Describe your charity/non-profit/volunteer work in a few sentences.

RISE Edutainment is an artist-led, community-rooted non-profit founded in Scarborough on April 16, 2012, serving the Greater Toronto Area. For 14 years, RISE has existed as a safe and accessible space where youth and emerging artists can express themselves, connect with others, and contribute meaningfully to their communities.

RISE is more than the artists we platform. It is the audiences who show up, the volunteers who help our events and programs run, and the staff we are intentionally building into a passionate, values-driven team. For many people, RISE is the only place they feel they belong. Whether someone is performing, listening, volunteering, producing, or supporting behind the scenes, there is room for them to participate in ways that feel purposeful and affirming.

What began as a weekly open mic has grown into a full community arts and service agency with local and global reach. To date, RISE has existed for 13 years, hosted over 600 live events and 185 virtual events, for a total of more than 785 events. In 2025 alone, we produced 50 events, platforming 198 artists, and creating over 3,000 paid opportunities for emerging artists.

Across our lifetime, RISE has paid approximately $1.98 million in artist fees, including $106,000 paid last year. We have engaged more than 900 program participants, impacted over 4,600 youth through our programs, and reached more than 30,000 people we refer to as intelligent souls. These numbers reflect a community that is alive, growing, and deeply invested in collective well-being.

What problem does it aim to solve?

RISE exists to address systemic barriers to creative opportunity. Many artists have talent but lack access to mentorship, professional networks, industry exposure, funding pathways, and paid performance opportunities. These barriers disproportionately affect Black, racialized, marginalized, and underserved communities across Scarborough and the GTA.

RISE builds infrastructure where artists can practice, be seen, be paid, and grow. We create pathways from community stage to professional platform, while also strengthening the cultural fabric around them.

When did you start/join it?

I joined RISE in September 2012 as an audience member at the weekly RISE Open Mic, which launched earlier that year on April 16, 2012.

What made you want to get involved?

For me, accessibility to the arts was not a given growing up. Creativity was not something we could prioritize when survival came first. That reality is shaped by colonial systems that have historically limited access to resources, education, and creative freedom for many communities. When your energy is focused on making it through, expression often becomes a luxury instead of a right.

RISE became the place where I finally experienced what accessible arts could look like. A space where you did not need money, credentials, or permission to show up. That access mattered. It allowed me to stay connected to creativity at a time when I felt disconnected from myself and my future. It gave me a place to exist, to listen, and eventually to speak.

This work goes beyond performance. What we are doing at RISE actively helps dismantle systems that silence people by creating safe spaces to voice lived experience. Through art, people bring awareness to their mental health, their realities, and the policies that impact their well-being. Expression becomes a bridge between the inner world and the public sphere.

We support artists, we often call artivists because culture moves before policy. Art helps people process internal chaos, release suppressed emotion, and cultivate inner peace. That inner transformation is essential. When people are less overwhelmed internally, they are better able to engage externally, advocate for themselves, and contribute to meaningful social change.

By keeping barriers low through free and pay-what-you-can events, RISE ensures that access is not limited to those with financial privilege. At the same time, we call on those with resources to invest in this work. Supporting community-based arts is not charity. It is an investment in a healthier society where people are self-actualizing, emotionally supported, and empowered to shape the world they want to live in.

This is how systems shift—not only through policy, but through people who feel seen, heard, and whole enough to imagine something better.

What was the situation like when you started?

When I first joined in 2012, RISE operated as a weekly open mic held every Monday. It was one of the most consistent and accessible creative spaces in Scarborough and across the GTA, welcoming both artists and audience members at all stages without gatekeeping.

At the time, Scarborough and Toronto were experiencing high levels of violence, negativity, and instability in many communities. There were limited spaces where young people, especially those from marginalized backgrounds, could gather safely and express what they were going through.

RISE became that space.

It was a place where we could channel our lived experiences into art instead of harm—a place where we kept each other safe, physically and emotionally, by pouring our energy into creativity, connection, and community.

People came from all over the GTA—Brampton, Mississauga, North York, Ajax, Pickering, Oshawa, and beyond—because there was nothing else like it. It was alive, collective, and necessary.

For me, being an audience member became a bridge. Even when I felt lost, showing up kept me connected to the arts until I was ready to take the next step.

How has it changed since?

Today, RISE has grown into a multi-faceted arts organization that has reached over 30,000 people while staying rooted in its original purpose of creating accessible, culturally relevant spaces for expression and connection.

