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| Path: Main Street : NewsWeek : Archive : NewsBytes : Article |
This is an archive of CharityVillage NewsWeek.
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To view other articles in the archive, use our Chronological Index.
NewsBytes: December, 2001
Articles are arranged in reverse chronological order.
Government hopes to streamline charitable gaming in BC
December 31, 2001
Charities in BC will soon have more freedom when it comes to handling proceeds from charitable gaming. The changes include: removing the cap on how much money a group can raise in a given year through raffles and lotteries; allowing charities to use gaming revenue for capital projects; eliminating geographical restrictions on sales and advertising for raffles and lotteries; and streamlining the application process. "We're removing some rules and conditions that unnecessarily restrict the ability of charities to access or generate gaming funds," said Solicitor General Rich Coleman. "We trust charities to manage their resources responsibly. These changes will ensure they can use gaming funds in the way that best meets their communities' needs." For more information, visit: os8150.pb.gov.bc.ca/4dcgi/nritem?4957.
December 31, 2001
CIBC World Markets announced that traders raised $19,245,180 globally for children's charities during their annual Children's Miracle Day fundraiser on December 5th. Each year CIBC World Markets sales and trading staff and CIBC Wood Gundy financial consultants, donate their fees and commissions to children's charities during the one-day event. All funds are then distributed back to the communities in which they were raised. This year, the Canadian contingent contributed $3,057,453, a record-breaking 16% of the worldwide total. More than 350 charitable organizations and programs that serve Canadian children will benefit. For more information about Children's Miracle Day, visit: childrensmiracle.ca/canada/index.html.
December 31, 2001
Arts and culture organizations will receive a welcome infusion of cash over the next three years thanks to $75 million in new funding from the Canada Council for the Arts. The funds will boost the Council's direct support to artists and arts organizations, beginning with the current fiscal year ending March 31. "If there is one central theme for the use of this new money, it's capacity-building," said Canada Council Director Shirley L. Thomson. "Enhancing the capacity of artists and arts organizations not only to create, produce and perform, but also to disseminate and market their work so it can be seen, heard and enjoyed by more and more people."
Highlights of the funding include an increase of $14.1 million per year for arts organizations, an additional $7.4 million per year in support of individual artists, and more assistance to Aboriginal artists and culturally diverse arts organizations. For more information, visit: www.canadacouncil.ca/news/pressreleases/co0151-e.asp.
Fast Fact: Male fundraisers make more than female counterparts
December 31, 2001
The first-ever Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) survey of salary and benefits packages among fundraisers reveals a significant difference in compensation between males and females. The average salary of male fundraisers in the states is US$77,978 while female fundraisers earn an average of US$53,593. In Canada, male fundraisers earn CAD$70,778 while female fundraisers reported an average salary of CAD$65,368. The 2000-2001 Compensation and Benefits Study also found that the average salary among U.S. respondents was US$61,223 while the average salary of Canadian respondents was CAD$67,600. The survey also revealed positive correlations between work experience, level of education and average compensation. -- AFP
December 31, 2001
A bill passed last week in the Quebec National Assembly has nonprofit bingo operators worried that they may soon face competition from profit-oriented bingo hall-owners. Currently, private gaming is illegal in the province except for such activities as bingos to raise funds for charities and religious institutions. The government gave two seats on a new bingo secretariat to hall owners, igniting fears that this is a first step that will lead to the hall-owners eventually getting their own permits. Normand Robert, manager of Bingo-Lib, an umbrella group of 577 institutions and charities that hold bingo permits, said fear of charities losing their permit monopoly to private interests is the main reason they want the courts to intervene. "If the hall-owners are also part of the secretariat that manages bingo in Quebec, they will be able to give themselves permits and eventually come to dominate the game here."
December 31, 2001
The Edmonton Fringe Theatre Festival will soon begin an $8 million renovation project thanks to a large injection of funds. Edmonton city council, the province of Alberta and the federal government will each contribute $2-million to the renovations, with the remainder coming from private donations. The festival is headquartered at what was once a city bus barn and is used by more than 100 other arts groups. Darryl Lindenbach, the festival's artistic producer, says "if it wasn't to that extent that others needed affordable space, we wouldn't be renovating. This isn't high class, and it never will be but it's a place where the community should walk in and feel at home - and that's really what we're seeking to do." Work on the renovations will begin after the next festival, and is expected to be complete in 2003. To learn more about the festival, visit: www.fringe.alberta.com/fta/fringe_main.html.
