Category: Community

Roma Boots is Giving Poverty The Boot

Community Fashion Giving Lifestyle

Roma Boots is Giving Poverty The Boot

I love my new Roma Boots, perfect for this wet season and best of all, Roma Boots is a socially conscious  company, merging fashion with philanthropy by donating a new pair to impoverished children living in cold and wet climates for every pair sold. How great is that?

Their mission is to bring impoverished children throughout the world hope, love, and lasting change through aid and education. For every pair of boots sold, a new pair is donated to a child in need. Additionally, ten percent of all proceeds funds educational initiatives around the world. Roma was founded in 2010 by Samuel Bistrian, who wanted to combine his love of fashion and philanthropy to help children in his home country of Romania.

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Roma’s ultimate goal is not only to provide aid, but to educate. By doing so we will empower them to contribute their gifts & talents to society, eradicate poverty as a condition and a state of mind to make this world a better place.

Roma was founded by Romanian Samuel Bistrian in 2010 and is amor spelled backwards, which means love. It is also the proper term for the gypsy people, who are generally a poor, marginalized population that Roma initially provided most of their donations to.

Over the last five years, thousands of Roma Boots have been donated to children in need in 25 countries on 5 continents. Let’s help spread the word in Canada.

Roma Boots Canada has TWO collections

The Classic  Collection featuring 7 styles from a Chelsea Kale Lace to a whimiscal Short Turquoise Floral boot.

The Fashion Collection featuring 15 styles, with just the right boot for everyone from an Opinca Kale lace-up to a Classic Black Croc

My favourite is the Opinca Kale lace-up Roma Boot from their Fashion Collection, which go perfect with my (you got it) favourite jeans . I was thinking about purchasing another brand of boots, however when I read about how with every pair of Roma Boots sold, a brand new pair of Roma Boots is donated to street children and orphans around the world – Asia, Americas, Europe and Africa, I knew which boot brand I had to get. It’s important to me to support companies who are socially conscious and are making a difference in the world.

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I’ve had my boots for close to a week now, loving every minute of comfort and style they provide. And as I mentioned before, the best thing about my new boots is I can help to change the world, one pair of boots at a time. Thanks Roma Boots!

Roma Boots Canada Digital Footprint

 

Twitter Party

Celebrate Spring. We are #GivingPovertyTheBoot Twitter Party.

Date: Thursday, April 27, 2017
Time: 8:00pm ET
Hosts: @ShesConnected (asking questions) @RomaBootsCanada
Guests: @SamuelBistrian, @WorldVisionCan
Hashtag: #GivingPovertyTheBoot
Moderators: @SimplyLindaBlog, @InfluentialMama, @ShesInfluential@BloggerWomen, @SherrieMae23, @HomewithAneta, @OlderMommyStill
Prizes: 5 pairs of Roma Boots
No RSVP
Canada Only excluding the Province of Quebec

Anyone can participate in the Twitter Party but only Canadians excluding those in the province of Quebec can win prizes.

Twitter Party Newbies

New to twitter parties? Don’t worry – we’ve got your back. Just login to http://twubs.com/givingpovertytheboot with your twitter account and it will make it easier for you!

DISCLAIMER: I was compensated for this post. All opinions are my own.

Cover Me Urban: Food, Fashion, Drink, Music, Fun

Community Events Fashion Food Giving Uncategorized

Cover Me Urban: Food, Fashion, Drink, Music, Fun

 

On Wednesday April 5th, I had the opportunity of attending Cover Me Urban a fundraising event for Youth Without Shelter as a guest of Tangerine Bank.

The event was held to raise money and awareness about Ending homelessness…one youth at a time, one step at a time.

About Youth Without Shelter

Youth Without Shelter (YWS) is an emergency residence and referral agency serving homeless youth who are dedicated to providing shelter and support programs for homeless youth ages 16­-24 and provide an independent shelter, committed to diverse client ­focused services, in a safe, non­judgmental supportive environment. Their programs enable youth to live responsibly and independently in society.

Frustrated with the lack of safe, emergency housing and support programs for their students, in 1986 a group of teachers and guidance counsellors created Youth without Shelter. Since that time YWS has helped more than 15,000 homeless youth to build their confidence and life-skills and to find long-term stable housing and jobs. Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, they are dedicated to providing getting youth off the streets permanently by providing shelter and support programs in a safe environment.

About Cover Me Urban Event

The event was held at the Maison Mercer. It was fun filled night with great food, fashion, drink and conversation – all in support of Youth Without Shelter.

