August 25, 2021 — Riding a bike is synonymous with childhood. As President Kennedy famously said, “Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride”- and it's an experience we believe every child should have. The benefits of bike riding go beyond the basic skills it teaches. Not only does it improve physical fitness, it also benefits kids' healthy development and mental well-being....
July 28, 2021 — The Children’s Foundation’s Mental Health Initiative will be able to support many more local children and youth in our community thanks to the Guelph Giving Pledge. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Children’s Foundation of Guelph and Wellington added mental health support funding to their Free to Grow program. Prior to COVID-19, it was estimated that one out...
December 30, 2020 — As 2020 comes to an end, we wanted to take a moment to look back at the incredible impact that YOU helped us make in the community this year. Though 2020 has been a year with many challenges, it has also been a year where we have seen so much compassion, community support, and kindness! At the start of the pandemic,...
December 16, 2020 — Donors to the Adopt-A-Family Program have supported over 1,400 families in 2020! That's a big number. In all the hustle and bustle at Santa's Workshop, it's easy to lose sight of the fact that every family has their own unique story. But each year, some stories leap out and remind us of the struggles and pain so many kids and...
September 23, 2020 — Millions of people across Canada have come together during these times and found meaningful ways to give back to their community. We would like to tell you an inspirational story of our Food & Friends at Home volunteers. These individuals have truly made a difference and are feeding their passions through volunteering. When COVID-19 hit, the organization needed to take...
June 23, 2020 — What do we do when a pandemic hits and we need to rethink how we deliver our Food & Friends school nutrition programs? We call on our amazing and dedicated volunteers to step up and help with our Fresh Food for Kids initiative! With 23 wonderful volunteers helping at our Elora packaging facility and more helping at our Guelph packaging...
June 22, 2020 — During this pandemic, we are all being challenged in many ways and called to draw upon our resiliency to cope with the isolation and restrictions we’re facing. Children are not immune to the damaging effects of long-term isolation and may struggle even more than adults without their usual outlets for learning and development, including free play. Over the past 14 weeks,...
May 1, 2020 — “The past few days, I had been in a state of despair over the lack of humanity I was experiencing during this awful time. Then just at the perfect time, my neighbor knocks on my door and says ‘there is food here for you’.” Anna*, a single mother of a three-year-old girl, has experienced both sides of the economic...
March 26, 2020 — The first Fresh Food for Kids baskets from Market Fresh were delivered this week to five families and the response from them has already been so uplifting. We heard from one parent with three children who just two weeks ago, was a determined single mom about to graduate from college and confidently return to the workforce. This was to be...
March 24, 2020 — “According to what we have been through the last couple of years, I have never thought that my son will have the chance to do a normal activity like other kids. I am so thankful that we are here in Canada to know exactly what humanity is.” We are fortunate at the Children’s Foundation to receive so many heartwarming messages...
February 18, 2020 — Last school year Food & Friends helped to support over 19,000 students, each who benefit differently from this program. For some, it may be that parents or guardians have to choose between putting food on the table or paying the rent. For others, there is a lack of skill to prepare a healthy meal or snack. For some, the...
January 21, 2020 — On Saturday, January 11th over 100 trucks and 300 volunteers trekked out in the pouring rain to help the Children’s Foundation’s Trees for Tots event successfully completed the biggest and best year yet! Soaked but full of smiles, our volunteers collected 3,514 trees and helped us raise over $68,000!...
January 20, 2020 — Each of the 1,268 families helped this past Christmas through the Adopt-A-Family Program have their own unique stories of the hardships and challenges they face, the love they have for their children, and the hope they hold for a good and happy life for their family. One of the unique qualities of Adopt-A-Family is the partnership with social and...
November 18, 2019 — We received an email from a mom that moved us to tears as she has so beautifully captured why it is so important for children and youth to experience a magical, memorable Christmas. And how donors' support gives even more than the wonderfully wrapped gifts under the tree ~ they give the gift of hope. Here is her story: "When...
October 30, 2019 — Our theme this month has been Showing Gratitude. While we do our best to practice gratitude every day, we wanted to set aside this month to take extra time to express our heartfelt thanks to you, our community. You have fed hungry tummies breakfast, you have helped...
September 19, 2019 — For the last three years, a fruitful partnership with the Orangeville Food Bank (OFB) has benefited so many of our Food & Friends programs within the town of Orangeville. Heather Hayes, Executive Director of the Orangeville Food Bank, had reached out to our Food & Friends’ program manager with the opportunity to provide donated food to a handful of...
