Vision

We have a vision of every Canadian getting the help he or she needs to have the basic necessities of food, shelter, clothing and an education. Beyond that we embrace the importance of of a shared community of values and traditions and a feeling of belonging and being part of a larger caring community. This sense of community expands beyond the smallest hamlet of a few hundred Canadians living near the Arctic Circle to the largest metropolitan centre of several million Canadians. Our vision includes all of Canada. Canadians helping Canadians.

Mission

Hands Up Canada supports education in ensuring that students from poor, underemployed and disadvantaged families and communities have quality learning supplies along with the adequate nutrition, motivation and encouragement to pursue their studies and improve their future opportunities. Our goal is to provide emergency necessities to women, children and men who have left problematic, abusive, traumatic situations and find themselves living in shelters, foster homes or on the street often without anything except the clothes on their backs. We encourage communities to work with families and individuals to provide quality recreational and bonding experiences. By building bonds between the young and old we can pass down shared traditional methods and skills and provide lively interaction of caring and sharing between the generations. We work towards a better future for Canadians everywhere who struggle for shelter, food and education and live a marginalized existence. By supplying life necessities, learning skills and tools to gain employment we can help communities better support their most vulnerable members and empower them on their road to self-sufficiency.

There are three main areas in which Hands Up Canada tries to make a difference in the lives of underprivileged Canadians.

Education

We aim to encourage and enhance the advancement of education in communities where there is poverty, poor attendance at schools and/or high drop rates. Education is the first step toward employment and self-reliance. Some of the ways that we work with schools and educators to help students on their road to academic excellence include:

• School Backpacks for students
• Head Start Backpacks for pre-school children
• Backpacks for women returning to school
• Holiday Gifts with books and educational toys
• Motivational Awards
• Educational Aids for schools and daycares

Poverty

To help those living in poverty we offer basic necessities such as food, clothing, hygiene items and shelter as well small gifts during the often lonely and difficult holiday season.

• Winter Kits
• Basic Hygiene Kits
• Emergency Kits
• Emergency Backpacks for kids.
• Emergency Bags for women
• Food for food banks and soup kitchens
• Holiday Gifts for children, adults and seniors in need.

Community/Social

We aim to encourage and facilitate community centres for the young and old to come together in a caring and sharing environment. Elders are often isolated from the vibrancy of the community and young people often have nowhere safe to gather after school. The purpose here is to encourage community involvement, intergenerational interaction and a sharing of traditional skills and methods as well as current culture and knowledge. Some of the ways Hands Up Canada supports communities are:
Community Connectivity Support with food and crafts

• Tools to Teach Traditional Skills
• Current Books and Movies

Donate Today!

Every dollar helps.  See our Helping Projects to find a way to help other Canadians.  Hands Up Canada!