Check out the event pictures and partcipant links below

COVER ME URBAN FOOD:

Aura by Cashew & Clive
Big House Pizza
CHASKA Indian Street Food Obsession 
Coastline Catering

Crowne Plaza Toronto Airport Award Winning Culinary Team
Fonda Lola Mexican Bistro
Medium Rare
The Cheese Boutique
Sweet treats from Cocomira and More Than Pies
Thistletown CI Culinary Program with Chef Keith Hoare, 2015 Chopped Canada winner and student competitors 2015 Chopped Canada
Team YWS 
Yorkshire Pudding Inc. 

COVER ME URBAN DRINK
AROMA Espresso Bar
Mill Street Brewery
Brickworks Ciderhouse
Oyster Bay Wines

Cover Me Urban fashion show, featuring spring urban wear from Saks Fifth Avenue (CF Sherway Gardens).

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L’Oreal Canada to announce Women of Worth Canadian Edition

Community

L’Oreal Canada to announce Women of Worth Canadian Edition

L’Oréal Paris today proudly announced the inspirational recipients of its inaugural Canadian Women of Worth program. The signature philanthropic program embodies the L’Oréal Paris belief that ‘Every Woman Is Worth It’ by elevating and celebrating women who find beauty in giving back. The 10 Women of Worth Honourees will be celebrated and awarded more than $100,000 in charitable grants at an Awards Gala on March 8, International Women’s Day, hosted by L’Oréal Paris spokesperson, award-winning actress and humanitarian, Blake Lively.

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“We have been inspired and awestruck by the hundreds of Women of Worth nominations we received about extraordinary Canadian women who are selflessly volunteering their time and talents to make Canada a better place,” said Stephanie Binette, General Manager, L’Oréal Paris in Canada. “Our first Canadian Women of Worth are advocates for refugees and the homeless, and champions for women and youth in need, among many other important causes. We applaud this year’s Honourees, and look forward to celebrating their worth, generosity and innovation on International Women’s Day.”

The Women of Worth program honours Canadian women who selflessly volunteer their time to serve and improve their communities. In its inaugural year in Canada, the program received more than 350 nominations which were judged by L’Oréal Paris, Points of Light, the world’s largest volunteer service organization, and esteemed volunteer leadership experts. Selection criteria was based on the impact of the cause on the social fabric of the community, the nominee’s ability to meet an unmet community need or concern, as well as the passion and innovation she has demonstrated to effect change.

Public Invited to Vote for National Honouree
One of the 10 Women of Worth Honourees will be selected as the National Honouree and will be awarded an additional $10,000 grant for her charity at the Awards Gala. The public can visit www.womenofworth.ca to read more details about each Honouree’s inspirational cause and vote for their favourite until March 7. Voters can cast one online vote per email address each day. These votes will be a core factor in the judging panel’s selection of the National Honouree.

The inaugural Canadian Women of Worth Honourees are:

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  • Abirami Abi Kirubarajan, Multicultural Youth CAN in Mississauga, Ont. – has aided more than 700 Sri Lankan youth in their transition to Canada
  • Audrey Guth, Nanny Angel Network in Toronto – provides free relief childcare services to mothers who are battling cancer to enable them to get the care and rest they need
  • Betty Lorraine Cornelius, CANGRANDS in Belleville, Ont. – assists extended “kinship” families raise children when their parents are unable or unwilling to
  • Cheryl Perera, OneChild in Richmond Hill, Ont. – spreads awareness, lobbies government and fundraises to rescue and rehabilitate human trafficking survivors
  • Deanna McCarron, Kidzact in Dayton, N.S. – offers free dance and gymnastics programs to local youth in exchange for their pledge not to drink or use drugs
  • Eva von Jagow, DueNORTH from Montreal / Stittsville, Ont. – provides and promotes access to nutritional food for students in Nunavut to give them a better foundation for learning
  • Kirsten Bourque, Street Feet at Sunshine House in Winnipeg – provides essential foot care to homeless and street-involved people in Winnipeg’s Inner City
  • Lia Grimanis, Up With Women in Toronto – offers strategic career development program to recently homeless and at-risk women to help them rise above the cycle of poverty
  • Nayiri Tavlian, Hay Doun in Montreal – provides vocational counselling and life coaching to Armenian refugees so they gain confidence and succeed
  • Sheliza Kassam, Children’s Birthday Miracles in Calgary – has held birthday celebrations for more than 4,000 underprivileged children and their families

Each Honouree will receive a $10,000 grant for her charity, as well as a trip for two to the Awards Gala in Toronto and marketing support to increase visibility for her charity from L’Oréal Paris.