What began as a platform for creative self-expression has evolved into a foundation for ingenuity and entrepreneurship. We are not only creating spaces for artists to perform—we are creating pathways for them to build sustainable careers. We have developed artist development programs, taught skills like grant writing and fundraising, and created employment opportunities within the organization itself. My own career has been built through this work, directing projects and strategy to sustain and expand what we have created.

What started as an open mic has grown into a full ecosystem.

We now facilitate programs in schools, hospitals, community spaces, and on stages across Canada and internationally, taking artists to places like the UK, Jamaica, Hawaii, and Los Angeles while continuing to build strong local impact.

RISE stands for Reaching Intelligent Souls Everywhere, and that intention continues to guide us. Through edutainment, we use art as a tool to educate, connect, and empower.

At its core, the spirit of the open mic is still present. It has always been more than a stage—it is a space to think out loud, to transform lived experiences into expression, and to turn barriers into building blocks.

Now, we are seeing those ideas take form. Artists are building careers, launching initiatives, and creating their own spaces, continuing the cycle of impact.

What has changed is the scale.

What has remained is the purpose.

What more needs to be done?

We need deeper, sustained investment in artists and the ecosystems that allow communities to thrive.

During the pandemic, artists were relied on for connection, healing, and truth-telling. There was a renewed appreciation for the arts, but that momentum is fading—even as more artists continue to emerge.

Access must remain central. Audiences need real entry points, which means keeping barriers low. This is why RISE prioritizes free and pay-what-you-can programming. When cost is not a barrier, community shows up.

At the same time, artists need to be paid. They need professional opportunities, mentorship, and consistent platforms to grow and sustain themselves.

We also need policy shifts that recognize the value of investing in the arts at all levels. This includes offering tax incentives not only for charitable donations, but for individuals and businesses actively supporting artists, cultural programming, and creative production.

Beyond funding, we need stronger pathways for artists to enter spaces of influence, including politics and public leadership. Positions such as Poet Laureate should be expanded across more regions, creating opportunities for artists to shape cultural policy and public dialogue.

We also need greater recognition of spoken word and poetry as foundational practices within the music industry. These art forms should be acknowledged and uplifted within major awarding bodies, including platforms like the Junos, as integral to how music is written, performed, and experienced.

What is needed now is not just funding, but intentional investment—investment in spaces, in programming, and in people. Investment that recognizes the arts not as an extra, but as essential infrastructure for healthy, connected communities.

When we support artists, we support healing. When we support audiences, we build community. When we invest in both, we build the future.

How can our readers help?

Readers can support RISE in a number of meaningful ways.

You can attend events by accessing tickets through the website and showing up as an engaged audience member. You can join the volunteer roster and contribute your time and skills to support programs and initiatives.

You can also share RISE’s work across your platforms to help reach more people, or partner on events and community activations. Partnership can take many forms—sponsoring food, providing space, or contributing resources that help create meaningful experiences.

If you are skilled in a creative field such as photography, videography, or production, you can donate your time and talent to document the work while building your portfolio. You can also contribute by leading or donating workshops in artistic expression or creative industries.

There are also opportunities for brands and businesses to partner by activating at events, showcasing products or services, and connecting directly with audiences both in person and online.

Support can also come through giving—donating items to raffles, providing tickets for community members, purchasing blocks of tickets for underserved youth, buying merchandise, or offering financial contributions that allow programs to expand and ensure artists are paid.

Every form of support helps create more access, more opportunities, and more impact through the arts.

Do you have any events coming up?

Yes, several events are coming up. Monthly open mics are hosted in partnership with community organizations across the city. Check out our website for more info.

Where can we follow you?

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Newsletter

PAY IT FORWARD: What is an awesome local charity that you love?

Vibes Arts. They have supported RISE Edutainment by providing charitable infrastructure that allows the organization to receive donations in support of its programming. Their commitment to arts access and community-led cultural development has played an important role in strengthening RISE’s impact and sustainability.

The post Charitable Choices: Elle de Lyon of RISE Edutainment appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

Describe your charity/non-profit/volunteer work in a few sentences.

VegTO is a non-profit connecting Torontonians who are living—or curious about—a plant-based lifestyle. We host events and workshops, run our annual festival VegTO Fest, and offer a member discount program with local plant-friendly businesses. Our newsletter and social channels keep the community informed, inspired, and engaged year-round. In 2025, we celebrated the organization’s 80th anniversary and the 40th edition of VegTO Fest.

What problem does it aim to solve?

Moving toward a vegan lifestyle can feel isolating without the right community around you. VegTO makes it easier and more enjoyable by connecting like-minded people, providing resources, and showing that compassionate living can be accessible and fun—not intimidating.