December 31, 2001
Toronto Organizing For Fair Employment (TOFFE) is offering a new guide to help individuals get a contract that protects and ensures that fair wages and benefits are being offered. The Guide to Fair Employment Contracts outlines the key elements of employment contracts for workers in the community services sector and is intended to provide workers with information to begin negotiating their own contracts. It includes information for contract workers who are employees and those who are independent contract workers. TOFFE also developed a workshop on negotiations for contract workers to accompany the guide. For more information or to order a copy of the guide, contact TOFFE at 416-531-0778. There is no charge for this resource, only for multiple copies and postage.
December 31, 2001
BC Technology Social Venture Partners marked its first venture philanthropy project with a gift of $20,000 to Vancouver's Covenant House, a downtown crisis residential program for young people. BC Technology SVP brings together 18 of BC's tech industry leaders to donate money, time and expertise to the local nonprofit sector.
"In my family, it has been ingrained in us to give back to society, and it has always been, write a cheque to this group this time, that group the next time," says Bjian Sanii, director of the group. "There is never a sense of community, of pulling together with a group of people. The Social Ventures Partners is pulling together that community of people who share technology as a common thread in their lives, in a very, very constructive way." For more information about BC Technology Social Venture Partners, visit: www.bctsvp.org. To learn more about Covenant House, visit: www.covenanthousebc.org.
December 31, 2001
ABC CANADA Literacy Foundation announced its endorsement of a unique new reading initiative. The Cheerios Read-The-Box Program will feature six Canadian authors and their latest books alongside six Cheerios athletes on cereal boxes. Four million special edition boxes will include information about the authors and their new books as well as a profile of the Cheerios athlete, written by the author. Cheerios and ABC CANADA are also investigating other opportunities for the two organizations to work together to promote family reading. For more information about ABC CANADA, visit: www.abc-canada.org.
December 31, 2001
The Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) donated approximately $50,000 worth of recordable CDs and duplicating equipment to the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB). The donated equipment, forfeited by court order through CRIA's anti-piracy initiatives, will increase the production capacity of the CNIB Library for the Blind, which is currently undergoing a major transformation to new digital technology. "It's not often that we can put the 'proceeds of crime' to positive use," said Brian Robertson, president of CRIA, "so it is particularly gratifying to witness this equipment being used in such a productive manner." The improved production capabilities will decrease waiting times for digital Talking Books for thousands of Canadians who are blind or visually impaired. For more information about the CNIB Library for the Blind, visit: www.cnib.ca/library.
December 31, 2001
Tides Canada Foundation recently launched a fund to assist the people of Afghanistan, joining a host of other Canadian relief organizations including the Red Cross, Care Canada, the Canadian Relief Foundation, and Médecins Sans Frontiéres. The Tides Afghanistan Response Fund allows people across Canada to pool charitable donations in response to the current crisis in Afghanistan. Seventy-five percent of funds raised will go towards work in Afghanistan, not only for immediate relief, but also long term reconstruction and development. The remaining 25% of funds will stay in Canada to support charities promoting racial, ethnic and religious tolerance, protection of human rights and civil liberties, and non-violent alternatives to the war against terrorism. For more information about the Tides Canada Foundation initiative, visit: www.tidescanada.org/giving/initiatives.html.
December 31, 2001
Wal-Mart Canada and its Canadian associates raised $5 million for local and national charitable causes in 2001. Funds were raised through the company's national Good Works program, providing assistance to children's hospitals, scholarship programs, heritage projects, amateur sports teams and other charities across the country. "The holiday season is a time to celebrate the act of giving," said Mario Pilozzi, Chief Operating Officer of Wal-Mart Canada. "We want to celebrate our 50,000 Canadian associates for the numerous Good Works they are responsible for in their cities and towns across the country." To date, Wal-Mart Canada and its associates have raised and donated more than $20 million to Canadian organizations. For more information about Wal-Mart's Good Works program, visit: www.walmartfoundation.org/wmstore/goodworks/scripts/index.jsp.
