NEWS: The Coaching Tools Company Charitable Donations for 2017-2018

We're Excited to Give Even More in 2017-2018!

This is our third year of making substantial donations to charitable organizations - and again, we donated even more this year! We supported the same charities as we did in 2017 - ranging from the hyper-local to organizations that operate internationally. We chose to support the homeless and those who work to support them, a mental health organization, refugees and a youth mentoring organization.

Here's a Little Bit More About Who We Supported and Why:

1) Copper Kettle Community Partnership - Salt Spring Island, BC, Canada

Emma-Louise Elsey and Cherie Gouvreau

Emma-Louise Elsey & Cherie Gouvreau

Charity starts at home. Copper Kettle is a fabulous example of a grass-roots community partnership. I was thrilled to meet up and talk with Cherie Gouvreau, the powerhouse behind Copper Kettle. She brims with energy, ideas, information and knowledge about homelessness, poverty and related issues. And despite many hurdles, she continues with her long-term project to bring a supported housing development to our community.

Copper Kettle is supported solely by Salt Spring Islanders and offers emergency supplies to people without homes or shelter (i.e. tents,  sleeping  bags,  winter clothing and food). They also have a food program to help low and fixed income seniors and families, making sure they have food (with a particular focus on protein items) to eat and stay healthy.

Other projects include a plan to open a laundromat (since our last one closed 2 years ago), developing a "Community Garden" for fruit and veggies, maintaining the "Community Woodpile" and offering "Gift Certificates" to people in need for both clothing at a local Thrift Store and food at a local supermarket.

This is grass roots activism at its best, helping those in need at source, and we are proud to support the Copper Kettle.

2) Covenant House - Vancouver, BC, Canada

Vancouver is consistently voted one of the best cities to live in the world, but there's a huge homelessness and mental health crisis, especially in the "Downtown Eastside". Covenant House is North and Central America's largest privately funded child and youth care agency, and thankfully they have a branch in Vancouver. They offer a crisis program, street outreach, and help youth transition away from life on the streets. I am happy to support this charity that aims to reduce the number of young people joining the hordes of homeless in Vancouver. Click here for a 6 min video to learn more >>

Some of the services they offer include the Crisis Program, Community Support Services, Integrated Case Management, Housing Support Workers, Pastoral Counsellors and Mental Health and Drug & Alcohol Supports. We are proud to support Covenant House Vancouver.

Visions Magazine from the Canadian Mental Health Organization3) Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA)

I'm sure you see it too. Mental health is declining in so-called "developed" or "industrialised" countries, and there is still stigma associated with mental illness. The CMHA  (Canadian Mental Health Association) provides hope and help to people affected by mental illness, actively promotes mental health and advocates in the media. They also research and feed into public policy, especially around the homeless and at risk, children and youth and more.

Finally, they have an excellent quarterly magazine - called Visions (which I love to get in the mail!). You can see past editions of the Visions newsletter >> and get informed about important mental health issues.

You can also subscribe free to Visions magazine electroncially here >>

4) Canadian Red Cross - Myanmar's Refugee Crisis

There appears to be increasing instability in our world. Fighting has started up again in the Ukraine, putting civilians at risk. There are severe droughts in Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Kenya and Nigeria. At the beginning of 2017 there were 65,000 refugees in Greece in challenging conditions coming from Afghanistan, Algeria, Iraq, Congo and Iran to name a few. Last year we donated to the Syrian Refugee crisis after 35,000 Syrian civilians arrived at the Turkish border in a 2 day period, after Turkey had already taken in over 2,000,000 Syrian refugees.

This year as massive numbers of people flee violence in northern areas of Myanmar's Rakhine State, we chose to donate to support The Red Cross as they support Myanmar's refugee crisis. New arrivals are staying in makeshift camps, many deprived of safe water, sanitation or essential health care. With more than 536,000 people crossing the borders into Bangladesh since late August, the humanitarian needs are enormous. The Red Cross has teams on the ground, providing emergency health care and vital relief items to meet the needs of vulnerable people.

This is why we chose the Red Cross, specifically supporting refugees.Red Cross Quote

5) Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Canada

Big Brothers Big Sisters has proudly been providing young Canadians mentors and support for over 100 years. With the guidance and support of a mentor, many at risk and vulnerable children and youth are given more confidence to achieve their full potential and gain a better understanding of how they influence the lives of others.

Big Brothers Big Sisters helps children and youth have the inspiration, experiences and guidance they need to achieve more, and give them self-confidence, a sense of belonging, positive health and well-being.

 

Which charities do you support and why? Tell us below!

 

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