When did you start/join it?

I joined VegTO in the summer of 2024.

What made you want to get involved?

Sustainability has always been a core passion of mine, and food systems are one of the most powerful levers we have for environmental impact. I also love bringing people together through events—there’s something special about creating a shared experience that shifts perspectives and builds real community. VegTO felt like the perfect intersection of both: a way to channel a love of events and a commitment to sustainability into something meaningful and welcoming, where connection and curiosity do more good than guilt ever could.

What was the situation like when you started?

The foundation was already there—a passionate community and a growing events calendar, with VegTO Fest standing tall as Canada’s largest and longest-running free-to-attend vegan festival.

How has it changed since?

The biggest challenges we’ve navigated are economic ones. Funding and grants have become harder to access, and the cost of hosting large-scale events has risen significantly. Like many non-profits in Toronto right now, we’ve had to get creative and lean heavily on our volunteers and community partners to keep delivering great programming without compromising on quality.

What more needs to be done?

Sustainable funding is the big one—not just for VegTO, but for the broader non-profit community. We’d also love to do more to highlight the connection between plant-based living and protecting the planet. Many people care deeply about the environment but haven’t yet made the link between what’s on their plate and the health of the earth—and we think that’s a huge opportunity to welcome more people into the movement. The more we can frame veganism as an accessible, impactful climate action rather than a restrictive lifestyle, the better.

How can our readers help?

Join us as a member or donor, sign up for our newsletter, follow and share our content, and come out to our events—it all makes a real difference. If you have time, skills, or connections to offer as a volunteer or sponsor, we’d love to hear from you. Even just showing up curious is a great start.

Do you have any events coming up?

We don’t have anything confirmed right now, so we encourage folks to follow us on social media and sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop!

Where can we follow you?

Website | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | Newsletter

PAY IT FORWARD: What is an awesome local charity that you love?

We love Animal Justice—Canada’s only national animal law organization, working to strengthen legal protections for animals through the courts, legislatures, and public education. Their work is vital and complements everything VegTO stands for. If you care about animals and justice, they’re absolutely worth supporting.

The post Charitable Choices: Cassandra Della Mora of VegTO appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

Describe your charity/non-profit/volunteer work in a few sentences.

Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF) is the leading global type 1 diabetes research and advocacy organization. As we drive toward curing T1D, we help make every day better for the people who live with it. We fund research, advocate for government support and improved access, ensure new therapies come to market, and connect and engage the T1D community across Canada.

What problem does it aim to solve?

T1D is a chronic autoimmune condition in which insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas are mistakenly destroyed by the body’s immune system. Its causes are not fully known, and there is currently no cure. People with T1D are dependent on injected or pumped insulin to survive, and management is constant—with countless daily decisions about food, activity, rest, and more. It is a relentless 24/7 disease, and the only disease where a person must replace the functioning of an organ themselves. The burden of that management can also lead to significant mental health challenges.

Diet and lifestyle don’t cause T1D. It isn’t contagious, it isn’t something you can outgrow, and it is currently not preventable or curable. Breakthrough T1D’s primary goal is to find cures through research as quickly as possible, while also funding work that makes life with T1D easier, safer, and healthier today.

When did you start/join it?

I joined Breakthrough T1D in February 2024, working with the development team to raise funds and increase awareness of both the organization and type 1 diabetes across Western Canada.

What made you want to get involved?

While I don’t live with T1D personally, I felt inspired by friends who have lived with this disease since an early age and have directly benefited from the breakthroughs made in recent years. Contributing to research into regenerative medicine, cell therapy, and improved mental health outcomes—while helping make daily life better for Canadians with T1D—is incredibly meaningful work.

What was the situation like when you started?

Breakthrough T1D has been a trusted organization for Canadians with T1D for over 50 years, so it was more a matter of stepping into an established, credible place and getting to work continuing their important mission.

How has it changed since?

In November 2024, we underwent a significant rebrand from JDRF to Breakthrough T1D Canada. Since the organization was founded more than 50 years ago, both we and the world of T1D have evolved. What was once called “Juvenile Diabetes” is now diagnosed as type 1 diabetes and affects people of all ages. In fact, more than 70% of new diagnoses are in people over the age of 18, and more than 80% of Canadians living with T1D are adults. The new name reflects that reality and our commitment to be there for Canadians at every age and every stage—until the day we’re no longer needed.

What more needs to be done?

Our goal as an organization is to put ourselves out of business. That means a world free from type 1 diabetes and cures for the Canadians currently living with it.

How can our readers help?