December 17, 2001
The family behind Moffat Communications donated an unprecedented $100 million to aid underprivileged children in Manitoba and across the country. It is one of the largest single donations ever made to a philanthropic organization in Canada and the largest ever made to a community foundation. The Moffat Family Fund, to be administered by the Winnipeg Foundation, will perpetually help children overcome life's difficulties. "Our family has always been distressed by the statistic that so many children live below the poverty line," Randy Moffat said. "Our interest was in turning around the lives of others who haven't had the good fortune and privilege my family has enjoyed." Chief Justice Richard Scott, chair of the Winnipeg Foundation, said the $100 million equals all the money contributed to the foundation since it began 80 years ago and the total of all the grants given out during that time.
By 2004, $6.5 million a year will be given to organizations and programs that support the social, physical and intellectual well-being of children and their families. Eighty percent of the annual amount, approximately $5.2 million, will stay in Winnipeg with the remainder distributed to other communities where Moffat Communications did business. For more information, visit: www.community-fdn.ca/whats_new_view.cfm?id=24.
December 17, 2001
Last week the Government of Canada released its 2001 budget and although the focus was on national security, there was some good news for other sectors. The budget lists a total of $562 million over 4 years for cultural initiatives, including $200 million for the Canadian Television Fund, $120 million for the CBC, and $24 million for Canada's 29 sector councils, of which the Cultural Human Resources Council (CHRC) is one. The budget also confirms that the government will proceed with legislation to make permanent an incentive that provides special tax assistance for donations of certain securities to public charities. With this came an announcement that the government will also consult with the charitable sector to expand this incentive. For more information on the 2001 federal budget, visit: www.fin.gc.ca/budget01/mm/indexe.htm.
December 17, 2001
Aside from security initiatives, one of the bigger announcements in the recent federal budget was the $1 billion that has been earmarked for international aid. The funds will be distributed over a three year period and include $100 million to help clothe and feed Afghan refugees. The government's international aid budget will also see an increase of almost $4 million.
While the funds may seem significant, some international aid organizations say it is not enough. "Mr. Martin's budget falls so far short of our expectations that it cannot, by any stretch, be qualified as a worthy example of an improvement in foreign aid," said Susan McNamara Scott, president of the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace (CCODP). The organization points out that in real terms, Canada's international aid budget has been cut by 37% since the beginning of the 1990s. For more information on the budget's funds for international aid, visit: www.fin.gc.ca/budget01/bp/bpch6e.htm#si6. To learn more about CCODP, visit: www.devp.org/anglais/intro.html.
December 17, 2001
The Fraser Institute's annual Generosity Index reports that, like last year, Canadians are less generous than their counterparts in the US. Although 25.5% of Canadians give to charity, only slightly less than the 27.9% in the United States, Americans donate 2.5 times more of their personal income. The Fraser Institute study found that Canadians donated 0.64% of their personal income to registered charities while Americans donated 1.58%. The average value of Canadian donations is US$769 while in the States it is US$3,441. The report also finds that, as in previous years, Manitobans are the most generous both in terms of the proportion that donate (28.9% of tax-filers) and the proportion of total income donated (0.91%). Of all the provinces, Quebec had the lowest proportion of income donated to charities at 0.30%, less than half the Canadian average. -- The Fraser Institute
December 17, 2001
The St. Boniface Hospital & Research Foundation in Winnipeg recently received the largest personal gift ever made to a hospital in Manitoba. Izzy Asper, media magnate and chair of CanWest Global Communications, donated $5 million to the hospital, which is Manitoba's second largest. The money will be used to construct a new research facility and develop a new partnership with the Mayo Clinic in the United States. The new facility, to be named after Asper, will also provide cardiovascular care. The Mayo Clinic's Hugh Smith, originally from Manitoba, says the clinic is enthusiastic about the partnership with St. Boniface and the new possibilities it will offer. For more information about the St. Boniface Hospital and Research Foundation, visit: www.sbhrf.com.
December 17, 2001
An environmental scan of voluntary sector technology use commissioned by Ontario's Ministry of Citizenship finds that there has been significant progress in the area of connectivity and basic access to the Internet by nonprofits. However, much of the sector still lacks the tools and resources necessary to use the Internet strategically and effectively. According to the From Access to Applications report "there is pressing need to capture and share the learning of non-profit innovators in order to ensure that organizations that have just moved online can quickly start using the Internet to solve day-to-day non-profit business problems."
The report identifies several gaps in voluntary sector Internet use, including: simple online business tools for nonprofits; advice and online help; and ASPs serving the sector. The report also states that action needs to be taken in developing strategic skills and knowledge, and in building applications, service, and technology capacity. To view the report, visit: www.v olunteersonline.ca/news/environmentalscan.htm.
