the globe, all without needing to leave our homes.

The “rule book” has now changed.

We are witnessing the creation of a new generation of volunteers in our communities and in the charitable sector.

Let’s welcome change and play an active role in re-writing the new “rule book.”

KATHLEEN A. PROVOST, CFRE is currently the Director, Campaign Initiatives at St. Francis Xavier University, in Antigonish, NS. She brings over 25 years of fundraising experience within the charitable sector. She has been a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) since 2007, and a long-time member and volunteer for the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). As a recognized leader, Kathleen has tailored presentations and workshops for French and English audiences at various events including AFP-Nova Scotia, AFP-Ottawa, AFP-National Congress, Coady International Institute and the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education. Kathleen is a McGill University graduate and holds a Master, Adult Education from St. Francis Xavier University. She has received numerous recognitions during her career, including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her contributions to the charitable sector. She writes this column exclusively for each issue of Foundation Magazine.

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LEGAL MATTERS

2022 Canadian Federal Budget How will it affect the Canadian charitable sector?

BY MARK BLUMBERG AND HELENE MERSKY

O

n April 7, 2022, Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland introduced Budget 2022: A Plan to Grow Our Economy and Make Life More Affordable for the Liberal Government of Justin Trudeau.

Highlights The budget dealt with many big issues surrounding Canada’s COVID-19 recovery and housing etc. It also touched on many different issues that affect charities. We will focus on some of the matters, particularly affecting charities, and their regulation, but there is a lot in the 304 pages of the Budget.

The two largest changes to the regulation of charities are first some changes to the disbursement quota and secondly changes to the rules relating to how Canadian charities can deal with non-qualified donees including non-profits that are not charities and foreign charities.

Disbursement Quota In terms of increasing the disbursement quota, the Liberal government essentially provided an increase but listened to foundations and some would say did the absolute minimum that they could get away with. They have announced that they will have a graduated increased disbursement quota. The disbursement quota for charities with “investment assets” under $1 million will remain at 3.5 percent. For charities with “investment assets” over $1 million, it will increase from 3.5 percent to 5 percent. However, this only applies to charities that have over $1 million; will only be effective in 2023; and will only apply to the portion of the “investment assets” over $1 million and not the amount below.

The Budget also announces that “The Canada Revenue Agency will also improve the collection of information from charities, including whether charities are meeting their disbursement quota and on information related to investments and donoradvised funds held by charities.” It will be interesting to see what the CRA comes up with. Presumably, the funds allocated in the Budget are for increased collection of information. The Budget specifically mentioned increased information collected on investments and donor-advised funds. As we have discussed in our submissions to the Finance Committee, there is a lot more that needs to be done in terms of transparency when it comes to charities.

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Dealing with non-qualified donees The second major initiative is revamping the rules for Canadian charities dealing with non-qualified donees. Qualified donees are groups that can issue official donation receipts such as registered charities. Non-qualified donees are groups that cannot issue official donation receipts such as individuals, Canadian non-profits that are not charities, and almost all foreign groups and businesses. Often it is helpful for a Canadian charity to work with or hire a non-charity to do certain charitable or other work.

The Budget provided limited information on this proposal, but a subsequent Budget Implementation Act provided some more clarity. It appears that certain proposed legislation (Bill S-216, the Effective and Accountable Charities Act) passed by the Senate and is currently in the House of Commons dealing with “direction and control” requirements will be overridden if it is ever passed. We had significant concerns with S-216 and it appears that the government might have also had some significant concerns with S-216 otherwise they could have waited and allowed it to pass. Instead, the Liberal government has brought in these proposals. The Budget change will allow group to use “direction and control” if they wish or the new rules — whichever is most useful for the individual charity and its circumstance.

“Budget 2022 proposes to allow charities to make qualifying disbursements to organizations that are not qualified donees, provided that these disbursements are in furtherance of the charity’s charitable purposes and the charity ensures that the funds are applied to charitable activities by the grantee.”

Essentially these “qualifying disbursements” need to be within the charity’s purposes and the funds are applied to “charitable activities” by the “grantee”.

At the moment, Canadian charities can conduct their charitable activities by making gifts to qualified donees or carrying out their own activities by using staff or volunteers or hiring an intermediary. The Budget proposes adding another category of “qualifying disbursements”.

Qualifying Disbursements must: ❯ Be in furtherance of the charitable purpose of the charity; ❯ Exclusively applied to charitable activities in furtherance of a charitable purpose of the charity; ❯ Meets prescribed conditions; ❯ Have a written Agreement with numerous requirements; ❯ Involve a pre-grant inquiry with on grantee including CONTINUED ON page 32 foundationmag.ca

PERSONAL INSIGHTS

Taking to the Streets Once More

T

BY BRAD OFFMAN

he COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on families and businesses across Canada and around the World. For many of us, the last two years have been tough.

There are, however, some things about my pre-pandemic life that I will not miss. Regular commuting to downtown Toronto is one thing. Street fundraising is another.

It is my hope that street fundraising doesn’t return to the sidewalks of Toronto, or any Canadian town.

For those of you who don’t remember street fundraising, here’s what it entailed.

Let’s say you’re strolling down Queen Street West in downtown Toronto searching for a new pair of funky shoes to add to your collection. All of sudden you’re approached by a clean-cut twenty-something in a colourful smock — “Do you have a few moments to talk about saving the planet?”

What do you feel? Guilt, because your thoughts are more focused on shoes than the planet? Frustration, because you’re annoyed that charities have resorted to raising money by approaching you in a public space? Acceptance, because you know how hard it is to raise a dollar in these tough economic times?

Perhaps you are even pleased because you have been looking for an opportunity to support this charity and the canvasser has provided you with an easy opportunity to get started.

I had mixed emotions about street fundraising. Very mixed.