Visit our website to learn more about our work and how you can help—through donations, event participation, or advocating to government for better diabetes device access and increased research funding. Even taking the time to learn more about T1D and its impact on those living with it makes a real difference to our community.

Do you have any events coming up?

We’d love to have you join us at the Breakthrough T1D Walk in Calgary—a family-oriented event and the largest, longest-running fundraiser bringing together the T1D community in Canada. This year we’re doing an evening Walk for the first time, taking place on Sunday, May 31, 2026, at the TELUS Spark Science Centre, 220 St. George’s Drive NE, Calgary. Register or learn more here.

We also hold free educational webinars throughout the year on topics of interest to the T1D community, along with local community engagement activities. Find out more here.

Where can we follow you?

Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn

PAY IT FORWARD: What is an awesome local charity that you love?

As an animal lover, I have to mention the Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society.

The post Charitable Choices: Colin Edington of Breakthrough T1D appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

Describe your charity/non-profit/volunteer work in a few sentences.

MUSE Arts is an artist-run, community-based organization that creates spaces where art becomes a tool for connection, healing, and social change. We work closely with communities, especially newcomers, refugees, youth, and equity-seeking groups through workshops, residencies, and collaborative art projects that center lived experience and collective storytelling.

What problem does it aim to solve?

We respond to the lack of access, visibility, and support for emerging artists—particularly those from marginalized or displaced communities. Many artists have powerful stories and practices, but limited platforms or networks. At the same time, communities often lack inclusive cultural spaces where people can gather, express themselves, and process shared realities. MUSE Arts works at that intersection—using art to reduce isolation, amplify voices, and build more just and connected communities.

When did you start/join it?

I co-founded MUSE Arts and have been part of its journey since its early stages, helping shape its programs, partnerships, and community-centred approach over the years.

What made you want to get involved?

My background as a human rights lawyer and community organizer deeply shaped my path. I saw how art could reach places that policy and legal frameworks often cannot—emotionally, culturally, and collectively. Art creates space for dialogue, healing, and imagination, especially for communities impacted by migration, violence, and displacement. MUSE Arts became a way to bring those worlds together.

What was the situation like when you started?

When we started, there were very few accessible and inclusive spaces for newcomer and refugee artists to share their work or feel part of a creative community. Many artists were working in isolation, without resources or recognition. There was also a gap in how arts programming engaged with social justice in meaningful, community-led ways.

How has it changed since?

Over time, MUSE Arts has grown into an international and deeply collaborative platform. We’ve supported hundreds of artists, developed community partnerships, and expanded into initiatives like micro-grants, international residencies, and community-based research. For example, our programs in Colombia and Canada now bring together artists across borders to co-create and exchange knowledge, strengthening both local and global artistic ecosystems.

What more needs to be done?

There is still a need for sustained funding, long-term support for artists, and deeper investment in community-led cultural work. We need to continue challenging traditional hierarchies in the arts and ensuring that marginalized voices are not just included, but centered. Art should not be a privilege—it should be part of how communities imagine and build their futures.

How can our readers help?

People can support by engaging—attending events, sharing artists’ work, collaborating, or volunteering. Donations and partnerships also help us sustain programs and reach more communities.

Do you have any events coming up?

Yes—one of our upcoming highlights is the HAPPENING Multicultural Festival, a vibrant, community-centred event that brings together artists, performers, and cultural practitioners from diverse backgrounds. May 15 to May 25 Community Activations and May 28 to May 30 HAPPENING Multicultural Festival.

Where can we follow you?

Website

PAY IT FORWARD: What is an awesome local charity that you love?

Nia Centre for the Arts is an inspiring Toronto organization that uplifts Black artists and communities—creating space for creativity, visibility, and cultural leadership through the arts.

The post Charitable Choices: Paola Gómez of MUSE Arts appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

In this conversation, Marco Di Buono, President of Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities, shares how Jumpstart has helped over 4 million children and youth across Canada reach their full potential through sport, investing more than $300 million in communities since 2005. From breaking down barriers to creating inclusive spaces and empowering girls through initiatives like Play to Lead, the mission is simple yet powerful: enable lifelong success through access to affordable sport.

If nearly 48% of youth say sport is too expensive, with cost being one of the main reasons they don’t participate, imagine what could change if more of us stepped in. One donation, one idea, one action—what could you do to help a child get off the sidelines and onto the field?

Describe your charity/non-profit/volunteer work in a few sentences

Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities (Jumpstart) was established in 2005 with the purpose of enriching the lives of children in financial need through sport. Since then, we have helped over 4 million children & youth reach their full potential through the power of sport by investing upwards of $300M in communities across Canada.