 

Source: L’Oreal Paris

Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2017

Community

Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2017

With eating disorders having a higher mortality rate among girls and young women than any other mental health condition, eating disorder groups across Canada will mark Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2017 with a new campaign to reinforce the message that eating disorders are not a choice.

From February 1 to 7, the National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC) and other groups across the country will host a variety of awareness-raising and educational activities to help dispel the myth that eating disorders are just a phase or a diet gone too far. Using the hashtags #NotAChoice and #EDAW2017 (or #SEMTA2017 in French), they will spread the message that eating disorders are serious biologically-influenced mental illnesses with potentially life-threatening consequences — and they can affect people of all ages, genders, classes, ethnic backgrounds and abilities.

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Six provinces and more than 50 municipalities across Canada will participate in Eating Disorders Awareness Week activities. Dozens of notable landmarks will be lit up in purple throughout the week to raise awareness of this important cause, including the Peace Bridge in Niagara Falls, the High Level Bridge in Edmonton and City Hall in Vancouver.

“By generating awareness, we can promote public understanding about these illnesses while also spreading hope to those affected,” says Marbella Carlos, Outreach and Education Coordinator at NEDIC. “We know that open, supportive dialogue can help break the shame, stigma and silence that affect those living with an eating disorder as well as the millions of others who struggle with food and weight preoccupation.”

An estimated 600,000 to 990,000 Canadians are living with an eating disorder at any given time — a number greater than the combined populations of Prince Edward Island, Nunavut, Yukon, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Those seeking support can contact the NEDIC Helpline toll-free at 1-866-633-4220 from 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. EST, Monday to Friday.

For more information about Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2017, visit www.nedic.ca.

 

Please also join the Twitter Party on February 1, 2017

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Join the conversation on Bell Let’s Talk Day on January 25

Community

Join the conversation on Bell Let’s Talk Day on January 25

Bell Let’s Talk Day 2017 takes place on Wednesday, Jan. 25. The Bell Let’s Talk Day conversation works to end the stigma of mental illness while also driving Bell’s funding for Canadian mental health programs. Bell donates 5 cents to support Canadian mental health programs for every text message, mobile, and long distance call made by Bell Canada and Bell Aliant customers; every tweet or Instagram post using #BellLetsTalk; every view of the Bell Let’s Talk Day video at Facebook.com/BellLetsTalk; and every use of the Bell Let’s Talk Snapchat geofilter. Over the last six Bell Let’s Talk Days, Bell`s total commitment to Canadian mental health has grown to $79,919,178.55.

Bell’s donations are made at no extra charge to Bell Let’s Talk Day participants, though normal long distance or text charges, if any, apply.

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Join the conversation and drive Bell’s funding of mental health
On January 25, Bell will donate 5 cents to Canadian mental health programs for each of these interactions made that day:

  • Every text message, mobile call and long distance call made by Bell Canada and Bell Aliant customers
  • Every tweet using #BellLetsTalk
  • Every view of the Bell Let’s Talk Day video on Facebook.com/BellLetsTalk
  • Every Instagram post using #BellLetsTalk
  • Every use of the Bell Let’s Talk geofilter on Snapchat

Bell’s donations are made at no extra charge to Bell Let’s Talk Day participants. Normal long distance or text charges, if any, apply.

Bell Let’s Talk Day 2016 set new records with 125.9 million messages of support, growing Bell’s funding for Canadian mental health by $6,295,764.75. #BellLetsTalk was the #1 Twitter hashtag in Canada for all of 2016, and the most used in the world on Bell Let’s Talk Day 2016.

With its original anchor donation of $50 million and the results of the first 6 Bell Let’s Talk Days, Bell’s total commitment to mental health now stands at $79,919,178.55, and is expected to surpass $100 million in 2020.

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5 simple ways to help end the stigma
You can help end the stigma around mental illness with 5 simple ways developed by Dr. Heather Stuart, the Bell Mental Health and Anti-Stigma Research Chair at Queen’s University:

  • Language matters – pay attention to the words you use about mental illness
  • Educate yourself – learn, know and talk more, understand the signs
  • Be kind – small acts of kindness speak a lot
  • Listen and ask – sometimes it’s best to just listen
  • Talk about it – start a dialogue, break the silence

To learn more, please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.