December 17, 2001
The Saskatchewan Environmental Society (SES) was surprised recently with a $15,000 gift from an anonymous donor. The funds will be used to launch the Ann Coxworth Environmental Fund, in recognition of dedicated volunteer, Ann Coxworth, who has volunteered at the SES for almost 30 years. The donor has also offered an additional $10,000 if the society can match the original funds. "He [the donor] said he wanted to set up this fund to recognize her hard work, commitment, perseverance and her level-headed way of looking at things," said SES coordinator Allyson Brady. The money will be used for special projects that support leadership development at the society. For more information about the Saskatchewan Environmental Society, visit: www.lights.com/ses/index.html.
December 17, 2001
Canadian Business Magazine's annual survey of the country's 100 richest people reveals that most were slightly poorer this year. The top 100's net worth fell by 6.7% to about $120 billion as a result of the slowing economy. However, media giant Ken Thomson retained his number one spot, actually seeing his wealth increase to $23.7 billion, up from $23.5 billion. The biggest declines were found in the technology sector. "The downward spiral in the tech sector has changed our list significantly since our first ranking in 1999," said staff writer Jason Kirby. "That list had 10 members who derived their wealth primarily from technology, and last year that figure nearly doubled. This year, we've seen 10 of those disappear from the list." Among those who dropped out of the top ten were Ted Rogers of Rogers Communications and Terry Matthews of Newbridge Networks. -- Canadian Business Magazine
December 17, 2001
Four national charities will each receive a $500,000 cheque thanks to the Canadian music industry. Donation proceeds accrued from sales of "Oh What a Feeling 2", a four CD box-set celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Juno Awards will benefit the Canadian Music Therapy Trust Fund, Safehaven Project for Community Living, Starlight Children's Foundation Canada, and the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Science (CARAS). In all, Canadian charities received $4.8 million from the combined sales of "Oh What a Feeling" Volume 1 and 2.
December 17, 2001
Special charity broadcasts planned for cities such as Vancouver, Winnipeg, and Halifax have been cancelled because of a CBC dispute with its technicians. The broadcasts were supposed to help generate funds for food banks and other charities across Canada but according to the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union (CEP), which represents the technicians, the CBC dismantled equipment set up for the broadcasts. CBC spokesperson Chuck Thompson said that in places such as Vancouver, the broadcasts had to be cancelled because of safety concerns surrounding picket lines.
December 17, 2001
Hoffmann-La Roche Limited, a healthcare company, announced that it will extend support for the Roche Organ Transplant Research Foundation (ROTRF) for a further three years, until 2006. In 1998, the company established an annual donation of $4.75 million to the research foundation for an initial period of five years. ROTRF is an independent charity that directly supports innovative research projects, meet unaddressed medical needs in solid organ transplantation. For more information about the Roche Organ Transplantation Research Foundation, visit: www.rotrf.org/default.htm.
December 17, 2001
Burlington Resources Canada recently delivered a $1 million cheque to the Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation in support of childhood cancer research and treatment, now and when the new hospital is built. This latest donation adds to approximately $40 million already raised for the foundation's ongoing All for One-All For Kids fundraising campaign. "This symbolizes that the community believes in what we do," says Dr. Max Coppes, head of the Southern Alberta Children's Cancer Program. "It's a phenomenal display of support for Calgary and southern Alberta, if not child health care in Canada, period," adds Ian Bruce, foundation board chair. For more information about the Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation, visit: www.childrenshospital.ab.ca/welcome.asp.
December 17, 2001
Two of Canada's major banks stepped forward with donations to Ryerson University last week. The RBC Foundation committed $750,000 to the university to further scholarship, research, and teaching about disability. The funds will be used toward the establishment of the Ryerson RBC Financial Group Institute for Disability Studies Research and Education.
The TD Bank Financial Group also donated $450,000 to Ryerson for students who are the first in their family to attend university. The TD Bank Financial Group First Generation University Student Scholarship Awards will provide financial assistance to deserving students with family backgrounds that do not include post-secondary education. For more information about Ryerson, visit: www.ryerson.ca.
