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.

Describe the charity in a few sentences.

Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital is the only children’s rehabilitation hospital in Canada focused on combining world-class care, transformational research and academic leadership in the field of pediatric disability. At Holland Bloorview, we believe in creating a world where all youth and children belong. Every year, we help over 9,500 kids and youth with disabilities and complex medical needs access care that focuses on their physical, mental and emotional well-being, and we power their infinite potential and possibilities.

What problem does it aim to solve?

240 million children worldwide have a disability. Yet, there are only a handful of research hospitals focused on pediatric disability care. Coupled with an alarming shortage of specially trained clinicians, inadequate investment in research, and barriers to accessibility, kids with disabilities face inequities in virtually every area of their lives. We’re raising $100 million to address the profound gaps in healthcare experienced by kids and youth with disabilities in Canada and around the world. Through our Centre for Excellence in Childhood Disability, we’re making sure kids with disabilities have access to the latest evidence-based care, programs, and technology—wherever they are, when they need it most.

When did it start?

Holland Bloorview was established in 1899 and has evolved from a facility that could care for children with disabilities and chronic illnesses to Canada’s largest children’s rehabilitation hospital focused on improving the lives of kids with disabilities. We are a global leader in applied research, teaching and learning and client and family-centred care with a vision to create a world of possibility for kids with disabilities.

What makes people want to get involved?

Holland Bloorview is like nowhere else. As Canada’s hospital for kids with disabilities, and a world-leading centre for ground-breaking pediatric research and education, we are uniquely positioned to address the most critical needs facing kids with disabilities and their families, in Canada and globally. Our donors make a difference, allowing us to expand, innovate and ensure kids with disabilities can access the best care possible. Our donors are daring to change the face of disability healthcare in Canada.

What was the situation like when it started?

Fewer than 10 centres globally combine pediatric research and education in a hospital setting. And, we are facing a critical shortage of healthcare providers for people with disabilities.

How has it changed since?

Holland Bloorview has the expertise, the people, and the power to make critical change. OurTeaching and Learning Institute is filling urgent gaps in healthcare and reducing wait times by providing specialized training to over 400 healthcare professionals across multiple disciplines. We’re collaborating with agencies across Canada to bring our evidence-based programs to new communities and populations.

What more needs to be done?

With 23% of disability healthcare providers set to retire in the next 5 years, we need to train more disability healthcare professionals. We need to significantly reduce the average time, 17 years, for research to translate into clinical care practice. And we need to accelerate disability inclusion and health equity, providing greater support to families and communities who are disproportionately impacted by disabilities.

How can our readers help?

Dare to wear a cape from March 6 to 13, 2026 and raise funds to help kids with disabilities move, speak, play and heal. Register for Capes for Kids at CapesForKids.ca.

Do you have any events coming up?

Take your support to greater heights during Capes for Kids week. Visit CapesForKids.ca for more information on our action-packed events.

Where can we follow you?

Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Website

The post Charitable Choices: Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

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

Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP) Canada is a registered Canadian charity widely recognized as the pre-eminent authority on the bird-building collision issue. For over 32 years, FLAP Canada has engaged millions of people with dozens of campaigns and initiatives with one goal: keep birds safe from deadly collisions with buildings.

What problem does it aim to solve?

Each year in Canada, around 25 million migratory birds die as a direct result of collisions with buildings. We can only expect that number to grow unless we all work together to help mitigate local biodiversity loss through urban development that considers wildlife species.

When did you start/join it?

I have been advocating for bird-safe buildings since 1989. FLAP Canada was founded in 1993.

What made you want to get involved?

Over three decades ago, I rescued a common yellowthroat from a building collision. While enroute to rehab the bird, it escaped from the paper bag inside my car. It perched on my rearview mirror and began to sing. I continued driving, enchanted by its glorious song. Suddenly, the bird stopped singing and collapsed into my lap, dead. Not a day goes by when I don’t reflect on this profound experience. It was in this moment that the bird-building collision movement began. Shortly thereafter, in 1993, a team of like-minded people founded FLAP Canada. Since then, FLAP has had a profound impact on bringing this issue to light globally.

What was the situation like when you started?

FLAP was the first organization of its kind across the globe to address the bird building collision issue. Awareness of this leading cause of bird decline was zero to none.

How has it changed since?

Visit our website for background.

What more needs to be done?

The National Building Code needs to adopt the CSA Bird Friendly Building Design Standard, while the Federal Government needs to enforce bird building collision offenses under the Migratory Bird Convention Act and the Environmental Protection Act.

How can our readers help?