Prior to the pandemic, I accepted street fundraising because I understood how difficult and expensive it is for charities to find new donors. Street fundraising provided these charities with a platform to reach out to a new group of prospective donors who are quite literally walking down the street. On the other hand, I wondered if street fundraising undermined the overall credibility of the charitable sector by resorting to irksome practices that likely annoy most people being canvassed.

Street fundraisers typically stand in busy areas, approaching passers-by to convince them to donate money (usually a monthly automatic withdrawal from the donor’s bank account) to the charitable cause that he/she is promoting. The street fundraisers that I came across in Toronto typically represented highly credible charities (in my experience, mostly international development and environmental-protection organizations). For charities that employ street fundraisers (or use a third-party firm), they see it as a cost-effective way to bring new donors into the fold. Monthly donations provide a stable ongoing annuity for the charity to run its programs and operations.

Back in the pre-pandemic days, I worked on Queen Street West so I decided to do my own research. I ventured out of the confines of my own office and decided to talk to some of the fundraisers as well as many of the people who had been approached. First, foundationmag.ca

the fundraisers. On the whole, I was extremely impressed by their professionalism. None of the fundraisers was overly aggressive and all were consistently friendly, even when turned down. They were well trained and politely answered questions about their own compensation (typically an hourly wage, not commission-based) and the organization they represented. All in all, a pretty impressive bunch.

Not surprisingly, there was a wide range of responses from the people who had been approached. Keep in mind, my study was hardly scientific but I tried to speak to a cross section of age groups and a relatively equal number of men and women.

The following responses are representative of the comments I received: ❯ “He [the fundraiser] was funny and polite. But they really are a nuisance. Something needs to be done about them.” ❯ “This is where my donation goes — paying for these guys?” ❯ “It’s a little much — it’s a constant barrage every time I’m walking down the street. Enough already.” ❯ “It’s really not that big a deal in the grand scheme of things. I can live with it.” ❯ “I try and cross the street to avoid them” No one spoke about street fundraising in overly positive terms.

Some were fairly neutral but most were negative, some highly negative.

So what’s the final word on street fundraising? For one, the practice worked so it’s likely to return…eventually. Street fundraising’s ability to raise dollars on a cost-effective basis made it attractive to charities. But despite the professionalism and courtesy of its practitioners, street fundraising really does undermine the credibility of the entire charitable sector.

It perpetuates negative stereotypes about fundraising and associates charities with undesirable qualities like aggressiveness and intrusiveness. Furthermore, whether true or not, it draws attention to the one issue that the sector is trying hard to mitigate: the excessive focus on fundraising costs.

So what’s a donor to do? Well, for starters, don’t let any displeasure you might have with street fundraising prevent you from donating to your favourite charities. They definitely need your dollars to thrive and survive. If street fundraising is not to your liking, you can vote with your feet — with or without that funky new pair of shoes — and walk straight to your computer to make a donation online. Charities are happy to put your contribution to good use, regardless of how they receive it.

BRAD OFFMAN is Founder and Managing Partner of Spire Philanthropy, a management consultancy specializing in corporate-charitable partnerships.

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PERSONAL INSIGHTS

My Road Back to AFP

BY SHERRY JOY HUGH

“I know my journey’s not over yet, and that life is a winding path, but I can only hope it somehow circles back to the place I belong.”

- Nicholas Sparks

M

y road back to AFP is closely linked to feeling a sense of belonging to a community, which is a two-way responsibility. What I’ve learned along the way, is that gaining a new perspective, being inspired, and feeling included, were the signs I needed to guide me on the pathway back.

The Journey It was the late 90s when I stumbled upon fundraising as a career.

I actually fell into it, and when I fell, I fell hard. I was freshly graduated from UofT with a Sociology degree and the only clarity I had was the word Community, so, to find a job where I could do something good for community was like finding Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’s Golden Ticket.

I considered myself lucky. I had this great new job, using my skills to help raise funds for the local hospital my family and friends relied on, and bonus, my new boss Catherine, was a joy to work with. Smart, witty, fun, and well-connected in the fundraising world. She encouraged me and the others on the team to network and take courses to help us grow professionally and that’s how I first heard about the Association for Fundraising Professionals (AFP). I had so much to learn, and I had a boss and this association where I could start learning and meeting others in the sector. But, within less than a year, all of that changed, and I found myself on another path.

A merger. A bigger, better hospital. The boss I loved, gone. A new boss in place. A whole new team. A different environment.

A different role. I was starting all over again. This time with a team that I didn’t feel like I belonged to. A new word replaced Community and that was — Survival. My plan was to try and

Sherry Joy Hugh

Sherry Joy Hugh is the Director or Corporate Giving & Employee Engagement at Canada’s Children’s Hospital Foundation (CCHF), the largest non-governmental funder of children’s hospitals in Canada. She has worked for national and local charities supporting community, education, health, children and youth – with her personal mission to serve community as her guiding star.

Sherry started her career in a hospital cafeteria which led to a job at The Scarborough Hospital Foundation where she learned about the fundraising profession and has been ‘hooked’ ever since. She’s been in roles ranging annual fundraising, community and donor engagement, special events – leading the team that ran some of the largest fundraising events like the CN Tower Climb and Rat Race – and now managing national corporate partnerships with companies such as TD, RE/ MAX, Sun Life for CCHF. In addition to her work at CCHF, Sherry is also active in her community as a specialty group fitness leader at the City of Markham, Groove Barre studio and a long-time volunteer at the Markham YMCA. No matter where she goes, Sherry’s goal is to connect people, opportunities and ideas to create a positive and inclusive community.

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PERSONAL INSIGHTS fit in, don’t ask for too much, put my head down, don’t rock the boat, and do a good job. Professional development and AFP did not fit into this plan that lasted for close to a decade.

I later moved on to work at an educational institution and later, a national organization, that had memberships with several associations, including AFP. I was back! I was motivated to take advantage of all the learning and networking opportunities available to continue building my career and grow my network. I enthusiastically attended lots of AFP days and conferences. I did my best to show up at events, proactively introducing myself and starting conversations, actively listening, and trying to find common ground. People would engage in polite small talk, and they’d answer my questions but noticed that they weren’t really asking me any questions or inviting me into their conversations with others. I felt like that new kid walking into the cafeteria and not being invited to sit at anyone’s table.