December 10, 2001
Last week the Government of Canada and the voluntary sector took a first step toward strengthening their relationship by signing a new accord. With it came the launch of the Canada Volunteerism Initiative (CVI), which aims to sustain and enhance volunteerism in Canada. This new initiative is the result of a year-long effort by the National Volunteerism Initiative Joint Table. "Our mandate was to look at ways of involving Canadians in volunteer opportunities with organizations and ensuring that organizations were in a position to effectively involve these volunteers," says Colleen Kelly, co-chair of the Joint Table and executive director of Volunteer Vancouver. The government pledged $10 million to help fund the CVI, which will also be responsible for collecting data and research about volunteerism in Canada through the Canadian Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating (formerly the NSGVP). For more information, visit: www. vsi-isbc.ca/eng/joint_tables/nvi/cvi_report.cfm.
December 10, 2001
Flare Magazine is looking for six Canadian women whose volunteer achievements have impacted the lives of people in their communities. Nominations are now being accepted for the magazine's sixth annual volunteer awards, which highlight outstanding female volunteers from coast to coast. Awards are presented in three categories: Volunteer Awards for women aged 18 to 39; the Volunteer Award for Community and Leadership for women who have volunteered for at least a decade and are aged 40 to 59; and the Volunteer Award for Lifetime Achievement for women who have made a substantial volunteer contribution throughout much of their adult life and are 60 years old and over. The deadline for nominations is February 13, 2002. For more information or for a nomination form, visit: www.flare.com/volunte er/about.html.
December 10, 2001
Citing a lack of operating funding, the Halifax-based Volunteer Resource Centre has announced that it will close its doors on December 15, 2001. The resource centre had been in operation for 16 years and served communities throughout Nova Scotia. Initial discussions had been underway , but organizers could not come to an agreement in time to keep the centre open. For more information about the closure, contact Norma French at (902) 423-1368.
December 10, 2001
In a survey of volunteer trends in the province of Nova Scotia, 56% of managers agree that volunteers stay for a shorter time than they did a few years ago. Of those who reported shorter stays, 35% did not regard short-term volunteers as a problem but 20% felt they were already on a "recruiting treadmill" because of rapid volunteer turnover. Forty percent of organizations reported that one significant barrier to volunteering was the fact that peak demand for program volunteers occurs between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays, when most people are at work or school. -- Nova Scotia Volunteer Resource Centre
December 10, 2001
The Peterborough region is one step closer to a new 500-bed regional referral centre thanks to a $1 million donation from members of the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) medical staff. In total, 148 doctors and dentists from the centre each donated an average of $6,791 to the hospital foundation's Breaking New Ground Campaign, giving the $10 million fundraising campaign a great boost. It will be one of the province's newest state-of-the-art hospitals. "We knew for certain the medical staff were behind the construction of a new facility, but their incredible support of the cause has surpassed our most optimistic projections," says David Morton, Breaking New Ground Campaign chair. Seventy percent of the staff has participated, making this donation one of the largest gifts from medical staff to a community hospital in Canada. For more information about the foundation's campaign, visit: www.prhc.on.ca/foundation.
December 10, 2001
The Cultural Human Resources Council (CHRC) announced its Youth Internship Program (YIP) for 2002-03. YIP offers a substantial wage subsidy for cultural organizations willing to employ youth (out of school and under the age of 30) in entry-level jobs in the culture sector. There are two types of YIP internship, one focussing on new technologies and the other on international projects. All internships must take place between April 2002 and March 2003 and last a minimum of 24 weeks. The deadline for applications is January 15, 2002. Printed program information and application forms are available in English or French from the Nova Scotia Cultural Network. Contact Manon Turcotte at (613) 562-1535, ext. 27 or email mturcotte@culturalhrc.ca.
December 10, 2001
Opération Enfant Soleil announced a donation of more than $2.2 million to the Children's Hospital of Montreal, the Sainte-Justine Hospital and the University Hospital of Quebec. The money will be used to purchase new medical equipment and fund several major projects. It is the second of three payments which, when completed next April, will reach a total of $5,621,410. The Children's Hospital will use funds to establish a pediatric hospital at the new McGill University Health Centre and purchase specialized equipment for emergency radiology. Sainte-Justine Hospital and the University Hospital of Quebec will use funds for the construction of mother-child centres and the purchase of equipment. Since 1988, the three hospitals have received more than $40 million from Opération Enfant Soleil. For more information about the foundation, visit: www.oes.qc.ca.
