Let's start with stories from inspiring TD customers across Canada.
1. The best way to break the ice
"Hockey is everything in our town. Thankfully every year Steve volunteers to set up the community rink. Not only does he spend hours making sure the rink is good to go for all the kids in our neighbourhood, but he also surprises skaters with hot chocolate and snacks. He does this all simply because he loves seeing people have a good time!"
—Sherry
2. Back(pack) to school for all
"Going back to school has been tough for a lot of families who can’t afford all the supplies. So TD customer Beth brought together people in our community to create a backpack drive. Working with volunteers and organizations, she was able to make sure every single kid in her community had the tools they needed to succeed in school."
—Nick
3. A new definition of meal prepping
"Lisa delivers meals to people living with HIV/AIDS. But during the pandemic, she delivered five times more meals than usual. She never said no to hospitals or senior centers that needed a little extra help. Incredibly resilient. We are so thankful for her."
—Adrienne
4. Helping the community is all in the family
"Both Nicki and her daughter Jayda do amazing work in our area! Jayda’s been doing a cookie sale to benefit our local animal shelter for years, and recently she hit a huge milestone with $32K raised since she started. Together, mom and daughter also work on gift baskets and care packs for frontline workers and people experiencing homelessness. They’re a selfless family we’re so glad to know."
- J. Brian
We also reached out to the BuzzFeed community to hear their inspiring stories as well.
5. Breathing in and out together
"My friend is a yoga teacher who started doing weekly online yoga classes for anyone and everyone in her community. In order to connect with other people safely, she started doing virtual yoga classes that are free or pay-what-you-can. Every week, she donates the funds to a local cause of her choice. I have found her weekly classes to be so helpful!"
—Liza
6. Making sure everyone has the essentials
"My friends Vivetha and Rebecca launched a year-end community initiative to prepare and distribute care packages to Toronto’s homeless. The packages include essential everyday items like toothbrushes and toothpaste, socks, hygiene products, and more. Everyone was so happy to see the impact it made within the community that they've now done this for the last five years!"
—Raschiela
7. Keeping the neighbourhood beautiful
"I live close to the beach and unfortunately every weekend people leave their litter and garbage everywhere. So my neighbourhood decided to do something about it! Every Sunday morning, people from the community gather for a beach cleanup. It’s even turned into a family event where people bring their kids and dogs to help."
—Jesse
8. 'Tis the season for giving
"During the holiday season, my dad noticed that there were a lot of organizations and charities that focused on gifts for kids and young children. But the demographic of teens was being overlooked. So he teamed up with friends and local businesses to purchase a bunch of gift cards for teens aged 13–17 to ensure that everyone got a present over the holidays!"
—Salina
9. The best reason to go shopping
"A friend of mine likes to go grocery shopping for older residents who don't feel comfortable going out right now. And she shares updates on what they’ve been asking for. It can be pretty entertaining on the specifics of what they want! She also is constantly filling up community fridges with extra food or food she buys, and has inspired me to also fill up those fridges when I can."
—Kyle
10. New friendships are just a phone call away
"My buddy David started a small organization that connects volunteers with lonely seniors who have been isolated by the pandemic. The volunteers call the seniors once a week and simply just have a conversation. The whole thing is so wholesome."
—Elamin
TD Thanks You is celebrating customers across the country who are making their communities better places. See their inspiring stories here and tell us below if someone is making an impact in your neighbourhood.
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.
All images by Getty Images unless otherwise stated.