After a while, I got tired. For reasons I couldn’t articulate, my interactions with other members felt one-sided. Did I mention that I was one of the only fundraisers of colour at that time? There were so few people of colour at the events I attended, and absolutely no other Filipinos, at least, that I could see. But I refused to believe that this was why I felt a barrier to really connecting with people. I was raised believing that if I worked hard and did my best to fit in,

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it would all work out. I honed the ability to blend in, and still, the same feeling prevailed event after event and I started to think — “Was it me?” “Do I even belong here?”

I decided that I didn’t belong, and almost completely stopped going to AFP events. From time to time, I would pop into a conference on a shared pass, but at that point, I would just focus on going to the courses, taking notes, and then doing my job. I didn’t believe AFP was a community for me. So, I stayed away for years, until…

A New Perspective I lost my job. It was a job I loved and thought I would be at for the rest of my career. There were good reasons why my job no longer existed, and COVID-19 was one of the main ones.

This sudden and unexpected break forced me to reflect deeply about my career and rediscover if fundraising was where I wanted to be. I considered lots of options — Do I start my own business? Do I look at working in the private sector? Do I go back to school and go on a completely new path?

My heart, followed by my mind, knew that working for a mission-based organization was something I needed to do, and fundraising was the skill I could bring. This reflection also got me to take a good look at myself — was I doing everything I could do to refine my fundraising skills and connect with others

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PERSONAL INSIGHTS in the sector? Was I doing everything I could do to learn and grow? The answer was simply, No. At that point I thought of rejoining AFP, but still I held back.

Inspired I started working for a new national foundation and was welcomed with open arms. The organization was actively working on building an inclusive workplace culture and made a real effort to make everyone feel welcomed, heard, and valued. This new path was exciting, and my energy for the work and sector was renewed.

Soon after I started, I also met a senior fundraiser at a partner foundation who was, wait for it… Filipino(!), still rare to find in the non-profit sector. I immediately reached out to connect.

Our conversation was easy, two-way, and we were both curious about each other’s fundraising journeys. With me being much older, I had lots of stories to share about my time coming up — donors asking me to be their personal assistant, donors and colleagues weaving into conversation how I would remind them of their nannies, and other microaggressions, and he had his own stories to share. I felt relief. Finally, someone who saw and understood me.

I also learned that he was really involved in AFP and was chairing AFP Fundraising Day with the theme IDEA — Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access — AFP’s recently

established values. He shared his vision for the event and that he was currently pulling together a committee and thought, with my background, I’d be a good fit to help with booking plenary speakers for the event. I told him I’d think about it. He didn’t know it at the time, but I was inspired by his effort to lead the way for change and started to think about AFP differently, seeing the organization with fresh eyes.

Was AFP changing? I know I was changing. The world was also changing with people being more open to tackling the uncomfortable and challenging conversations related to race, equity, inclusion and belonging. I noticed that AFP, through this event, was making an effort to have a different conversation and I wanted to be a part of it, so not only did I join the committee, I rejoined AFP. Inclusion To feel included, one must feel the ability to share their ideas without fear of repercussion, feel heard and accepted despite having a different perspective. The willingness to tackle the difficult and uncomfortable needs to be present along with the knowingness that together, once we’ve overcome the challenge, we could create something even more beautiful.

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We Create Accidental Philanthropists™

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MARKET RESEARCH

2022 Giving Report I

BY SHANNON CRAIG

Unprecedented strain meets new opportunities for Canadian charities

ISTOCK/ LIGHTCOME

t’s no surprise that charities have had a rough ride since the start of the pandemic.

It started with the cancellation of critical inperson fundraising events, leaving charities scrambling to make up for lost revenue. Some charities were forced to quickly pivot programs and services online, while others who offer critical frontline services incurred unexpected costs such as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) or plexiglass to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Now, more than two years into the global health crisis, charities are still contending with the ripple effect of the pandemic as many organizations continue to face higher than normal demand, while donations have declined or flattened as inflation and economic uncertainty mounts.

To understand both the challenges and opportunities currently facing charities, CanadaHelps recently published The Giving Report 2022, an annual publication which highlights giving trends and data to gain insights into our current situation.

Highlighted in this year’s report are results of an Ipsos poll commissioned by CanadaHelps which shared worrying results. Conducted in January 2021, the poll found that 11 percent of Canadians currently rely on charities to meet basic needs such as food and housing.

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“... this book is revolutionary.

It’s a ‘once in a generation’ book.

It will rewire your brain.”

—TOM AHERN

Creative Deviations is an anecdotal and thoughtful how-to guide to help you become more creative with your fundraising. It’s part graphic design, part design thinking, part storytelling, part strategic thinking and part love note to you amazing humans who work so hard for your causes, your donors, your mission and your desire to contribute and make positive change in our world.

Available now at: https://hilborn-civilsectorpress.com

MARKET RESEARCH Of even greater concern, the 11 Only percent of Canadians relying on charities for basic needs could rise as high as 26 percent if pandemic and inflationary financial pressures continue in 2022. It’s a staggering reality, but Gave More that means one in four Canadians may be forced to turn to charities this year for critical support.

While many charities face heightened demand in contrast to pre-pandemic times, the same Ipsos poll also reported that one in four Canadians expect to give less in 2022 than they did in 2021. Even before the pandemic, however, charities across the country were in a tough spot. Between 2006 to 2019, giving participation rates declined from 24.6 percent in 2006 to 19 percent in 2019 — that’s a 5.6 point drop in less than 15 years.