December 10, 2001
Some undergrad medical students at McMaster University will get a bit of help paying their tuition next year. The university received a donation of $750,000 from Scotiabank for twelve undergraduate medical scholarships. The gift will be matched with $450,000 in government funds under the Ontario Student Opportunity Trust Fund, bringing the total amount of these scholarships to $1.2 million. Ten Scotiabank Medical Scholarships of $5,000 each will be awarded annually. An additional two Scotiabank Breast Cancer Scholarships, valued at $5,000 each, will be awarded annually to students who complete an elective, educational or research project in the field of breast cancer. "These scholarships will enhance McMaster's ability to support, encourage and educate the doctors of tomorrow," said Peter George, president and vice-chancellor at McMaster. "This gift has, and will continue to have a unique and lasting impact at the University." For more information, visit: dailynews.mcmast er.ca/story.cfm?id=1237.
December 10, 2001
Jody Steinhauer, CEO of The Bargains Group, a discount clothing wholesaler, recently received the prestigious Canadian Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the Innovation category. Steinhauer and her team have worked with thousands of nonprofits across the country to help groups access volume discounts on products such as socks, underwear, gloves, winter hats and more. For more information about her award, visit: www.cweya.com/winners01.htm l. For more information about The Bargains Group, contact 1-877-868-5655 or 416-785-5655 or visit: www. bargainsgroup.com/flash/services_nonprofit.html.
December 10, 2001
The RBC Foundation announced a gift of $450,000 over three years to help the Terry Fox Foundation raise funds for cancer research. RBC Capital Markets acknowledges the fact that it takes money to make money and hopes that this gift will enable the Terry Fox Foundation to put most of the money it raises directly into research. As a grassroots organization, it does not seek government funding for administration or fundraising costs and relies almost entirely on private sector support, primarily through the Terry Fox Run. It currently spends 1.6% of its funds on administration and 9.1 percent on fundraising but because of this donation hopes to reduce that total to 10%.
"Over the last 21 years, the Terry Fox Foundation has raised close to $300 million for cancer research," said Darrell Fox, national director of the foundation. "We raise funds one dollar at a time, so it is crucial for us to make sure that each of those dollars is invested how the donor intended: for cancer research. RBC's gift is unprecedented, and will greatly enhance our ability to raise funds in a cost-effective manner." For more information about the Terry Fox Foundation, visit: www.terryfoxrun.org/foundation/introduction.htm.
December 10, 2001
Summerside, PEI was all aglow last week for the seventh annual Lights for Life celebration. More than 2,000 people watched as 6,175 individual Christmas lights were turned on at the Prince County Hospital. The choreographed show, the largest in eastern Canada, raised more than $120,000 for the hospital this year and has generated more than $520,000 to date for medical equipment. Thanks to corporate endowment and sponsorships, 100% of proceeds from the event go to the hospital, which this year will replace the heart monitors in the emergency department. For more information about Lights for Life, visit: www.pchcare.com/lights.cfm.
December 10, 2001
Young cancer patients received a treat recently when members of the Ottawa Senators Alumni stopped by the annual Candlelighters Christmas party to deliver a special gift. The alumni pledged $40,000 in support of the Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Trust, which assists children afflicted with cancer. Part of the gift is an annual $1,000 bursary to support post-secondary education costs. It will be awarded to one Candlelighter child in each of the next five years. Several Candlelighter seats at more than 15 Senators home games this season, occupying the alumni box at the top of the Corel Centre. "It's going to be fun to have some young and enthusiastic energy up there to help us cheer on the Senators," said Brad Marsh, former Senator and alumni president. For more information about Candlelighters, visit: www.candlelighters.net.
December 10, 2001
OneWorld, the online human rights and sustainable development network, announced the launch of a new multimedia web portal on HIV/AIDS. AIDSchannel.org launched in partnership with more than 100 aid agencies, human rights and campaign groups worldwide. The aim of the new site is to promote understanding, knowledge sharing, and action on AIDS as a development, social, economic and human rights issue. It includes news, campaign actions, opinion pieces, in-depth analysis, events listings, a beginner's guide to HIV/AIDS, and a dedicated search facility on AIDS. For more information, visit: www.AIDSchannel.org.