CIBC and Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation Change the Pace for the 2016 Run for the Cure

Community

CIBC and Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation Change the Pace for the 2016 Run for the Cure

Proudly marking twenty years of partnership, CIBC  and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation are drawing on local Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF) CIBC Run for the Cure supporters to participate on Sunday, October 2 and create their very own Changemaker campaign.

This year, we flipped the concept of our national event on its head – instead of promoting just one Run, we are inviting Changemakers to make it personal by customizing their very own Run campaign to create a future without breast cancer. A new digital toolkit enables participants to create personal fundraising materials that honour their specific connection to the cause. By doing this, we are aiming to create thousands of campaigns instead of one and these personalized campaigns are popping up in  mass advertising across Canadaincluding wild postings, billboards and social media.

“Changemakers from coast-to-coast are creating personalized fundraising campaigns through their own unique storytelling and imagery to demonstrate their reason for running and generate awareness for the cause,” saysMonique Giroux Vice President, Strategic Partnerships, CIBC. “By sharing their individual connections to breast cancer, they are inspiring a new generation of Changemakers bound by a common goal – to create a future without breast cancer.”

Changemaker and survivor Paula Ethier is one of several women in her family who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Although this disease has moved from generation to generation, she is able to tell the positive side of her story through her campaign.

“I never imagined that being a breast cancer survivor would allow me a platform to empower and instill a sense of hope for Canadians and their families impacted by the disease,” says Ethier. “Participating in the CIBC Run for the Cure has reminded me of the tireless support I received from friends and family, and how critical fundraising is to creating a future without breast cancer.”

This year, individuals who don’t have a Run location in their community, or who can’t make it on Run day, can still support the Run and fundraise in a way that works best for them by creating a ‘My Run. Any where. Any way.‘ campaign, which is what Changemaker and HGTV host Scott McGillivray is doing.

“I created a virtual team, The Ready or Scott Run for the Cure,  with my daughters Myah and Layla in mind, in the hope that they never have to experience losing a loved one to cancer like I did,” says McGillivray. “Fundraising for the CIBC Run for the Cure is near and dear to my heart and although I can’t make it out on Run Day this year, my Virtual Team will rally my supporters to help anyways.”

Canadians looking to support CBCF can create their own personalized Changemaker campaigns by registering for the CIBC Run for the Cure at CIBCRunfortheCure.com and fundraising for the one in nine women inCanada that will still be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetimes.

See you on Sunday, October 2.

See how twenty of years of partnership and millions of Run dollars raised have helped change what it means to live with breast cancer in Canada (CNW Group/CIBC)
See how twenty of years of partnership and millions of Run dollars raised have helped change what it means to live with breast cancer in Canada (CNW Group/CIBC)

About CIBC
CIBC is a leading Canadian-based financial institution with 11 million individual, small business, commercial and institutional clients. CIBC and its employees invest in the social and economic development of communities and in 2015, CIBC contributed more than $65 million to support community  initiatives acrossCanada, including the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure, CIBC Miracle Day™ and United Way. This year, CIBC marks 20 years as title sponsor of the CIBC Run for the Cure and over two decades of support for breast cancer research and treatment. For more information, follow on Twitter @CIBC, Facebook (www.facebook.com/CIBC) and Instagram @CIBCNow.

About the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure
The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure is the largest, single-day, volunteer-led event dedicated to raising funds for breast cancer research. On October 2, 2016, this national movement will bring together participants and volunteers in more than 60 communities across the country to create a future without breast cancer. Register, donate or learn more at CIBCRunForTheCure.com and follow the conversation using the hashtag #CIBCRunfortheCure

Morguard’s BeYou Campaign Celebrates the Uniqueness of Girls All Over Canada

Community

Morguard’s BeYou Campaign Celebrates the Uniqueness of Girls All Over Canada

Morguard's BeYou campaign (source)
Morguard’s BeYou campaign (source)

In our current world of the ever-present influences of social media, girls are feeling the pressures to look a certain way younger and younger.

If you’re old enough to remember what it was like growing up without Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube, your childhood was probably way different than that of Generation Z. I remember spending countless hours playing outside with the neighbor kids. None of us had nice clothes, we never did our hair, and it all didn’t matter. It was a carefree time in our lives. We were allowed to grow up in our own way.

But in this age of technology, girls from a young age are being influenced and feeling pressured to be thinner, to look prettier, and to dress a certain way.