August 20, 2019 — “Going to camp, making new friends, and spending so much time outdoors swimming and playing games, was the highlight of my son’s summer!” For many youth, spending time outside playing is not their daily experience. The statistics on screen time versus physical activity can be alarming with Stats Canada reporting that 60% of kids do not meet the recommended...
May 21, 2019 — Empowerment is often reciprocal in nature. You become empowered so that you can work hard, achieve your goals and, in turn, empower others along the way. That’s exactly what Hannah Petty did. You might recognize Hannah as the inspiring young woman who told her story at the Around the World Gala four years ago. In 2015, Hannah spoke to our...
May 17, 2019 — For three years, Linda Bream has been a dedicated and caring member of the Children's Foundation Board of Directors, and is especially passionate about her role as a member of the Scholarship Committee. When Linda was approached by another Children’s Foundation Board Member, and asked to join the Board, she knew without question this was a good fit. Linda...
April 15, 2019 — Trees for Tots could not be possible without the now over 275 volunteers who give us their time, expertise, chippers, trucks and hard work! We have been lucky enough to have an amazingly dedicated Chair, Michael Douglas for a number of years. He has contributed countless hours to ensure the operations and logistics run smoothly and that...
April 15, 2019 — Program: Feed Your Mind Event Date: Saturday May 4th, 2019 The Children’s Foundation is so fortunate to have the greatest volunteers of all time. They are all extremely kind, enthusiastic, and dedicated individuals who are committed to helping reach the most vulnerable people in our community. In honour of National Volunteer Week, the Children’s Foundation will be hosting a Feed...
March 19, 2019 — For one 10-year-old girl, Speed River Track & Field Club (SRTFC) changed her life for the better. Kariann had experienced some really tough times in her young life. Along with her older sister and mother, she has suffered trauma including the loss of a beloved brother to Cystic Fibrosis, domestic violence and abuse, and the temporary loss of her home...
March 19, 2019 — Do you believe in the power of play? According to the Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) “evidence shows that play enables factors that support good mental health and is important to children’s overall wellbeing.” Our focus this month is on taking a break to play. We believe in the power of play for kids and their development. Free to Grow...
February 15, 2019 — In one of our Food & Friends programs the students that attend are very undernourished so the daily morning meal program is vital to the well-being and success of the school. The Principal has shared that every day the staff see substantial changes in the students since implementing the program. This program offers a fresh salad bar once a month...
January 21, 2019 — For one youth who was referred to the Adopt-A-Family program, one “wish” on his list really stood out. In addition to needing things like a new winter coat and boots, bed sheets and towels, Tyler*, a 17-year old independent youth, really wanted family favourite recipes to cook his own meals. The teacher who referred Tyler described him as a...
September 10, 2018 — When children and youth attend the Food & Friends student nutrition programs, we know that the healthy foods they receive will have a significant impact on their potential to focus and learn. But the Food & Friends programs often go beyond feeding a student a healthy meal. The environment that the programs provide is a calm, safe and welcoming...
July 18, 2018 — “I’m bored!” It’s a familiar refrain of summer. While parents and kids alike look forward to the more relaxed pace of summer, there comes that inevitable time when the lack of structure leads to kids who don’t know what to do with themselves. All too often the devices come out and kids are sitting for too long in front of...
June 19, 2018 — *Janine’s career goals changed a few times throughout her youth, but one thing that never changed was her perspective of what a meaningful career meant to her. The common denominator was always the same - she wanted to work with oppressed people who were in need of help. Once she settled on social work she then had to address...
May 23, 2018 — Spring has finally arrived and everywhere things are blossoming. Flowers are emerging, birds are singing and the air is warm. To blossom is to mature or develop in a promising or healthy way. We often talk of children blossoming if they are given the right opportunities to develop and flourish. Through your support of our four programs -...
April 18, 2018 — Story provided by Danielle Stafford- Rockwood Cenntennial Public School Our program serves the obvious purpose of providing healthy nutrition to those students in need, whatever the reason. We have worked diligently in past years to remove the stigma of needing to access the program and feel all students know they are welcome to access the program. One mother has...
March 20, 2018 — As a single mom working part-time and going to school, Donna* often has classes or has to work late, which means she relies on a babysitter to take care of her kids until she can get home. Days are long and Donna often feels like she could use a break from the daily stress and demands of parenting, working,...
February 20, 2018 — Lesley and Brandi, the new Food & Friends program coordinators at the Brisbane Public School snack program, wanted to provide more than a healthy snack to their 410 students; they wanted to encourage healthier habits for the whole family. Lesley shared "Food is not a topic that we tend to focus on in our schools unless it’s under the heading...
