This is a list of organizations that Montcrest School has supported in the past or is currently supporting through the Student Leaders and individual grades. Its aim is to provide more information about the charitable organizations for the Montcrest community. A website is also provided for each organization. We would like to thank Rebecca Golding for suggesting this idea and for all of her efforts in compiling this comprehensive list. Without her, this would not have been possible.

Whole School and Student Leaders donations:

Youth to Youth is a not-for-profit organization that facilitates learning partnerships between inner-city schools and independent schools. Our grade 7 & 8 students work with grade 2 & 3 students at George Webster School on a number of initiatives. Steve Beatty, Peter Smith, and Kim McCallum collaborate with our Youth to Youth volunteers as well as Nancy Steinhauer and Steve Corke from George Webster. Joint activities include playing games, a dramatic storytelling workshop, skating, a percussion workshop, and rock climbing.

Evergreen's mission is to bring communities and nature together.  It engages people in creating and sustaining healthy, dynamic outdoor spaces in schools, communities, and in homes through its many environmental programs.

Nellie's Shelter and Support for Women and Children. Nellie's mission is to help women and children who are in crisis due to violence, poverty and homelessness.  It accomplishes this mission by supporting a 36-bed emergency shelter and through community support programs that help to save and rebuild the lives of hundreds of women and children every year.

Christmas Hamper Program through Regent Park and Duke of York Public School.  Each year our Christmas Hamper program helps many individuals and families have a brighter Christmas by supplying traditional Christmas foods and distributing toys and gifts.

Goodwill. A registered charity since 1935, Goodwill's core mission has always been to create work opportunities for and to develop the skills of people facing serious barriers to employment among them, persons with disabilities, youth at risk, the chronically unemployed, Aboriginal people and newcomers to Canada.  With over 30 locations, Goodwill is well known for their network of retail stores throughout Canada.

The Terry Fox Foundation.  The Terry Fox Foundation has raised more than $400 million for cancer research through the annual Terry Fox Run.

The Royal Canadian Legion.  The Legion's main focus is remembering those who gave their lives for freedom and looking after the needs of their dependents and those still serving in the Canadian Forces.  Legions sponsor sports, youth and senior programs; raise funds for organizations such as medical research facilities and communities affected by natural disasters; and supply meeting rooms and halls for events.

Interval House.  Interval House provides a continuum of services that enable abused women and children to have access to safe shelter and responsive services that help them establish lives free from violence.  Services include counseling, advocacy, outreach, legal and housing support, as well as programs to help build economic self-sufficiency.

Canadian Cancer Society. The CCS is a national community-based organization of volunteers whose mission is the eradication of cancer and the enhancement of the quality of life of people living with cancer.  It achieves its mission through research, education, patient services and advocacy for healthy public policy.

Mt. Sinai, Max and Beatrice Wolfe Centre for Children's Grief and Palliative Care.  The Centre offers services for children of all ages experiencing the death of a family member and services for their parents and extended family.  The MBWCC also provides medical and counseling services to terminally ill children and their families, offering these families the option to be helped to confidently and safely care for children at home.

Toronto Humane Society.  The mission of the Toronto Humane Society is to promote the humane care and protection of all animals.  In any given year, approximately 10, 000 animals pass through the shelter, which is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Toronto Child Abuse Center.  The Toronto Child Abuse Centre, through programs, services and research, strives to eliminate child abuse and violence and to reduce the trauma for children and youth who have been abused or experienced violence.

People with AIDS.  The Toronto People With AIDS Foundation exists to promote the health and well-being of all people living with HIV/AIDS by providing accessible, direct and practical support services.

Toronto Challenge.  The Toronto Challenge, which includes a 5K run, and 5K and 1K walks, is the premier fundraising event to help seniors in Toronto's Homes for the Aged.

Stephen Lewis Foundation. The Stephen Lewis Foundation was established in March 2003 to ease the pain of individuals, families and communities struggling with HIV/AIDS in Africa.

Matt's Climb Foundation.  The Matt's Climb Foundation provides scholarships for high school students to attend a 14-30 day wilderness experience camp with the National Outdoor Leadership School.  It is intended for those students who would ordinarily never be able to participate in such a program with the hope that the opportunity could be a real turning point in a young person's life.

Supported by Individual Grades or Groups:

World Wildlife Fund.  WWF is one of the world's biggest and best-recognized conservation organizations.  It operates in more than 200 countries and funds more than 2, 000 conservation projects each year.  WWF is working to conserve biological diversity, to make sure that renewable natural resources are used sustainably, and to reduce the pollution and wasteful consumption that are taking their toll on species and landscapes.

Project Love.  Project Love is run through CODE, Canada's international literacy agency for children.  CODE works in developing countries building national publishing industries, supporting the professional development of teachers, librarians, authors and publishers, as well as building library collections through local and donated North American books.