As changes in giving behaviour take effect over time, one concerning trend outlined in the last few editions of The Giving Report highlights how older Canadians are now giving at twice the rate of younger Canadians. When older donors are no longer able to give, and if younger Canadians do not increase their giving, charities will be faced with a significant gap in funding known as the giving gap. When we dive into the data, we see Canadians aged 50 and up were the only group to increase their giving, which grew from $4.2 billion in 2006 to $7 billion in 2019. During the same time period, Canadians between 40 and 54 years of age, 25 to 39, and 18-24 decreased the amount they donated by -3.1 percent, -1.6 percent and -2.1 percent each year respectively.

While the giving trends are alarming, the report also gives reason for optimism as it sheds light on the giving preferences among younger Canadians which charities can leverage to adapt fundraising strategies to engage a broader demographic of givers.

First, the report highlights room for optimism, especially when it comes to younger Canadians. Although the widening giving gap is cause for concern, younger Canadians have demonstrated interest in new ways of giving, including donating cryptocurrency. Just over six percent of Generation Z and four and a half percent of Millennials have donated cryptocurrency in the last 12 months compared to 0.3 percent of Generation X and less than 0.1 percent of Baby Boomers in the same time frame.

Millennials have also demonstrated a strong affinity towards donations of securities. Thirteen percent of Millennials have donated securities in the past year, making them twice as likely to give securities than Baby Boomers. When it comes to monthly donations, 31.8 percent of Generation Z and 30.6 percent of Millennials preferred to give to a charity every month rather than making a larger one-time gift; in contrast, 27.6 percent of Generation X and 20.3 percent of Baby Boomers who would opt to give monthly.

These trends show how important it is that charities diversify their revenue streams and enable donors to give in

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the way that is optimal to them, especially when trying to attract younger donors.

The second positive trend is related to ways younger Canadians differ from older generations in terms of how they wish to engage with the charities or causes they care about. For example, 58 percent of Generation Z have shared that they want to learn as much as they can about an issue so they can become an informed supporter. In contrast, less than half of Millennials Rely (48 percent), Generation X (45 percent), and Baby Boomers (49 percent) made on Charity the same claim.

Knowing this, it’s important for charities to develop high-quality materials and resources that engage and immerse donors in the cause to help them understand the challenges, opportunities, and ways they can help initiate change. It’s also more important than ever for charities to segment their donors to target their communications, especially given differences among generations. Leveraging a donor management system to target younger donors is one way of doing just that.

Although it’s been a challenging two years, it’s more important than ever for all of us in the charitable sector to commit to learning about these trends which will take place with or without us, and double down on implementing best practices to advance the transformative work charities lead each and every day.

11%

SHANNON CRAIG is the Chief Marketing & Product Officer at CanadaHelps, a public foundation advancing philanthropy through technology. For more information, or to download The Giving Report 2022, visit www.CanadaHelps.org.

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PROFILE

From the Heart: Brian (Barké) Nowak - Inspirational Philanthropy

BY MICHAEL BROOKE AND CEZARINA TRONE

T

he word philanthropy comes from Latin and translates as a “love of humankind, often defined as giving gifts of ‘time, talent and treasure’ to make life better for other people.”

This column aims to celebrate those who engage in philanthropy in all its forms and Brian Nowak is a shining model of what this truly signifies.

Most people would be hard-pressed to find Niger on a map. It borders seven other countries including Libya, Algeria and Nigeria.

Niger is also one of the poorest nations on earth with 43 percent of its population existing on less than $1.90 per day. The country is also one of the hottest places on earth (it has been given the nickname “the frying pan of the world”) with local temperatures rising at 1.5 times the rate as the global average. Life expectancy hovers around 62 years. Niger is also the world’s youngest country with half of its population under the age of 14 and education remains a serious challenge.

Tragically, 50 percent of children ages 7 to 12 are out of school and this figure jumps to 60 percent for those 13 to 16. The reasons for this failure of education are wide ranging. They include conflict-driven insecurity, climaterelated emergencies, COVID-19 pandemic, hunger and extreme poverty.

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“what is striking about villages in Niger is their way of life, very much a pastoral culture.

They actually have to rely on their animals for sustenance, they live in the middle of nowhere with very little support in a farm like environment; they have to sell their milk at the local market. This is a culture that very few people on this planet would ever experience.

This tells you how remote it is.”

“As a child, Brian never sat still”, recalls his mother Ellen; “he was a rebel, he hated school and found the whole experience ridiculous” she recalls. “I later realized that my son was so much smarter than what they were teaching him. I sense he felt quite bored and unchallenged.”

Ellen recalls one high school story that gives us deeper insight into Brian’s personality.

“There was this girl Flo in our neighbourhood, and she had an extremely strict mother. When Brian got his license, he told her, ‘Now I can pick you up and we can drive to school.’ Little did Flo know that Brian had already approached her mother and offered her a drive. This way the mom could get a sense of Brian’s driving skills to feel confident enough in letting Flo be a passenger with him. He made a little extra effort just to give this girl a little more freedom”. Brian had a unique ability to solve problems with tremendous creativity.”

It was only when Brian got to college that he blossomed as a student. As a student at foundationmag.ca

PROFILE

Boston University, Brian arrived in Niger in 1998 as part of the study abroad program. Souley Oumaru was the one who met Brian the very first day the BU students came to Niger. Sue Rosenfeld, the BU Program director had asked Souley and his brother to welcome these new American students and get to know them so they can learn English. “I was his first friend in Niger. I remember how they all sat around in a circle and they took turns to introduce themselves; I remember how Brian stood out with his long hair, blue eyes and his simple attire.”

Why Niger? Brian mentioned to Souley that when he was in high school, they were exploring the map of the world and the name of Niger sounded intriguing to him so he said to himself, ‘Oh, this is so interesting. I want to go there some day.’ Later, as he started Boston University, it so happened that they were offering a study abroad program in Niger. It all made sense now.

Niger was his destiny. Just like that. foundationmag.ca

COURTESY ANTHONY SCHULTZ

Brian (Barké) Nowak and Nigerien child.

Brian’s love for Mother Africa was evident from the beginning.

