The change of seasons impacts us all in so many ways. While the physical changes around us are often the most obvious; wardrobes, activities, even the foods we eat change as well. Fall is a season that exemplifies this like no other.

The advent of the colder weather has the greatest impact on those who make the streets, parks and abandoned buildings their home, the families who struggle to pay their heating bills, buy warm clothing and fill their children's stomachs with nutritional foods, and the charities who see the demand for assistance swell with the colder weather.

There are more than 80,000 registered charities in Canada, and thousands of them look to those of us who are fortunate enough to have the means to enjoy the changing seasons, to help those who do not. Charities such as the national group Raising the Roof Chez Toit, Toronto's Dixon Hall Out of the Cold Program, and Vancouver's Union Gospel Mission are just a few of the charities that help so many in need. You can learn more about these charities - and donate to any of them - easily and securely through CanadaHelps.org.

As we stock up on firewood, pull our thicker duvets out of storage and finish eating all of our leftover Halloween candy, let us also consider that perhaps the best way to celebrate the beauty of the changing fall landscape is by giving back to those who cannot afford, or are in other ways unable, to fully appreciate it.

Speaking of change, look for some exciting announcements coming soon from CanadaHelps, including a new website that will help both donors and charities better navigate all the features we provide to our community.

Sincerely,

Jason Côté
Executive Director

Give the Gift of Giving™!

Launched almost a year ago this holiday season, our successful Give the Gift of Giving™ gift card program continues to offer the gift of choice to donors. The program allows recipients to give online charitable donations to family, friends and colleagues as gifts.

When sending out your holiday messaging to donors this year, charities should consider harnessing the power of the Give the Gift of Giving™ gift cards, and take advantage of the increasing popularity that gift cards have with Canadian shoppers. During the holiday season especially, seventy-seven per cent of Canadians cite convenience and flexibility as the main advantage of gift cards; 67 per cent say they opt for gift cards so recipients can choose their own gift.*

How Give the Gift of Giving™ gift cards work:

1. The donor visits www.CanadaHelps.org/GiftCards.
2. They select the gift card option from the home page and choose a donation amount.
3. They personalize the online gift card with the recipient's name and add a special message.
4. The gift card is sent to the recipient by email or is printed for inclusion in stocking stuffers, cards, or under the tree.
5. When the gift card is received, the recipient can then choose the charity they want to donate to at http://www.canadahelps.org/GiftCards, or through the charity's CanadaHelps Donate Now! Button, from a charity's website.

For charities, reaching both new and existing donors this holiday season has never been easier. By promoting the Give the Gift of Giving™ gift cards you are offering a convenient, fast and flexible way for donors to contribute to your cause. For donors, the convenience, speed and flexibility will undoubtedly be a welcome respite from the busy holiday rush (not to mention a Give the Gift of Giving™ gift card is always the perfect size, colour and style!)

"CanadaHelps' Give the Gift of Giving™ gift cards will be a tremendous enhancement to charities like ours," says Kathy Brubacher-Hett, Financial Director, House of Friendship. "These cards will give people many more options for gift-giving and recognition of special events. And, most importantly, they will be able to do it conveniently and efficiently from the comfort of their own home. This will certainly broaden our donor reach beyond what we can do ourselves."

* SES Research

Charity Spotlight — Kingston Family YMCA

People say there must be something in the water at the Kingston, Ontario YMCA pool. How else to explain the incredible motivation and dedication that has brought two of its members to world renown for their marathon swims across Lake Ontario in support of young people with disabilities.

In 2005, Vicki Keith, a world-class athlete who remains the only person to have completed the double-crossing of Lake Ontario (104 km) spent 63 hours and 40 minutes in Lake Ontario, completing an 80.2 kilometre butterfly. Vicki set two world records in the process and raised over $200,000 for the Kingston Family YMCA. This year, Jenna Lambert, in 32 hours and 18 minutes, became the first female with a physical disability to complete a difficult swim across Lake Ontario, raising over $170,000 so far for the Kingston YMCA swim.

In 2005, prior to Vicki's swim, the YMCA realized they needed an online option to handle donations. "As a charity, it meant a lot to us that CanadaHelps was a charity itself. That provided a lot of credibility and gave us a sense of security about partnering with them" says Eric Bogstad, Director of Administration, Kingston Family YMCA.

The YMCA was also very impressed with how easy the set up was and how straightforward the process was: "We wanted to focus on the fundraising efforts, not in the technical how-to."

Just under 20% of the funds raised for Jenna's 2006 campaign have come through CanadaHelps, "It's the only option we recommend for online fundraising" says Bogstad who says he always recommends the service to other YMCAs looking for an online donation provider.

There may be something in the water at the Kingston YMCA pool, and with CanadaHelps successfully and seamlessly handling their online donations, they will be ready for whatever another young and determined athlete wants to do next!

To learn more about the Kingston YMCA, please visit their website: http://www.kingston.ymca.ca.

Donations of Securities and CanadaHelps.org

In the last federal budget, the capital gains tax on donations of securities was eliminated. Donors now pay zero capital gains tax on donations of publicly traded securities and receive a tax receipt for the closing price of the security on the day the trade is complete.

CanadaHelps is always exploring how to provide Canadian donors and charities with new, efficient online products and services. We would like to know if an online method of donating (and for charities, receiving) securities would be used by you. If you are a charity that would like to be able to accept donations of securities, or a donor who wants to donate appreciated securities to one or more of your favourite charities, then we need to hear from you. Your feedback will help us determine how and when to launch such a feature.

To provide feedback, or stay informed about donating securities through CanadaHelps, please visit: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=409352856283

Thank you!

Connect With CanadaHelps

CanadaHelps is the only online portal that provides access to all of Canada's 80,000 charities. From national organizations like national cancer charities to smaller groups like local animal shelters and soup kitchens, CanadaHelps reaches all Canadians who want to give and connects them with their charity of choice.

Help us keep you informed as we engage donors and enhance the fundraising potential for charities. Subscribe to the CanadaHelps newsletter and/or forward to a friend, colleague or charity who you think would benefit from the knowledge and experiences CanadaHelps gains each month from both donors and charities.