Let’s take a look at the hard facts:

  • 9 out of 10 girls say they feel pressure from the media to be thin
  • 50% of girls in grade 6 are on a diet
  • Over 50% of girls say they wish they were someone else
  • Almost half a million girls have posted YouTube videos of themselves asking “Am I pretty or am I ugly?”
  • Girls’ self-esteem peaks at age 9
  • Only 11% of girls age 16 are physically active enough to benefit their health

Heartbreaking, isn’t it? This is an age when girls should be having fun, exploring their abilities, developing their own special personalities. But instead, they’re trying to conform to what social media says they should be like. Reason being, our heroes are predominantly intellectual weaklings.

This is why Morguard (a North American real estate and property management company) is launching a national social campaign called BeYou, with support from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada. It will celebrate the uniqueness of every girl. The goal of this campaign is to help girls improve their self-esteem and self-worth. It aims to empower young girls and help them realize that they are already beautiful.

Morguard Corporation-Morguard Launches BeYou- National Retail So

The program will be rolled out in 21 enclosed Morguard-owned or -managed shopping centers across Canada starting September. Locations include Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Saskatchewan. For a full list of participating shopping centers, events, and dates, see here.

Events will vary at different shopping centers, but they may include free interactive workshops, craft  making, activities, speakers, live entertainment, and food. TV personality Erin Cebula also will be on location at several launch events. Also expect to find:

  • BeYou Digital Website: find resources, workshop dates, and inspirational messages.
  • Jump & BeYou: Photo booth where girls are captured in a moment of happiness and provided to you as a memento.
  • I Promise….: A digital “Promise” wall in each participating Morguard centre displaying encouraging and positive “I Promise….” pledges from girls all across Canada.

Will you be there with your young girls to celebrate their uniqueness and beauty?

For more information, visit https://beyougirl.ca/.

Use the official hashtag #beyougirl across all social media platforms.

Be Bold with Beauty at Shoppers Drug Mart Summer Beauty Gala

Beauty Community

Be Bold with Beauty at Shoppers Drug Mart Summer Beauty Gala

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With all this warm weather we’ve had lately, isn’t it time to celebrate? On August 12th, the fine folks at Shopper’s Drug Mart are throwing an in-story Summer Beauty Gala to celebrate spring! In stores across the country, gala guests will enjoy complementary makeovers, skincare consultations, free samples, refreshments and snacks. How great is that?

Even better – funds raised go to a good cause! What’s better than shopping for a good cause (other than your own wardrobe!). Funds raised at locations in the Prairies and Atlantic Canada will benefit Beauty Gives Back, a charitable initiative of the Canadian beauty industry, dedicated to helping women beat the Cancer Blues.

How can you attend? Just swing by your local Shopper’s Drug Mart and talk to a beauty expert to get your ticket! Tickets are only $10 – and the best part? $5 of the ticket is donated to a charitable organization. The remaining $5 is redeemable on any purchase made at Shoppers Drug Mart during the event!

About Look Good Feel Better

Look Good Feel Better is Canada’s only charitable cancer program dedicated to empowering women to manage the effects that cancer and its treatment can have on their appearance. At the heart of Look Good Feel Better is the free, 2 hour hands-on workshop offered at 120 cancer care facilities and hospitals across the country. Since its inception, it is estimated that Look Good Feel Better has helped hundreds of thousands of women across the country.

What is the Cancer Blues? It’s a term for the emotional distress caused by cancer and its treatment. The Cancer Blues is a huge and overlooked part of the cancer story. For the majority of women, a cancer diagnosis unleashes as many emotional symptoms as physical ones.

. Visit http://www.beautygivesback.ca/ to learn more about this great cause!

Save the Date! July 11th at 8pm is our Twitter Party, where you can join us to learn more about this fab event and the great cause it benefits!

Twitter Party Details
Date: Thursday August 11, 2016
Time: 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM EST
Host: @ShesConnected
Moderators:  @LGFBCanada @ShesInfluential
Hashtag: #SDMBeautyGala
Prizing: 5 (five) $100 Shoppers Drug Mart Gift Cards

Tangerine Announces Partnership with The 519

Community

Tangerine Announces Partnership with The 519

Tangerine announces new partnership with The 519, a non-profit organization that operates a community centre in Toronto’s Church and Wellesley neighbourhood and is dedicated to the advancement of LGBTQ equality and inclusion. As part of Tangerine’s sponsorship and community investment program, #BrightWayForward, Tangerine will provide support through resources and employee volunteering to help the centre deliver on its programming to support the LBGTQ community inToronto and beyond.… Continue reading