As Souley explains, “he truly fell in love with the people. The people of Niger are poor but very kind. They feed you first before they eat for themselves; they will give you their bed and they will sleep on the floor if you are their guest. They will always put you first. I think Brian was very touched by that. He could not believe it, that he had found this kind of people who have nothing and yet they’re very happy with a simple life.”

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PROFILE Brian was given the Fulani name Many of the BU students who Barké (which translates as “Blessing”) studied in Niger had similar and somehow, he finagled his way to experiences. Barké taught courses stay there for three semesters since on Nigerien culture and performing most people were only allowed to arts. He coordinated field trips stay for two. He reluctantly returned outside of Niamey, taking students to the US to take the one course to rural markets and sharing his required for graduating with a BA in intense love of Niger with them.

Anthropology and a Minor in African When Cynthia returned to Niger Studies at BU. in 2009, she and Brian traveled He stayed in the US for another extensively in Niger. They went into five years, completing his MA in the Liptako region to learn about General and Urban Education at Long Bella/Iklan communities there.

Island University in New York while “Given that the area had no hotels, working as a teacher in NYC Public and even if it did Brian would not School 155, located in East Harlem. want to stay in them, he prepared As an elementary school teacher, he for his journey by strapping mats on taught ESL, kids with special needs, top of his car,” recalls Cynthia. He and received a grant to implement a filled the back of his car with a large multicultural music program. Music, sack of rice, spices, onions, and a few Barké with man in Tillaberi who came to tell us that he had education, and language guided other vegetables. The two went to never tasted a vegetable until Barké had helped his village to his teaching in NYC and these were various market towns, interviewing install an irrigated community garden. passions that Barké continued to blacksmiths, tailors, and women cultivate his entire life. about styles of dress and social An intense longing for Niger led change in the region regarding the him to return there permanently history of slavery. in 2005 when he began working When we visited small communities, as a consultant for the Red Cross we gave people some of the food and and Red Crescent. Brian eventually asked them to cook it for us, sharing it purchased land near the Niger River with them. We camped by their homes in the Goudel neighbourhood of and slept under the stars on our mats.

Niamey and built an adobe house. He We got stuck in the sand dunes several times, once for a harrowing four lived, traveled, and worked in Niger hours; only a large truck and a team of for more than 15 years, including people managed to pull us out,” recalls teaching for the Boston University Cynthia. Security concerns in Liptako study abroad program and consulting cut short their plans to write about for field research and assessment painted houses on the Wogo Islands projects. He was Program Director near Ayerou. for the NGO Rain for the Sahel and Brian was given the Fulani name Barké, When Brian came to the US once or Sahara, and a research consultant and which translates as “Blessing ”. twice a year, he stayed with Cynthia contributor to the African Language in Boston, giving at least a dozen Materials Archive. Brian had a passion for anthropology, ethnomusicology, development, and lectures to her various African art classes. “I teased him about education. He detested sitting behind a desk and bureaucracy wearing his yellow plastic sandals with socks to BU and often had to reprimand him for using the F-word during class or making but loved out of the box thinking.

One of the two main languages in Niger is Zarma and Barké some other off-color joke. Of course, students loved him.”

Brian remained close to his host father from his study abroad spoke it fluently. Cynthia Becker (Professor of African art history in the History of Art & Architecture Department at days, Baba Nzara, whose family he regularly visited for Eid and Boston University), was with him in Niger when they stopped other occasions. He was a devoted advocate for youth education, in a small town to eat street food. “I was in his Land Cruiser and especially among children living in poverty, and supported several I was impressed to see the astonished looks on people’s faces Nigerien students with school fees. He was a consultant for the when he spoke fluent Zarma. He comfortably teased and joked music label Sublime Frequencies, traveling to Benin, Burkina with people; his laugh was infectious, and he managed to get Faso, Mali, and Nigeria with Hisham Mayet to document music and dance. He worked with his longtime friend Tara Deubel as a everyone to smile and laugh with him.”

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PROFILE consultant for OXFAM in northwestern Mali. to walk three, or more, whatever it took to reach the goal.”

Brian also taught with Cezarina Trone at the American In his position as a Programs Director for Rain, Brian International School of Niamey (AISN) between 2007-2010. evaluated programs in agriculture and education, worked on a “Reflecting back on my three years teaching in Niger, I witnessed dorm program for students from nomadic communities, and Brian’s daily practice of being a great listener and knowing how to designed curricula. Brian maintained close friendships with follow his own inner GPS (I call this instinctual energy or intuition). his Rain colleagues, including Halima Aboubacar, with whom Quite often I watched him teach kids about chameleons he picked he collaborated on humanitarian work across the Tillabéri and up from the school garden, and it took me a while to realize he Agadez regions. was indeed ‘a chameleon’ himself. Brian had this ability to adapt Every American who passed through Niger doing research or to any person, group or situation in order to be able to assist with as a student encountered Barké. No doubt there are so many exactly what was needed in the moment ” explains Cezarina. others not mentioned here who would agree that he had a Debba Robinson (AISN School profound impact on their lives.

Director at the time) confirms, Over the last few years, Barké “Brian was a white man in a began to devote himself to his very dark-skinned culture, and true passion: music and oral yet, I didn’t see him as being traditions. He worked with starkly different because he had John P. Hutchinson, Professor merged into that culture. I loved Emeritus of African Languages the way he interacted with the & Linguistics at Boston people in the street, how he University (Friends of Niger mingled culturally, socially and Nonprofit Organization) and through his amazing facility traveled throughout the Sahel of languages. Brian didn’t sit and documented more than himself on a pedestal and said, 77 artists performing in 22 ‘I am the great big white man and different languages. “Brian had you need to worship me’, which Brian with Bessie Palmisciano who is the founder of Rain for the Sahel & Sahara, a deep love for and appreciation is something that I abhor; I a U.S. not-for-profit organization operating in rural Niger. of the music of West Africa” cannot stand it when the white explains John. Brian traveled man comes in and says, ‘You can all sit by my feet.’” widely filming and documenting African musicians. He would He shared his great love of Tuareg music with Eric Schmidt get to know the musicians and would film and record their (Assistant Director of the Boston University African Studies music, he would contact linguists at local universities and hire Center) and became good friends with scholars Scott Youngstedt them to transcribe and translate the recording. and Sara Beth Keough. For more than eight years he worked with Brian was a talented photographer, often choosing to Bess Palmisciano, founder of the NGO Rain for the Sahel and photograph people from below, presenting them as majestic and Sahara, as an organic gardening consultant, providing practical proud, which is clearly the way he understood them to be. training in nutrition and health.