Our strategy is simple: Enable lifelong success through access to affordable sport.

In January, Jumpstart released its State of Youth Sport in Canada report, bringing together insights from both parents and youth to provide a comprehensive view of the current youth sport landscape across the country.

What problem does it aim to solve?

Jumpstart works with organizations across the country to remove barriers to sport. This includes supporting the design and delivery of sport programs, creating inclusive play spaces, investing in communities through granting, industry research and events, and other initiatives.

Play To Lead — Jumpstart’s signature initiative for girls and young women — enables them to develop the skills, confidence, and relationships to become leaders, while improving gender equity and diversity in sport.

When did you start/join it?

I joined Jumpstart in November of 2015 as the Associate Vice President of Operations, Program and Operations. In September of 2022, I was honoured to take over as President.

What made you want to get involved?

The through line of my career that has guided my decision-making has always been a passion for child and youth wellbeing.

What was the situation like when you started?

On one hand, Jumpstart had built significant equity in serving the needs of communities for close to a decade, but it wasn’t leveragingits scale and ability to convene across the sport ecosystem.

Within this ecosystem, there were countless examples of well-designed, community-driven initiatives that were meeting the needs of young people, but few resources available to support them.

These two areas of opportunity would help set Jumpstart’s course for the next decade.

How has it changed since?

While there will always be more work to be done, I do believe we’ve made great strides in improving affordability, access, and inclusion within Canada’s youth sport ecosystem. We’ve been relentless in centring the community organizations and the young people they serve in our decision-making and responding to their needs. As a result of this, when I think about the barriers we’vebroken down, whether they be pertaining to gender or accessibility, it was through collective progress and designing with inclusivity in mind that we were able to create programs that tackled the obstacles of the times.

What more needs to be done?

Data from our State of Youth Sport in Canada report shows us that we need to move from one-off solutions to long-term investments and sustainable solutions to create the most opportunities for children and youth in need.

The biggest progress will come from leveraging the community resources we already have – like schools – to structure programs that meet young people’s needs while also eliminating the known barriers to their participation. We also need to think about the intersection of new technologies at the community level that could unlock additional pathways to play. A great example of acommunity-level solution to break barriers is our work with Equip Sport to launch app-enabled sport lockers across Canada that provide free sports equipment rentals.

How can our readers help?

Our team is always interested in hearing directly from local communities across the country. We’d invite everyone to explore thenew State of Youth Sport report and join us in finding ways to make meaningful change. If you have ideas about how to make sports and play more accessible for youth, we encourage you to reach out and share your ideas.

Of course, we couldn’t do our work without your generous support. Donations to support our efforts can be made online or at your local Canadian Tire, Mark’s or Sport Chek stores year-round. One hundred percent of Jumpstart donations continue to directly help kids play.

Together, we can build a stronger sport community for Canadian children and youth and unlock the vast social and economic value that sport possesses.

Do you have any events coming up?

We always have events taking place across the country, and I encourage readers to check our website and follow us on social media to stay up to date. A few key dates include:

• Play to Lead: Jumpstart’s Play to Lead program creates a network for girls and their coaches to come together through the power of sport. From March 16–19, 2026, Jumpstart is hosting its summit in Toronto, dedicated to uplifting and empowering young Black women ages 14-18. Future summits will be hosted in Charlottetown, PEI, in July 2026, and Whitehorse, YT, in August 2026.
• Community Champion Award: The Community Champion Award is our is a national recognition program partnership with Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. The award spotlights grassroots coaches and sport builders who make sport possible at the community level for children and youth. The successful nominee will be announced this June.
• Jumpstart Month: June is Jumpstart Month, where we hold fundraising activities across the country. You can donate atyour local Canadian Tire banner stores, including Sport Chek, Mark’s, Gas+, Party City, and Pro Hockey Life.

Where can we follow you?

Website | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn

PAY IT FORWARD: What’s an awesome local charity that you love?

It’s difficult to pick one because we see so much great work across the country. Like Iroquois Roots Rugby in Southwestern Ontario and Free Play for Kids in Alberta. Organizations like Cape Breton Blizzard and HEROS Hockey are rewriting the rules of what it means to play hockey in Canada. Lay Up in Toronto and Pour 3 Points in Montreal, which have redefined what good coaching looks like. And Spirit North, which has introduced a new generation to the power of outdoor play.

We are fortunate to know so many outstanding community leaders who are dedicated to the well-being of young people across Canada.

The post Charitable Choices: Marco Di Buono of Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities appeared first on Toronto Guardian.