Little Lunches, Big Impact
It's never too soon to start giving back to your community, and Nathan Unrau — a 13-year-old from Winnipeg, Canada — is living proof! In 2012 he started Lunches With Love, a nonprofit organization that donates over 400 bagged lunches to homeless shelters every Saturday.
Bye, Bye Bullying
Students at an Ancaster high school have taken matters into their own hands when it comes to physical and emotional abuse amongst their peers. Instead of turning a blind eye, they've volunteered their time to create Beyond the Hurt, a program that aims to end bullying and create a positive change.
Paying It Way Forward
Tom Crist has good karma coming his way after giving away his 40-million-dollar lottery winnings. Crist lost his wife to cancer two years prior and decided that, instead of keeping the money, it should go to charities of he and his kids' choosing over the years.
Signed, Sealed, Delivered
Bruce Farrer, a retired teacher from Saskatchewan, recently mailed letters that his students had written back in 1994 to their future self. Many of his now grown-up kids attested that this simple moment of giving was one of the most inspiring gifts they'd ever received. And it wasn't just one year! Farrer first thought of the idea back in 1961 when he started teaching, and by 2002 had over five boxes of letters filled to the brim.
The Gift of Reading
Julia and Emma Mogus, sisters from Ontario, noticed the disparity in education and literacy standards amongst students in northern communities and decided to do something about it! Since 2012 they have donated over 35,000 books to kids in need through their organization Books With No Bounds and don't plan on slowing down anytime soon.
Selflessly Serving
Instead of spending his 11th birthday opening a pile of presents, Armaan Sohi decided to spread love and help people in need. After meeting a homeless man and being frustrated at his inability to contribute more, Armaan decided to organize something that would truly make an impact on the community.
With the help of his family, he served almost 300 people at Our Place in Victoria, Canada, and already has plans for another event in honor of his older sister Subha, who recently passed away from bone cancer.
Small Change
Taylor Conroy, a Vancouver native, started the organization Change Heroes with the simple idea that spare change could change the lives of children in developing areas. Since the company was founded, they've raised over 2.4 million dollars to help fight human trafficking, build schools, and start water project initiatives.
Wrap the Halls
The Bradley family, Ontario natives, invited over 85 of their friends and family this November to decorate and stuff 556 boxes filled with toys. These will be sent off with thousands of other boxes to children in need all around the world.
Last year, Canadians who volunteered to help Operation Christmas Child contributed over 700,000 shoeboxes, and they hope to surpass that number this year.
We're Just Warming Up!
Every year, Tara Smith-Atkins collects coats to donate to the homeless, but this year she decided to step it up a notch. Tara and her daughter, along with a girl posse of do-gooders, took to the streets of Halifax, Nova Scotia, to wrap light poles and street signs with winter clothes for people in need.
The note on the jackets read: "I am not lost. If you are stuck out in the cold, please take me to keep warm!"
That's What Friends Are For
Quinn Callander is 8 years old, lives in British Colombia, and last year raised over $20,000 for his best friend Brayden Grozdanich, who needed surgery to relieve the pain caused by his cerebral palsy. Their online campaign spread like wildfire, but that didn't stop Callander from organizing a neighbourhood lemonade stand to raise even more money for his kindergarten bestie.
