Holiday hand up: on Giving Tuesday, Torontonians can have big impact on small, local charities

TORONTONov. 28, 2017 /CNW/ – This Giving Tuesday, Torontonians can give a hand up to struggling families in their communities by giving to the local charities in Toronto Foundation’s Good to Give Guide.  The Guide is a catalogue of small Toronto charities doing life-changing work to support the city’s most vulnerable people, making it easy for Torontonians to give to the under-the-radar charities having a huge impact for families in need.
“During this generous time of year, many charities are asking for our donations, and it’s often the biggest charities whose voices we hear the loudest,” says Sharon Avery, President & CEO, Toronto Foundation. “The Good to Give guide calls on Torontonians to give to the small, neighbourhood-based charities who provide life-saving services for vulnerable families during the holidays, and throughout the year.”
The Guide also helps Torontonians plan their giving to target the city’s chronic stresses – those issues that are stagnating or getting worse and weakening the fabric of our city – including child and youth poverty, climate justice, aging with dignity, housing precarity, and social inclusion. Each organization in the Guide has been reviewed and vetted by Toronto Foundation staff and volunteers, so donors can trust their funds are going to organizations with proven track records. For a full copy of the Good to Give Guide, visit www.torontofoundation.ca/publications/.
According to CanadaHelps’ Giving Report 2017, 35% of all charitable donations in Canada are made in the last six weeks of the year. This giving is essential to small charities, who receive 0.1% of all government funding and rely on receipted gifts to operate. It’s also vital to the more than one in four children under 18 years of age (26.3%) who live in poverty in the city of Toronto, the highest rate among large urban areas in Canada.
About Toronto Foundation
Established in 1981, the Toronto Foundation is one of the top 191 Community Foundations in Canada. We pool philanthropic dollars and facilitate charitable donations for maximum community impact. Our individual, family and organizational Funds number more than 500 and we administer more than $400 million in assets. Through the Vital Toronto Fund we engage in city building, mobilizing people and resources to increase the quality of life in Toronto. To learn more, visit www.torontofoundation.ca
SOURCE Toronto Foundation
For further information: Sasha Chabot-Gaspé, (416) 921-2035, schabotgaspe@torontofoundation.ca

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