January 26, 2018 — For one local teenager, living on her own without any family support, the gift of a new pair of woolen socks and winter boots was a highlight of her Christmas. In addition to going to school full-time, this young woman works part-time at an outdoor job in the freezing cold. She wrote, “Working outside for eight hours straight is much...
November 28, 2017 — Meet Morgan (age 9) and Briar (age 7), two young girls from Elora using their artistic talents to raise money so they can adopt two families this holiday season. With help from their parents, they lovingly created 40+ personalized pebble art pieces, surpassing their goal. When they stopped by the Adopt-A-Family site, they presented the Children's Foundation with our very...
November 1, 2017 — The Children’s Foundation is proud to work alongside neighbourhood groups in Guelph, connecting families to much-needed support and services. This story came to us from Linda Busutill at the West Willow Village Neighbourhood Group, and speaks beautifully to the powerful impact connection and community can have on a family. This is the type of impact that our Adopt-A-Family donors...
September 6, 2017 — Alex ~ Scholarship Recipient 2016 Growing up, Alex was interested in architecture or design, fascinated with drawing and making new things that could be tangible and memorable. Unfortunate circumstances, including foster care and later an independent living situation, placed financial constraints that applied a troublesome pressure on Alex, forcing him to make the decision to work full-time in property maintenance...
August 15, 2017 — Princess Elizabeth Public School is located in the centre of Orangeville with 590 students enrolled. This busy English and French immersion school offers two Food & Friends student nutrition programs to help with breakfast and lunch needs. Their breakfast program opened its doors in September 1998 and started offering a lunch program in September 2010. Teacher Valerie LaCapruccia is the...
June 21, 2017 — Every parent wants the same things for their children; to be happy, to be safe and healthy, and to have a fulfilling life. Imagine arriving in a new country as an immigrant or a refugee fleeing from war and conflict. Imagine the powerful need to feel a sense of safety and belonging. How do we, as a community, welcome...
May 16, 2017 — The Children's Foundation Scholarships Program is the (graduating) cap of our support for local kids; a culmination of providing them with the tools they need to be nourished, educated, active, creative and filled with hope for the future. What makes our scholarships so unique is that the criteria does not focus solely on academic standing but rather on achievements in...
March 20, 2017 — Nothing makes us happier than hearing from families and kids about the impact of funding from the Children's Foundation of Guelph and Wellington. Life is busy, so to take the time to fill out a feedback form and send in a picture really means a lot to us! We recently heard from the mom of three-year-old Preslee, a rising...
January 30, 2017 — The Children's Foundation's scholarship awards are unique in that they do not focus on academic standing, but rather on achievement in graduating in light of unusual educational, family, or social challenges faced during high school. Each school's guidance department and/or commencement committee nominates the Future Fund recipient for their school, and the stories of these students' perserverence in light...
December 16, 2016 — There is a great sense of love and accomplishment felt by all who have taken part in the Adopt-A-Family Program this year. We have had a record-breaking year, supporting 1,109 families and reaching 2,385 children to date. These numbers will continue to grow as we receive emergency referals that right up until Christmas Day. We have had 926 donors...
November 18, 2016 — Dear Amazing Family, We are very grateful for you this holiday! We love that you took the time to love us and think of us. You are too kind Merry Christmas. ...
October 28, 2016 — Story by Emily Jones Stepping outside into that cool, crisp air, we all know it’s coming. Soon enough, if not already, we’ll be thinking about making a list of whom we need to shop for this year. Week by week, we’ll be getting closer to that moment. The moment we get to see the smiles on the faces of our...
September 14, 2016 — How quickly can a student nutrition program change things? When beginning a new Children’s Foundation of Guelph and Wellington’s Food & Friends program at local schools, our staff meets with the school principal and program coordinator to assess the needs of the school and what type of student nutrition program would benefit their student population. After discussing the many benefits...
August 23, 2016 — Jessie Pegelo received the Children’s Foundation Tait and the Promoli scholarships in 2013 to help with her tuition and residence costs. She moved from Guelph to Sudbury to pursue her education and was transitioning from being a youth in the care of Family & Children’s Services (F&CS) to standing on her own two feet. Like any young person embarking on...
December 22, 2015 — "Sometimes hard things happen in life. Things we have no control over like divorce, your parents losing their job or mental health issues. These circumstances can leave children feeling alone, scared, unloved and unwanted. Personally they affected my self-confidence, my self-esteem, and made me feel like I had done something wrong.The Children's Foundation was there for my family when...