Anthony Schultz was one of 12 students who stayed with “His talent for connection, in addition to his experience as a Brian during his time in Niger. “He divided us into groups of four teacher, was crucial in defining Rain’s approach to community and we’d stay overnight in a very remote part of the country. development” says Bess. “Our shared vision of Rain focused on We were the last group to go out and it was seriously off-road.” valuing local traditions while introducing new ideas, discussing Anthony recalls that a number of children had gathered around options and forming consensus. It was here where Barké’s their group of students because they were very curious. “These natural charm factor flourished. As Bess fondly recalls, “Brian children had never seen white people in their lives and they coddled babies, played with children, connected with every hung out with us. We ate dinner with them and got to learn person involved in a project. He eagerly ate local food, danced about their way of life.” with them and sang. Whatever was happening, he was there.”

Brian very much had the desire to connect with people in Bess believes that Brian’s ground level talent was more than such a heartfelt way that it truly transcended what we have been matched by his intellect. “His curricula for adult literacy classes taught in our culture about connecting with others. “He’d drive were unconventional, participatory, and wildly successful. Some through the city of Niamey and it seemed like he knew everyone students had never held a pencil, others didn’t know that their on the street. He was recognized as being an integral part of the language could be written. Classes were held in straw structures; local community” says Anthony. When Brian’s mother visited passersby often stopped to listen and asked to join.”

Niger in 2006, she recalls driving around to lively shouts of She also remembers a little boy who walked 12 miles to school ‘Barké:’ “Everyone knew his name and kids would just flock to each day. “I was skeptical, so I drove him one day. It was true. the car at every red light we stopped at.”

Brian loved people and for every mile they walked he was willing An avid hiker, Brian loved spending the night under the stars, foundationmag.ca

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PROFILE whether it was in northern Ghana or on the roof of his house in Niamey. Barké was deeply spiritual and a seeker of mystical knowledge, facing life with an open heart and mind. He was not a dreamer but a visionary soul in action, and he would go wherever the road took him because he was trusting himself. Brian also had his own day to day challenges and worries as we all do, sometimes even wondering how he may be able to make ends meet and continue his life in Niger. Nevertheless, he continued to follow his soul mission, and this made all the difference.

Brian worked with Sublime Frequencies, an ethnic music label, doing field recordings in the Tillaberi and Filingue regions of Niger and as an archivist for Sahelian folk collection in Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Mauritania. He also consulted in northwestern Mali with OXFAM — a global organization that fights inequality to end poverty and injustice; the International Federation of the Red Cross, the Red Crescent, and the British Red Cross during their response to the 2005 food crisis in the pastoral zone; and PLAN NIGER, where he worked as a consultant and author of a mid-term report/ assessment of a U.S. Department of Labor-funded project for Child Labor and Trafficking. Brian also participated on the Niger Heritage Museum Committee and was a member of one of its paleontological and archaeological expeditions.

Brian continued to teach throughout his time in Niger and was an annual guest lecturer for Boston University’s African American Studies Program. He was also an Instructor and Program Assistant at Boston University’s Niger Program until 2011, when it was cancelled after multiple terrorist attacks by the Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).

“In my memory, Brian was this big breath of happiness” says Amina Allele Abou who worked as a secretary at AISN. “He was just filled with joy. I never saw him angry. He was always positive and always had something nice to say whenever I saw him in the office.”

Amina says that Brian loved Niger so much, but he disliked the fancy embassy parties “Every time I handed him an invitation, he would rip it up and throw it in the wastebasket.

He refused to go and was content mingling with real people — not government bureaucrats.”

Tahira Tameez, preschool teacher at AISN had an extraordinary story to share: “Brian would go out of the American School grounds to buy street food for his lunch break and one afternoon I asked him what he ate. He casually replied, ‘Well, I was out buying my street food and there was a boy standing next to me and he looked and looked at me… I asked him, ‘Are you hungry?’ He nodded a big ‘yes’, so I bought my lunch and gave it to him; I had no money left, so I came back.”

Tears filled my eyes, Tahira said. “I thought to myself that day: How could anyone do that? Give away your own food to somebody you don’t even know? You need to have a big, big heart for this is a huge thing. And Brian was very casual about it, as if nothing ‘special’ happened. I remember asking him, ‘Can I order something for you now at the school cafeteria now?’ He did not want to take anything. He went on teaching.”

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did that he never talked about. He helped out many people quietly without showing off and he was truly a humble person.”

Brian was in the process of establishing a formal appointment as Research Affiliate of the BU African Studies Center when tragedy hit.

According to Air Info (a local newspaper) in November of 2021, police investigators were summoned to Brian’s house.

Sources reported that the investigators had to go through the roof to access Brian’s room as it was locked. Strangely, there were no signs of forced entry and no valuables were removed from Brian’s house. Police discovered Brian lying on his chest.

His body was unrecognizable because of having been set on fire. Blood was found on Brian’s vehicle further adding to the mystery of his death.

The newspaper said that Brian lived in complete symbiosis with the people of his neighbourhood. A few comments from the locals give an indication as to how much impact he had on the community: “He’d become like a brother to us! I knew him from a young age. One local said, “He speaks Zarma better than many of us.” A young woman was quoted as saying: “It’s very sad! Barké was an incredible human being! We don’t know why he would be murdered. With his death, Niger has lost a great friend, a brother to us and a sincere lover of life,” said another neighbour.

