With the first of November comes an unofficial start to the holiday season. This season, which is  about spending time with loved ones and celebrating the completion of another successful year,  is also characterized by selfless giving to those in need. Below are a few of the many Toronto-based charity organizations for you to consider affiliating yourself with this season,

International Development and Relief Foundation

'The IDRF Mission Statement: (International Development and Relief Foundation) is a Canadian, registered charitable organization, dedicated to empowering the disadvantaged people of the world. IDRF provides effective humanitarian aid and sustainable development programs to disadvantaged individuals, without discrimination, based on the Islamic principles of human dignity, self reliance and social justice.'

 Visit the IDRF website to get involved and donate http://idrf.com/

Habitat for Humanity Toronto

'Habitat for Humanity Toronto welcomes all people to join in and build simple, decent, affordable homes in partnership with low-income families, volunteers and donors. With your help, we can permanently break the cycle of poverty.

Habitat for Humanity also offers other means to get involved - through the ReStore. The Toronto ReStores are owned and operated by Habitat for Humanity Toronto. Shelves are stocked with new and gently used renovation supplies donated to by homeowners and businesses. Everything is available at discounted prices.The money raised from the sale of items at the ReStores pays for the administrative and fundraising costs of Habitat for Humanity Toronto. Take action. Get involved'

Visit the Habitat for Humanity Toronto website to get involved http://www.torontohabitat.ca/

 Daily Bread Food Bank Toronto

'Daily Bread Food Bank is a non-profit, charitable organization fighting to end hunger across the Greater Toronto Area GTA.'

Mission: 

Providing food and resources for hungry people.

Mobilizing greater support, involvement and action, 

Creating social change to reduce poverty through research, education and advocacy.

 Visit the Daily Bread Food Bank website to get involved and donate http://www.dailybread.ca/

Shelter Box Canada

'Shelter Box relies on the generosity and support of donors from across the world in order to be able to carry out international humanitarian relief work. Founded in 2001 by a Rotarian Tom Henderson, Shelter Box has grown for over a decade from its roots as a Global Rotary Club Project supported by Rotarians across the world, and is now recognized as one of the most innovative and leading disaster relief agencies in the world.

Shelter Box provides more than just emergency equipment and shelter to a family in need – it provides warmth, security, a renewed sense of hope and promise of a fresh start. We cannot eradicate natural or man made disasters. We can only be prepared to respond to them.'

Visit the Shelter Box Canada website to get involved http://www.shelterboxcanada.org/

The Annual Gift Basket Drive 

'The Annual Gift Basket Drive was pioneered in December 2000  by Shelley Porritt, an Etobicoke-based real estate broker. As a volunteer at local women’s shelters, she found the holidays were an
especially difficult time of year for the ladies in residence. So, armed with nothing but a glimmer of inspiration and her trademark determination, she invited a few friends and family members over to her home, asking them to bring some empty baskets, new cosmetics, bath items and hair care products. The ladies who gathered around the table that evening to wrap up all the packages, unknowingly became a part of the inaugural event that launched the Annual Gift Basket Drive.

In the past decade, the quantity of baskets has grown steadily from those first few dozen to several hundred and now upwards of 2,000. Shelley’s impromptu gesture to a small group of women at a single location, today encompasses dozens of organizations across the GTA.'

To volunteer and/or donate to The Annual Gift Basket Drive visit the charity website http://www.annualbasketdrive.ca/

Toronto SickKids Foundation

'Our mission:We inspire our communities to invest in health and scientific advances to improve the lives of children and their families in Canada and around the world.

Healthier Children. A Better World.™
Established in 1972, SickKids Foundation raises funds on behalf of The Hospital for Sick Children.
The Foundation's fundraising is driven by the belief that improving the health and well-being of children is one of the most powerful ways to improve society.'

Get involved today: http://www.sickkidsfoundation.com/about-us

Because I Am a Girl Toronto

'Because I am a Girl is a global initiative to end gender inequality, promote girls’ rights and lift millions of girls – and everyone around them – out of poverty.

The Because I am a Girl initiative was founded by Plan International, one of the largest international charities in the world. Founded in 1937, Plan has supported girls and boys in the developing world for more than 75 years through collaboration with children, their families, and their communities.'

To get involved follow the link: http://becauseiamagirl.ca/

There are countless organizations to involve yourself in and there is no better time than now to do your part. 

Happy helping!

Jessica Ashley