September 17, 2015 — Story by Emily Jones So often, within a city it is normal for some truth to go unnoticed. But there comes a time where the truth needs to be shared and paid attention to. Although many people may see Guelph as it appears – a beautiful city, where people go on about their days, and feel a sense...
January 15, 2015 — There is some serious end zone celebrations going on for Mark; this past football season he not only scored a touchdown, he learned the importance of being part of a team and met a positive role model. This would not have happened without the support of the Grants Program. His mom is a single-parent and currently looking for work,...
November 18, 2014 — A big part of gift giving is the surprise. Imagine for a moment what it would be like to be going through a difficult time in your life with each day being filled with the stress of meeting your children’s needs. Now picture what it would be like to feel the relief of knowing your children’s Christmas wishes would...
October 20, 2014 — Below are just a few examples of feedback straight from the kids you have participated in activities funded by Free to Play: "I learned how to cook complete meals outside, and that no matter how many socks you pack, it's never enough." (Scouts camping) In response to the question "Would you do it again?" ~ "Of course I will...
September 18, 2014 — A young student named James attends the breakfast, snack and lunch program at a local school in Guelph each day. He's the child who would also visit the student nutrition program at the end of the day and take home anything that was leftover from the day. One morning, James was particularly hungry and after eating his sixth...
June 10, 2014 — Year end celebrations are underway for schools in our community. And a favorite is the graduation of the Give Yourself Credit students. These are some of our community’s most vulnerable students who have risen above very challenging odds to accomplish their goal of accumulating enough high school credits to graduate. Our Food & Friends student nutrition program has supported these...
May 16, 2014 — As a supporter of the Adopt-A-Family Program and a father of two university-aged students, Dr. John Tait and his wife Kim understand the importance of supporting children as they grow so they can become successful adults. One element of that growth which is particularly important to John is having the opportunity to not only attend post-secondary education but to...
November 13, 2013 — During the Adopt-A-Family program, we get to see firsthand how much time each donor puts into carefully selecting the gifts for their family. The joy they express in showing how they were able to find the exact gifts that their children put on their wish lists is evident. This thoughtfulness doesn’t go unnoticed. The families that receive gifts through...
February 19, 2013 — Our programs focus on providing brighter futures for children but it really is the whole family that benefits. James, at 10 was thrilled to score a goal in hockey from the blue line for the first time. Luckily the Grants Program was able to be there with the financial means to make that possible. His family found themselves in...
October 15, 2012 — "To a very kind family, I wish to express my heartfelt and true thanks for your very generous ‘gifts from the heart’ to my children and me. We felt truly blessed and cared for. The children were ecstatic about receiving so many things on their wish lists. Their eyes shone with delight and gratitude. Please know that I have...
September 11, 2012 — It’s amazing to think about how much of an impact an extracurricular activity can have on a child. For some children, their families don’t have the means to provide them with these life enriching experiences. For this single mother of three, her daughter would not have had the opportunity to manage her severe social anxiety disorder had it not been...
November 24, 2011 — One mom carefully detailed each gift that they received from her Adopt-A-Family donor and how perfect they were – from the Lego "he jumped up and down with sheer delight”, the novel "he loves to just fall into a story” to the Welch’s Grape Jelly she received "my favourite!” For families in the program, many find themselves in a...
March 14, 2011 — Beryl Bain, who was a recipient of a 2001 Promoli Scholarship (now known as the Future Fund Scholarship) recently took a moment to reflect on how the scholarship helped inspire and support her to begin her journey as an actress. On March 16th, Beryl opened in her latest role in I Marcus Garvey with Theatre Archipelago. Beryl began her formal training in...
May 26, 2010 — It can be lonely when your siblings are 7 years older than you. Eight year old Emily knows that feeling. Her friends do not live nearby and her older brothers aren’t interested in crafts so she spends a lot of time with her mummy. An opportunity like attending summer camp would allow Emily to have fun with kids her own...
March 15, 2010 — It's the season for registering for summer programs - which may have many families worrying that they cannot afford to have their children participate in their favourite activities. One family wanted their eldest son to be able to play soccer, his favourite sport, throughout the summer and not just because he would work off some excess energy. Their son, just...
January 18, 2010 — My name is Matt Timberlake, and I am a teacher with Youth Moving Forward Alternative Education. Along with Youth Worker, Lynda Wilk, I would like to sincerely thank you for your generous donation of holiday gifts for our students. It was much more than we could ever ask for! When we received the gifts from Adopt-A-Family, we took a look...