The US Embassy is continuing the investigation with Niger’s security forces. As of May 2022, one person is in custody and two others of interest are at large. “I just can’t wrap my head around this — nothing makes sense. He never ever mentioned to me that he felt unsafe” says Ellen.

“Brian brought so much richness to all life around him. And in the end, isn’t it all about the richness we bring to every life experience? Brian did not have access to financial wealth, and yet, look at the richness of all the relationships he has created around the world, the profound transformational experiences he initiated for others and the tangible impact he had on so many lives in Niger at so many levels. His loving presence is now continuing to change the world he left behind. This is the true wealth of being” says Cezarina.

One essential reflection we are left with when reading these pages about Brian’s life revolves around the idea of taking action.

If he did so much with so little, how much more can we do now as we receive this deep understanding of true philanthropy and start embodying it in our day to day lives?

“Barké is teaching us to inhabit our lives in such a way that not one moment is wasted. It is as if Brian died a martyr’s death. Through the fiery death that he has experienced, Brian has brought forth a sense of freedom for humanity. May we all allow this energy of being our own free and authentic self to become part of us, to make this world new and gentle, beautiful, powerful & clear. We are the ones we have been waiting for.” - Cezarina Trone.

MICHAEL BROOKE & CEZARINA TRONE are collaborating on a special book of inspirational philanthropy stories from Brian’s life. This article was accomplished with assistance from beloved friends, family and colleagues of Brian Nowak around the world. Stay in touch by following their websites: www.timeformystory.com and www.cezarinatrone.com foundationmag.ca

FINANCE

The Role of Finance Continues to Evolve

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BY DANIEL OH

he roles of CFOs and controllers have been greatly transformed in recent years with the increased demand for accounting automation and the need to adapt to change. Today, their responsibilities could include corporate planning, strategy, and connecting the dots between financial and operational data to drive business growth.

With the power of analytics and process automation, CFOs and controllers can create better collaboration, enable data-driven decision making and realtime access to financial data, and gain deeper visibility into transactions, cost, and revenue on demand. In fact, according to our recent The Redefined CFO Study, CFOs recognize that artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and automation will be crucial technologies for organizations to integrate into the finance function going forward.

Among the vast range of capabilities that can be achieved through accounting automation, there are three main areas that are ripe for improvement in this field of technology — let’s take a closer look at those here.

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Collaboration is key Fostering better collaboration can be key to the role of more effective CFOs and controllers.

With automation powering cloud-based accounting software, finance leaders can bring vital information from any device at any time right into the meeting room with them, while facilitating collaboration through digital communication channels with context-specific chat and dialog capabilities.

By leveraging these cloud-based tools, they can also bring those same conversations into a dashboard or reporting screen and give greater context to the data and information being discussed.

These capabilities can enable CFOs to do anything from viewing and reconciling journal entries to reviewing invoices, planning, and rolling out projects with their teams in real-time.

This creates a foundation to build internal relationships which strengthen the level of trust in the organization through a single source of data truth and asynchronous communication, which is even more important with remote work dividing workforces and assets.

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2022 Canadian Federal Budget CONTINUED FROM page 16

Create savings and increase efficiency Often, we think of savings in terms of dollar amounts, but CFOs and controllers are uniquely positioned to create time savings, with operational efficiency being a key performance metric.

For example, CFOs and controllers must be able to provide accurate information to executive management teams and company directors in a timely fashion, which can be enabled through accounting automation.

At one point in time, it would take days (or even weeks) to manually pull data from past transactions and organize it into spreadsheets that were often riddled with errors. With accounting automation capabilities at their fingertips, innovative finance leaders can replace cumbersome, outdated processes with forward-thinking analytics that can save time when consolidating and managing data.

In fact, the Sage Close The Books Survey showed that professionals who automate more than 50 percent of their journal entries close those books 20 percent faster!

Enable strategic thinking The strategic mission of accounting and finance teams is to evolve everyday as technology advances. Today, they are tasked with not only reviewing past transactions but to carry out datadriven decision making and planning; something that can be achieved by employing cloud accounting software to optimize workflows and build an effective strategy for future growth.

With access to real-time data and analytics readily available through dashboards and reports right at their fingertips, CFOs and controllers can drive strategic initiatives across the entire organization and plan more accurately for year-end audits.

By empowering finance teams to automate repetitive tasks like purchase ordering workflows, vendor payments, and bank reconciliations, accounting automation software allows finance departments to create massive time savings, boost visibility for staff and leaders, and free themselves up to focus on value-added activities that directly impact the bottom line.

Finance teams no longer need to be preoccupied with repetitive tasks and can instead pivot to developing short and long-term strategies for their organization’s financial health.

The future of accounting automation Traditional financial processes are a thing of the past; the future of finance now lies in accounting automation to empower and enhance the existing capabilities of finance teams.

Forward-thinking finance leaders who wish to modernize their operations should research the solutions available and focus on the bigger picture — executing a winning strategy that will position their organization for lasting success.

DANIEL OH is Country Manager (interim) of Sage Canada.

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❯ ❯ ❯

identity, prior history, practices, activities, and areas of expertise of the grantee organization and its directors, officers, and like officials; Involve ongoing monitoring and periodic reports; Have a final report; and Have remedial action, if necessary.

Unfortunately, until CRA provides guidance on this topic, there will not be certainty as to what the rules are. Although we may be comfortable relying on CRA guidance, some charities and their legal counsel may challenge the rules in court, and it may take a decade or two to understand the full impact of these changes.

MARK BLUMBERG and HELENE MERSKY are lawyers at Blumberg Segal LLP in Toronto. To find out more about legal services that Blumbergs provides to Canadian charities and nonprofits please visit www.CanadianCharityLaw.ca. Blumbergs also maintains Canada’s largest charity information portal at www.CharityData.ca with up to 19 years of information on every Canadian registered charity. The portal is free and the aim is to increase transparency in the Canadian charity sector. This article is for information purposes only. It is not intended to be legal advice. You should not act or abstain from acting based upon such information without first consulting a legal professional.

