Posts tagged fundraising
Day 294: Founder of 365give Launches Early Detection Centre at Sunnybrook Hospital
Jul 25th
I have been on my first 365give hiatus for the past few days due to internet challenges but I am back and now have a list of “gives” I look forward to sharing with you this week. I may not have been able to write every day about my “gives” but I will still able to give every day. Today’s give is something I am very proud being a part as it will save lives every day. It’s a new Centre at Sunnybrook Hospital that will be able to detect cancer before it ever has a chance to take a life.
Did you know that 1 in 7 men in Canada will get prostate cancer in their lifetime?
Day 294: Give 294
I do have a day job for those of you that think I make my millions writing 365give. I actually don’t make millions at all but I love what I do for a living. I like to think of myself as a modern day Robin Hood – I take from the rich and I give to great charitable organizations. I have a small business in event production that specializes in fundraising. I made a very concious choice may years ago that instead of going after large corporate contracts and making tons of money I would instead use my expertise in my field to raise money for charity. I may not make millions but I have raised millions over the past 15 years to give to worthy organizations that need the funds in many different ways. The causes have varied from feeding the homeless in partnership with Second Harvest, to special facilities for schools, surgical suites at hospitals and the list goes on.
This past week I helped to complete a $500,000 commitment to Sunnybrook Hospital to build an Early Detection Centre.
It’s a Centre like no other making guests feel welcome and comfortable rather than being just another patient in a long line of “sick people” with a number in hand waiting for hours to see a doctor.
The Gelato Cup Golf Early Detection Centre has been built by raising funds through a charity golf tournament called The Gelato Cup. I work with 5 gentleman that are pillars in the
Toronto community when it comes to philanthropy. They have set the bar high for others to follow proving that we all can give whether individually or working together. I helped to create the Gelato Cup 13 years ago with the Board of Directors. The first year we raised $19,000 – we thought that was pretty good for our first golf tournament. This year we will have raised over $150,000 and to date over $1,200,000. Not bad for a little golf tournament. Not only have we built this new Early Detection Centre but we built 2 surgical suites and have purchased much needed research and educational tools for the hospital.
Our mission has been simple. We want to help be part of helping find a cure for Prostate Cancer. We support research, treat and now early detection of prostate cancer before it can take more lives.
This could be considered a “big give” because of the amount of money that has been raised but I couldn’t do it alone. I am surrounded but a community of very generous people that know and understand that together, if we all give what we can, a huge difference can be made in the world. Helping to find a cure for cancer is a big goal many organizations are trying to achieve. Whether it’s prostate cancer, breast cancer or any other type of cancer we are all touched in our lives by it. It may be our mothers and fathers, Aunt’s and Uncles, sisters and brothers or best friends.
What I do know for sure is the Gelato Cup Golf Early Detection Centre will save lives today and I am proud to partner with some amazing people that are changing the world one day at a time.
Time Commitment: A career choice 15 years ago to give
Day 152: Whole Foods Meets Whole Planet Foundation
Feb 27th
Whole Foods meets Whole Planet Foundation
Who doesn’t like shopping at Whole Foods. If you have one in your neighbourhood it is a real treat. We shop at Whole Foods at least once or twice a week. One of the things I like most about Whole Foods is they give you an opportunity to GIVE every time you shop.
Day 152: Give 152
Some people like to refer to Whole Foods or “Whole Pay Cheque”. I actually disagree as I always find great deals on so many specialty items. Most importantly when I go to Whole Foods I feel I am helping the planet, my community and in this case the world.
I did a post when I first started 365give (Day 27) on how much money I was able to donate through the Whole Foods bag program each year. At the check out, they give you the choice to get a bag refund off your bill if you bring your own bags or to donate it to a local charity. A no brainier for me I wasn’t expecting money back from bringing my bags so we donate every time we shop. Bringing bags to the grocery store is about saving the planet to me.
Today they had a new GIVING opportunity. The company has partnered with The Whole Planet Foundation. Their mission is simple and brilliant:
“The Whole Planet Foundation‘s mission is to create economic partnerships with the poor in those developing-world communities that supply our stores with product. Through innovative assistance for entrepreneurship – including direct microcredit loans and tangible support for other community partnership projects – we seek to unleash the energy and creativity of every human being we work with in order to create wealth and prosperity in emerging economies.”
Let the people help themselves rather than just supporting them with hand outs. Whole Foods has a very specific goal. To raise enough funds from February, 23, 2011 to March 31, 2011 to support 121 microloans in Latin America. You can donate in a number of ways:
1) Use your bag refund every time you bring your own bags into the store.
2) Make a cash donation at the till as you pay.
At the end of the day my bag refund plus a small donation will not break the bank for my family. If we all did just a little something we could reach that target and help so many people get themselves out of poverty. It means an education for their children both at school and from the family business as well as giving children opportunity to develop their family business as they grow up therefor keeping generations out of poverty permanently.
If you have a Whole Foods in your area take the time to go in and help. If you don’t have a Whole Foods in your hood, you can make a donation on line through the Whole Planet Foundation site.
Time Commitment: 30 seconds
Cost: $5.00
Day 19: Must Love Dogs
Oct 17th
Chef Challenge Update:
A few “posts” ago, I pledged to raise $10,000 in donations for Women’s Cancer Research at Mount Sinai Hospital through an event called The Chef’s Challenge. This event will utilize both my fundraising skills, my ability to cook (or at least I like to think I can cook) and my willingness to take on Master Chef / Master Bully Gordon Ramsey. I look forward to taking on Chef Ramsey but I need your help to reach my fundraising goal of $10,000. Currently I have donations totaling $995.00. I appreciate everyone’s help to date but I have a long way to go.
The practical way of viewing this goal is to break it down: $50 x 180 donations or $100 x 90 donations and I will meet my goal.
A full tax receipt will be given for each donation. Please take a minute to review my profile look and see if you can GIVE today.
Karen Somers Photography
Today I was hiking with my two dogs, Brooklyn and Mackenzie. Having one dog is a lot of work and I thought having two would just mean two poop bags. I imagined they would keep each other company and would be less needy of me. Wrong ! It’s a bit like saying two children are easier than one. There is no Mother that would ever agree to that. Twice the love – twice the work. It’s a daily balance.
My dogs are both adopted. One was rescued from a wonderful couple in Ontario that saves dogs lives from the Humane Society. Sometimes animals are put down through this organization due to overcrowding and not being able to get an animal adopted in a reasonable amount of time. Our other dog Mackenzie, was rescued at 2 weeks old (not adopted by us until 9 weeks) by another couple that run a dog rescue / adoption called Moosonee Puppy Rescue from their home. They rescue many dogs from Indian Reserves in northern Ontario. We love both our dogs from the bottom of or hearts and most of all they love our son. Today’s GIVE is dedicated to them, our first “kids” who taught us so much about being parents before we ever had our son.
Give 19 / Day 19
The Animal Rescue Site makes giving easy. Just one click and you have given food to an animal in need. I would do anything for a dog, cat, fish or even gerbil in need. This a great idea and is one we can all do, everyday, for 365 days if we each choose.
Time Commitment: 30 seconds
Cost: 0
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