December 3, 2001
We're pleased to announce another new addition to the CharityVillage family. Last week, Caroline Yan Lau, our recruitment advertising manager for BC, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, gave birth to a happy, healthy baby boy. Yet to be named, her second son joins father Terrance and brother Aidan, just in time for the family's new high speed Internet connection. Congratulations!
December 3, 2001
Statistics Canada released its report on charitable giving for 2000, finding that donations are still on the rise in Canada. Financial donations totalled $5.4 billion, up from 9.2% in 1999. The number of donors also rose, from 5.4 million to 5.5 million, an increase of 2.3%. Based on information from tax returns, the report finds that, as in 1999, Manitoba had the highest number of taxfilers reporting donations last year. The median donation Canada-wide was $190 although in Nunavut the median was $340, the highest in the country. Ontario residents accounted for 41% of all donors, reporting $2.7 billion in charitable donations in 2000, more than half the Canadian total. For more information, visit: www.statcan.ca:80/Daily/English/011127/d011127b.htm.
December 3, 2001
A new report by Volunteer Canada and the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy's IMAGINE program finds that, more than ever, Canadian companies are supporting the work of employees who volunteer. Entitled Volunteers at Work - How Canadian Businesses Encourage and Support Volunteerism, the report includes a variety of case studies illustrating the unique ways companies encourage their employees who volunteer. Some employers let volunteering employees use company resources while others modify their work hours, and many are recognizing employees' volunteer efforts. "Companies that engage in employer-supported volunteerism have discovered that their employees acquire new skills, gain additional experience for career growth, and experience a sense of fulfillment by contributing to their communities," says Chris Pinney, director of IMAGINE and vice president, corporate, for the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy.
Volunteer Canada, Volunteer Calgary, and IMAGINE are also preparing a "how to" guide called Engaging Employees in the Community: How to Establish Employer Supported Volunteerism in Your Company, to help businesses start a volunteer program in their workplace. To view the summary report, visit: www.volunteer.ca/volunteer/canada_corporate_survey.htm.
December 3, 2001
With feedback from more than 350 diverse organizations and individuals, the National Volunteerism Initiative (NVI) Joint Table released its summary report of 26 consultations on the proposed National Volunteerism Initiative. The report identifies participants' views on ways to support volunteerism and the principles that should guide the NVI. Many identified challenges, such as volunteer burnout and the need to improve efficiency of voluntary organizations. Recommended solutions include becoming more professional and recognizing the needs of all volunteers regardless of their position. For more information on the report and its recommendations, visit: www.vsi-isbc.ca/eng/joint_tables/nvi/consultations_summary.cfm.
December 3, 2001
According to a recent study from Statistics Canada, more than half of all Canadian households have at least one regular Internet user and 40% of households have home Internet access, up from 29% last year. Twenty-eight percent of households have an occupant with Internet access at work, while 20% have school access. Dial-up connections are still popular, with 78% of households using this method to get online but high-speed internet access is quickly gaining ground, up by 155% this year. This increase in online access may spell trouble for television ratings. A survey conducted in the US finds that a rise in Internet use results in a decline of television viewing. The University of California at Los Angeles Internet Project found that Internet users watch 4.5 fewer hours of television and 90% of respondents feel the Internet is an important source of information.-- Statistics Canada
December 3, 2001
The federal government announced it will pour $32 million into marketing the arts over the next three years. The new initiative, called Trade Routes, aims to treat Canada's cultural exports just as it would any of Canada's other exports, such as wheat or technology. "We want Canada to become the world's second largest exporter of English-language cultural goods and services, and the world's number one exporter of French-language cultural content," says Heritage Minister Sheila Copps. Cultural exports have increased by 38% in the past five years to a total of $4.5 billion annually, but she wants to see more.
Spokespeople from the cultural industries will now take part in Team Canada trade missions and heritage representatives will be established in Canadian embassies. According to Megan Williams, executive director of the Canadian Conference of the Arts, it won't only be the big cultural producers who benefit from this strategy. Smaller performing groups and individual artists will also benefit since they often must tour abroad to earn money. She says this new initiative will present Canada abroad in its best possible light.
December 3, 2001
Clarica announced an annual grant program designed to give children access to community benefits they might otherwise miss out on. The program, Clarica's Contribution to Canada's Children, will use approximately $1.5 million, or about one third of the company's 2001philanthropy budget. As part of the launch, Clarica's president and CEO, Bob Astley, issued a call for proposals from registered Canadian charities and incorporated nonprofit groups. Proposed initiatives should "provide children with opportunities to take part in developmental activities related to education, sports and recreation, the arts, technology, social skills, healthy living and relationship-building," said Astley. "We're looking for proposals that address kids who are excluded from all kinds of opportunities - and we stress that universal access to opportunity is critical for our children and for Canada's future."