My Road Back to AFP CONTINUED FROM page 22

That has been my experience volunteering on the AFP Fundraising Day committee so far, and I have the committee and especially its leadership to thank for that.

I have a renewed hope that AFP is evolving and that the younger me would feel more of a sense of belonging, today.

What is also clear to me is that I have a personal role and responsibility to help build a community that makes people who may feel like outsiders, feel included.

Where I am right now So today, I’m a renewed member of my local chapter of AFP and am open to see where this new path will take me, but I don’t want to walk it alone and welcome others to join me on this journey of discovery.

If you have ever felt like I felt, like that kid not being invited to sit at the table, hopefully my story brings you a new perspective, inspires you to try again and gives you confidence that you’ll be more included. And if ever you don’t feel like you belong, come find me — we’ll find a table to sit at together.

SHERRY JOY HUGH is the Director or Corporate Giving & Employee Engagement at Canada’s Children’s Hospital Foundation (CCHF). foundationmag.ca

HISTORIC PLAQUES Historic Plaques Which Honour Philanthropy

STEVE LLOYD

STEVE LLOYD

The Friends of Leith Church

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The cemetery and buildings in Leith Ontario and the nearby Annan cemetery are maintained by the non profit association Friends of Leith Church. A strong flock of volunteers under the guidance and hard work of Jim Glaves (pictured), the chairman of the cemetery board, this group has been responsible for landscaping the grounds, restoring both the church and the wooden barn, and running numerous fundraising events throughout the year which help to keep artist Tom Thomson’s grave and surroundings in beautiful condition.

Located in Leith Cemetery, where his grave is located, off County Road 15, Leith, Ontario, the plaque provides a good summary of his life.

Born in Claremont, a small village northeast of Toronto, Tom Thomson and his family would move to nearby Leith when he was two months old, the town located less than ten kilometres from the city of Owen Sound. Thomson’s childhood was a happy and hectic one, the sixth of ten children, who were encouraged and entertained early, through activities including reading, music, hunting, fishing and drawing.

Throughout his life, Thomson would return regularly to Leith to visit his family and it likely would have been during one of these trips that he painted 1908’s “Road Near Leith”. The artist had settled in Toronto in the years previous (after stays in Owen Sound and Seattle) and was continuing a career in commercial art which would connect him with J.E.H. MacDonald and future members of the Group of Seven. During this early period in Toronto, Thomson is believed to have also been taking night classes with William Cruikshank at the Central Ontario School of Art and Industrial Design (now OCAD University), likely learning “useful techniques” from the British artist.

Also key to the Leith efforts is the Community Foundation Grey Bruce. What’s more, The National Trust for Canada published an overview of the work of the Friends of Leith Church and you can see the story here: https://regenerationworks.ca/case-studyhistoric-leith-church/

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FUNDRAISING

Fundraising Legacy Creates Endless Opportunities for Amputees

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BY MARTINE LEPINE

hat began as an Association to assist war amputee veterans returning from the First World War has expanded over the years from assisting war amputees — whom they still serve today — to all amputees, including children.

Julian Telfer Wan, 26, was born a left hand amputee and grew up in The War Amps Child Amputee (CHAMP) Program which provides financial assistance for artificial limbs and adaptive devices, as well as peer support. Julian also attended regional CHAMP seminars where “Champs” and their parents learn about the latest in artificial limbs, dealing with teasing and bullying, and parenting an amputee child.

“The War Amps support has meant that I’ve been fitted with Julian at a War Amps CHAMP Seminar in 2006 (left) and today (right). devices so that I can take part in a variety of activities, such as riding my bike, kayaking, weightlifting and playing the trombone,” says Julian. “They’ve also given me encouragement and the confidence to succeed.”

Ten-year-old Audrey Donohue, born a right arm amputee, was recently fitted with a baseball device. “The device allows Audrey to hold the bat with two hands and swing with more strength and control,” says mom, Meghan. “The support from The War Amps means that Audrey can take part in activities just like any other child.”

The War Amps receives no government grants and its programs are possible through public support of the Key Tag and Address Label Service.

The Key Tag Service was launched in 1946 so that Audrey with her baseball device. returning war amputee veterans could not only work for competitive wages, but also provide a service to Canadians that would generate funds for the Association’s many programs, including CHAMP. The Key Tag Service continues to employ amputees and people with disabilities, and has returned more than 1.5 million sets of lost keys to their owners.

Each key tag has a confidentially coded number. If you lose your keys, the finder can call the toll-free number on the back of the tag or place them in any mailbox in Canada and The War Amps will return them to you by courier, free of charge.

“We’d like to thank the public for helping to make this service a success,” says War Amps spokesperson Rob Larman, himself a graduate of the CHAMP Program. “Your support funds essential programs for all amputees across Canada, including children and veterans.”

Donors may also choose to leave a gift or charitable bequest in their wills, whether as a first-time donation or as a way to continue their support of the Association’s work that was so meaningful to them during their lifetime.

A family member of one of these donors wrote to The War Amps to explain the reason behind his gift: “My uncle was a very special man with a generous heart and he couldn’t think of a worthier cause than helping child amputees. He knew you would use this money well to bring smiles to children’s faces and make their challenges easier.”

Another wrote of a similar gift, “Barbara knew the many ways that The War Amps helps child and adult amputees. She felt strongly that her gift would make a positive difference in their lives.”

Larman concludes that The War Amps is grateful for the support of Canadians in any form. “With so many charities to choose from, we do not take this support for granted, and we work continuously to ensure that these funds are put to the very best use.”

For more information, or to order key tags, visit waramps.ca or call toll-free 1 800 250-3030.

MARTINE LEPINE is communications manager at The War Amps.

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