Ryan's Well.  The mission of the Ryan's Well Foundation is to provide clean water, improved sanitation and related hygiene education to citizens of developing countries impacted by the global water crisis.
 
Nelson Mandela Foundation. The Nelson Mandela Foundation leads the development of a living legacy that captures the vision and values of Mandela's life and work.  Through the creation of strategic networks and partnerships, the Nelson Mandela Foundation directs resources, knowledge and practice to add value and demonstrate new possibilities.
 
StepClub.  Members of StepClub will have 6 weeks to meet the challenge of increasing the number of steps they take to 10, 000 a day.  StepClub also helps to make a healthy difference in the lives of others by donating steps back to the Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation; raising funds in support of life saving care and cutting-edge research at two of Canada's leading innovators in health sciences, Toronto General Hospital and Toronto Western Hospital.
 
Roots and Shoots.  Roots and Shoots is an international organization that encourages young people to learn about pertinent issues facing local and global communities and helps them design, lead and implement their own projects as a means of solving them.

Free the Children.  The primary goal of Free the Children is to free children from poverty and exploitation and to free children and young people from the idea that they are powerless to bring about positive social change and improve the lives of their peers.  Founded in 1995 by 12-year-old Craig Kielburger, FTC has since impacted the lives of over 1 million youth in 45 countries.

Bloorview Kids Rehab is Canada's largest children's rehabilitation hospital. Their vision is to create aworld of possibility for kids with disability. They pioneer treatments, technologies, therapies and real-world programs that give children with disabilities the tools to participate fully in life. Bloorview serves about 7,000 children each year, with about 600 inpatient admissions and 52,000 outpatient visits.

Raising the Roof.  Raising the Roof is Canada's only national charity dedicated to long-term solutions to homelessness.  RTR builds awareness about homelessness and raises funds for community groups working to alleviate homelessness.

Touchstone Youth Shelter.  Touchstone Youth Centre is a 32-bed emergency shelter for 16-24 year old homeless and at-risk youth.  In addition to shelter, the Centre addresses the many issues confronting homeless youth by offering an Employment Program, Housing Help, a Drop-in centre and an Outreach Worker.

Right to Play.  Right To Play is an athlete-driven, humanitarian organization bringing sport and play to the world's most disadvantaged children through Sport for Development.  Sport for Development evolved out of the growing evidence that strengthening the right of children to play enhances their physical and psychosocial development and builds stronger communities.

The Sick Kid's Foundation.  The Sick Kid's Foundation is the largest non-governmental granting agency in child health in Canada.  Established in 1972, the foundation has granted over $300 million to The Hospital for Sick Children and over $60 million to researchers across the country.

TD Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup.  The TD Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup is a national conservation initiative that allows all Canadians to have a positive impact on their local environment.  More than just a program to pick up trash, it collects valuable data from each cleanup, which then helps to determine the major (and minor) causes of shoreline litter in each region.

Out of The Cold is a cooperative group of faith and community organizations who band together to ensure that any night of the week people can find shelter, a meal, clean clothing, and first aid in a safe, non-judgmental environment, as an alternative to sleeping outdoors.

Amici is a group dedicated to raising funds to provide summer camp opportunities for children who would otherwise not be able to attend. Support is provided by stuffing envelopes prior to fundraising campaigns.

Art Heart is a volunteer arts organization providing art classes and activities to children and adults in Regent Park.

Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation. Working together with health care and research professionals, patients, and the community, The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation raises over $60 million annually to support breakthrough research and patient care and education programs of Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) Canada's leading cancer research hospital. PMH is a recognized international leader in the fight against cancer.

Rene Gordon Public School (Toronto District School Board) is an elementary school community located in the Don Mills area that serves students and families adjusting to new lives in Canada.  Our under 14 girls' volleyball and boys' basketball team members volunteer to visit Rene Gordon P.S. to share their sports skills with grade 4 and 5 students.
 
The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure is Canada's largest single day, volunteer-led fundraising event dedicated to raising funds for breast cancer research, and education and awareness programs.

BIG BOOK FOR KIDS is a new outreach program by the Lymphedema Association of Ontario and is the organization's first initiative to focus on children. In collaboration with the Hospital for Sick Children's Department of Rehabilitation Services, a donated book will be provided to each newly diagnosed and follow-up lymphedema patient, aged newborn to eleven. An initial donation of $1150 was provided by the Grade 6S students at Montcrest School, through a classroom fundraiser.
 
The Montcrest Players Theatre Company is an auditioned co-curricular acting company for students in Grades 6 to 8. Since 1992, the company has developed, designed and presented high quality, entertaining family productions for our own community as well as over five thousand students from other schools. Led by Lisa Swarbrick, Nick Spence, and Karen Bell, the Players alternate each year between main stage and touring productions. The Touring Company aims to bring the magic of theatre to elementary schools across Toronto, promoting the arts and engaging in community outreach.