The grant program will focus on organizations that give children ages 6 to 18 access to local benefits of all kinds, developed and delivered in communities across Canada. Clarica asks that interested organizations provide a brief two-page letter of intent outlining their project, plus a budget outline, for consideration by the advisory panel. Deadline for proposals is February 15, 2002. Full details on the program and instructions on how to apply are available at: www.clarica.com/e/about/commun/focus/children.asp.
December 3, 2001
The Toronto Symphony Orchestra has been making headlines for months as it struggles to stay afloat despite its $7 million deficit. Last week officials announced that the current concert season will go ahead as planned. There is some speculation that assistance may come from the Toronto Symphony Foundation's $22 million endowment or from the government. Bob Rae, chair of the TSO's transition renewal committee, says there has been no government bailout, "but we've had very good co-operation from both levels of government and the foundation working together for a solution." Full details of the orchestra's rescue plan should be available next week. For more information about the TSO, visit: www.tso.on.ca/2001_2002 /home.cfm.
December 3, 2001
A group of 36 amateur players did double duty, setting a world record and raising money for a good cause. Two teams from Moosomin, Saskatchewan set a world record for spending the most time on the ice during one continuous game. The 25-hour hockey game garnered them a spot in the Guinness World Book of Records and raised funds to build a new hospital now that the 100 year-old Moosomin Union Hospital is showing its age. "It's great," said Phil Miller, one of the participants. "The community needs a new hospital, and it's great that we're able to do something like this." The marathon hockey game beat the old record of 18.5 hours.
December 3, 2001
United Way of the Lower Mainland is seeking nominations for its annual Community Spirit Awards, which recognize the contributions volunteers have made in their community. Each year, volunteers, workplace campaigns and supporting organizations are honoured and this year a new award is being added to the list. The Outstanding Community Spirit Award specifically recognizes a grassroots, community based project and celebrates a community or neighbourhood in the Lower Mainland where people have exemplified true community spirit by coming together to help improve the quality of life in their neighbourhood. The deadline for nominations is December 10th. For more information or a nomination form, visit: www.uwlm.ca/spirit/spi ritpage.htm.
December 3, 2001
The deadline for the New Brunswick Arts Board's call for papers for its upcoming conference is quickly approaching. To be held in Moncton in May 2002, the conference, entitled"Atlatnic Cultural Space: New Directions in the Arts and Heritage", seeks to strengthen affinities in the Atlantic arena. Artists, curators, academics, officials and private sector representatives are invited to help chart new directions and a new image for Atlantic cultural development. Submissions on a wide range of practical, theoretical and historical themes are encouraged. Proposals may be submitted by email to acsc@nbab-canb.nb.ca or by regular mail (no faxes please) to Atlantic Cultural Space Committee, New Brunswick Arts Board, 87 York St., Fredericton NB, Canada E3B 3N4. All proposals must be postmarked by December 7, 2001. For more information, visit: www.artsnb.ca.
December 3, 2001
If a picture is worth a thousand words then the newest black and white photo essay by PhotoSensitive and its partner, Campaign 2000, speaks volumes. Entitled Child Poverty - A National Disgrace, the seventy images were shot by 24 photographers in virtually every part of the country and coincide with Campaign 2000's latest report on the state of child poverty in Canada. Photographers sometimes spent up to a week with impoverished Canadian families, hoping to put faces to some of the more than one million children living below the poverty line. PhotoSensitive photographers volunteer their photography skills to enlighten and educate Canadians about societal problems through the power of images. To view the collection and hear digital video interviews with the project photographers, visit: www.kodak.ca/go/photosensitive. For more information about Campaign 2000, visit: www.campaign2000.ca.
December 3, 2001
When it first launched in 1994, UK Fundraising was the first Web-based business resource for charity staff in Europe. Since that time, the site and its founder Howard Lake have worked to promote the use of the Internet as a fundraising tool, providing news, information and advice to help develop the profession. After seven years the site is as good as ever and filled with excellent fundraising resources, wherever you're located. Find UK Fundraising at: www.fundraising.co.uk.
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