Homeowners need to start by making their home windows safe for birds, followed by contacting their local MPP, asking them to encourage the National Building Code to adopt the mentioned CSA standard.

Do you have any events coming up?

FLAP will be holding its annual bird layout at Feather Friendly within the second week of April. A specific date has yet to be confirmed.

Where can we follow you?

Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Global Bird Collision Mapper | Global Bird Rescue | Bird Safe

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

The Toronto Wildlife Centre

The post Charitable Choices: Michael Mesure of FLAP Canada appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

We spoke with Victoria Mahoney, Co-Producer of Sugar Shack TO, to learn more about the event’s evolution, its move to Harbourfront Centre in 2026, and how it continues to deliver an accessible, community-driven March Break experience rooted in Canadian culture.

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

Water’s Edge Festivals & Events (WEFE) is an Ontario not-for-profit corporation created in 2011 with a mandate to produce annual family festivals and provide a strong economic impact for Toronto and Ontario. The main objectives of WEFE include: producing exceptional family festivals; providing strong economic impact for Toronto and Ontario; developing tourism and visitation along Toronto’s waterfront; building strategic partnerships locally, regionally and nationally, including significant stakeholders; and marketing waterfront destinations both locally and to tourists.

What problem does it aim to solve?

Sugar Shack TO, presented by Redpath, is a free, family-friendly winter event on Toronto’s Waterfront. On March 14 & 15, 2026, Harbourfront Centre will come alive with all things Canadiana, including interactive activities, live entertainment, delicious comfort food, a warming station and of course tons of fresh maple taffy. General admission is free.

When did you start/join it?

I have been Co-Producer since 2017.

What was the situation like when you started?

The event was created by Waterfront Toronto in 2016 and was a great success. Waterfront Toronto wanted to grow the event, so they connected with us at Water’s Edge Festivals & Events to take it over and grow it further. I got involved in 2017 and have been involved ever since as one of the producers.

How has it changed since?

Since its inception, the event has been held at Sugar Beach, but in 2026 it will move to Harbourfront Centre. Sugar Shack TO was unfortunately cancelled in 2025 due to reduced sponsor funding and increased production costs. The move to Harbourfront Centre will allow us to deliver an even better experience with all the authentic maple traditions, live entertainment, and Canadian culture that families have come to love. Their existing onsite infrastructure eliminates the need to bring in equipment for the weekend, significantly reducing our production costs.

What more needs to be done?

We would love to grow the event further and promote it to people throughout Ontario to increase its scope. However, it was created as a Toronto waterfront community event, and we don’t want to lose that charm. We don’t expect it will expand much beyond its physical size and number of attendees. We are proud to welcome 10,000 to 15,000 people during the event each year and would be happy with any growth.

How can our readers help?

By coming to the event 🙂 Please see below for full details on 2026’s event.

Do you have any events coming up?

The Shack is back! Sugar Shack TO returns March 14-15 for more March Break Maple Madness.

Toronto’s urban cabane à sucre experience is coming to Harbourfront Centre for the first time ever with a sweet weekend of winter fun and plenty of fresh maple syrup.

Tap into your true Canadian self this March break at Sugar Shack TO, presented by Redpath. Harbourfront Centre will be transformed into a maple wonderland featuring live entertainment, a warming station, delicious maple-infused food, a Lumberjack show and much more.

WHEN: Saturday, March 14, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. | Sunday, March 15, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

WHERE: Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay W. Toronto, ON M5J 2G8

WHAT:

● Two Sugar Shacks serving up fresh Ontario maple taffy, presented by Menkes Developments.
● Maple-infused comfort food, including delicious Redpath Sugar cookies.
● Live Entertainment.
● Billy Bishop Airport warming station with bonfires and a maple sugaring demonstration.
● Free general admission.
● Maple Taffy $5 each or 5 for $20. Cash & Debit accepted.

2026 partners include: Redpath Sugar, Menkes Developments, Harbourfront Centre, Billy Bishop Airport, Westin Harbour Castle Hotel and Porter Airlines.

Where can we follow you?

Website | Instagram

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

Waterfront Neighbourhood Centre is a non-profit, City of Toronto AOCC agency that is supported by a volunteer board of dedicated community members. They work in partnership with residents and community-minded organizations to create a safe and supportive environment for people of all ages.

Their waterfront community is the fastest-growing vertical neighbourhood in the City. Their programs mirror their community as the demand for family, children, community outreach, and senior programs are on the rise. By engaging the community, they ensure that WNC’s activities will meet the growing and diverse needs of their neighbourhood, now and in the future.

The post Charitable Choices: Victoria Mahoney of Sugar Shack TO appeared first on Toronto Guardian.