Day 25! Dogs With Wings!

Door 25 has been opened this morning to reveal:

Dogs With Wings! http://dogswithwings.ca/

Dogs With Wings is one of only two charities in Canada providing assistance dogs for those in need, at no cost to the individual. Among the types of dogs Dogs With Wings trains are service dogs for disabled individuals, guide dogs for blind or visually impaired individuals, facility dogs (the sort that accompany Zebra staff & volunteers to support children,) companion dogs (often called therapy dogs) who offer emotional support to individuals but are not certified to enter public spaces, and autism dogs. 

Dogs With Wings is a very special organization for our family. Our youngest son is profoundly impacted by autism; he has been approved and is on the waiting list for an autism dog for a little over four years. Dogs With Wings receives no government funding and given the huge demand for assistance dogs, the wait lists are long. The average cost of raising and training an assistance dog is $40 000. Financial support is desperately needed in order to meet the increasing demands for dogs.

Our son doing a promo shoot with Dogs With Wings

There are many, many people waiting, not just out little boy and assistance dogs provide people with independence and supports in ways that nothing else can.

Please help make more dogs available to more people with a donation today!

Dogs with Wings receives donations through CanadaHelps.org. You know the drill by now! If you make your donation using PayPal, 1% of all donations to Dogs with Wings made through PayPal are matched. Please choose PayPal so that DWW gets that little bit more!

http://dogswithwings.ca/helping-us/donation-programs/donate/

Door 24! Zebra Child Protection Centre!

Door 24 has been opened this morning to reveal:

Zebra Child Protection Centre!  http://www.zebracentre.ca/

The Zebra Child Protection Centre was established in 2002 under the recognition that children who reported abuse were being treated as adults; they were being asked to give information in the same manner, in the same places, which can be intimidating for adults; for children, it could completely shut them down and/or re-traumatize them.

Zebra employs a multi-disciplinary approach to interview children as well as to support them through and after information collection process.
From supporting children in court, should they have to testify, to bringing therapy dogs to visit in the community, to ensuring there are psychological supports available longer term if necessary, Zebra makes the experience of reporting abuse and dealing with the justice system a gentler experience for children.

Please donate. You'll notice Zebra is another charity that receives donations via CanadaHelps.org. If you pay with PayPal, your donation is matched at 1% by PayPal through December.

https://www.canadahelps.org/services/wa/dnm/en/#/page/16035

Door 23! Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton!

 

Door 23 has been opened this morning to reveal:

Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton! https://sace.ab.ca/

The Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton provides a number of supports for survivors of sexual violence. A 24/7 crisis line (780 423 4121) offers immediate short term support. SACE hosts support groups, court support programs, individually counselling, and more to individuals.

Working in collaboration with community groups, SACE provides educational support about sexual violence, war rape, and criminal justice.

SACE also provides educational programming for individuals and their personal supports while waiting for counselling (due to demand and not enough funding, individual counselling is not always immediately available.)

Please help make counselling more immediately available; donations go a long way to support this very dire need.

SACE collects donations through CanadaHelps.org. If you've been following the Giving Advent Calendar, you'll know what I'm going to say next! If you make your donation using PayPal, PayPal donates 1% of all donations each charity receives to the charity, meaning your donation leads to an additional donation. 

https://www.canadahelps.org/dn/12505

Day 22! Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society!

Door 22 has been opened this morning to reveal:

Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society! http://bentarrow.ca/

Bent Arrow offers a huge range of services and programs to Edmonton's urban Aboriginal populations. From youth play groups to wrap--around family services, Bent Arrow aims to assist community members to build on strengths and grow, proud to walk in the world as Indigenous peoples. 

Bent Arrow is another organization whose programs and services are too numerous to list. They host programs at their Parkdale location as well as all over the city, wherever need for a program is noted. Soup and bannock lunches are popular community building and connecting events at Bent Arrow. Coyote Pride, an extra-curricular program for young people, is popular at schools across the city (my daughter attends :) ) Housing support programs, family wellness, and safety programs are just a few additional of the numerous programs Bent Arrow offers.

Please assist Bent Arrow in maintaining and continuing to develop their life-changing support services.

Bent Arrow's donations are received through CanadaHelps.org, so the PayPal payment option offers an additional 1% to Bent Arrow through the month of December.

https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/bent-arrow-traditional-healing-society/

Door 21! The Edmonton John Howard Society!

Door 21 has been opened this morning to reveal:

Edmonton John Howard Society http://www.johnhoward.org/

The Edmonton John Howard Society is as uniquely diverse in its services and programs as it is in its clientele. From youth lacking support systems to victims of family violence to those at risk of involvement or involved in the justice system, EJHS aims to be a support that feels like family, something many people have never experienced.
In their words, [w]e celebrate with our clients when they succeed and we welcome them back when they stumble. "

With a range of client base so broad and services equally so, it's hard to write about all EJHS does without writing a book. In short, they offer supportive and educational programs that meet the needs of their clients.

In short, the Edmonton John Howard Society provides hope and real opportunities for success for the people who walk through their doors or phone in for help.

A vital support in Edmonton, please donate to EJHS. Because their donations are received through CanadaHelps, all donations received in December will be matched at 1% if PayPal is the method of payment. A chance to give more!

https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/edmonton-john-howard-society/

With winter here, EJHS is also seeking:

• gently used men's pants 
• t-shirts
• hoodies  

Please call 780.428.7590 for more information or drop off donations to #101, 10010 - 105 Street. 

Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Closed Wednesdays from 12:00p.m. to 4:30 p.m.