As the holiday season has come and gone, we take a moment to pause and be truly grateful for all we have. With the hustle and bustle of the end of the year in both personal and professional lives, it can be easy to lose sight of how truly fortunate we are in many ways. We are so lucky to have careers that challenge us to grow and strong relationships both inside and outside of work that fulfil our lives.
However, the holiday season – often a time of cheer and family for many of us – can still be a time of continuous struggle for many others.
This year during the Holiday season, TPG Leadership continued the tradition of a Holiday Goodwill campaign to allow each employee to give back to their community or a cause of their choice to practice “Purpose Beyond Profit”. Together, we worked to make the holidays of those in our community a little bit brighter.
United to support our community and organizations that are close to our hearts, each employee chose to give their donations to unique organizations or individuals that supported various vulnerable populations on both a local and national level including people with illnesses, children, struggling families, homeless populations and those affected by natural disasters.
The attitude toward this initiative made me proud to work with this team because everyone was so committed to honouring the purpose of the donation, and so many people went above and beyond what was expected. It truly proves that the TPG team is more than just a collection of co-workers. We are a family that shares the same fundamental values and we are committed to working together toward a shared goal.
This initiative proves that one small kind deed can have a ripple effect to positively impact many people around the world, and for many of these organizations, a little bit of extra help can go a long way, far beyond the holiday season
Seva is a food bank with two locations in Mississauga where their mandate is to provide nutritious and culturally appropriate food to those in the local community who cannot provide for themselves.
“I began volunteering with Seva Food Bank in the spring of 2017 and believe wholeheartedly in their mission. I am happy to support this not-for-profit whose mission is to mobilize the goodwill of Canadians to address the needs of our local communities.”
POGO is the official source of advice on childhood cancer to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. They provide both leadership and support for regular, province-wide consultations which has resulted in long-range system plans that have been enormously effective in shaping and coordinating childhood cancer care in Ontario
The Toronto Women’s Run Series is partnered with the Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO). In May 2020, this individual will be participating in the 2020 Toronto Women’s Half Marathon to support this cause. The person who made this donation has also promoted their donation page on social media for others to support this cause as well.
“Each year, there are almost 1,000 children diagnosed with cancer in Canada, which means 1,000 more families are going through difficult times. I want to do something to help every child who is diagnosed with cancer so they can equally access the care and their families can get the support they need.”
I wanted to thank David and TPG as a whole for providing me with this opportunity to help!
“On a recent volunteer trip to Guatemala with “For the Love of Mateo” (FTLOM), I had the opportunity to serve breakfast with DBO Ministries in Chimaltenango. I learned that FTLOM helps to cover the breakfast service for 150 Shoe Shine Boys every Sunday – serving all ages from children to seniors. The entire breakfast (eggs, sausage, beans, bread and coffee) costs only $40 US to put on and is extremely important since daily meals are not a reality for many of the Shoe Shine Boys.
“I was able to use my donation to cover the Breakfast service for 2 Sundays in 2020 – ensuring 300 people will be fed.”
“A few years ago, I visited the Horizon for Youth homeless youth shelter when I organized a food/clothing drive. Being able to witness the living conditions of a homeless youth shelter and understanding the difficulties and circumstances that the youths are facing at such a young age is truly heartbreaking. Most of the youths are in homeless youth shelters because of family abuse or neglect. At such a young age, with limited support and resources available to them, it’s very difficult for them to find a safe environment to grow and not get badly influenced by the drug and violence on the streets. The homeless youth shelters provide shelter and support to keep kids off the street and work towards building a brighter future and a healthier life.
“As the holiday fast approaches, we are fortunate to be able to spend quality time with our family with home-cooked meals on our table. With the contribution from TPG, it will contribute to more nutritional meals and a better support system for the youths in need.
“On behalf of the homeless youth shelter, thank you for kindness and generosity. Your donation made a difference to many homeless youths!
“From this $100 donation, it influenced many of my family and friends to also make contributions to the community this holiday season.”
“This year, our ‘pay it forward’ donation went to an individual we met on our travels in South Africa. Collen was an experienced Private Camp Safari Ranger who over the course of 5 days provided us with an amazing safari adventure, He had spent many of his adult years protecting the wild animals from poachers. He had often been offered huge bribes to look the other way or to help the poachers to catch rhinos and cut their tusks off, killing the endangered animals but Collen stuck to his values and integrity, The location of the camp was far from his home and so he had to spend most of every month away from his family to keep this job that provided for them. He has been in touch with me once or twice a year since then, to send some great photos of the wild animals he had protected or to update me on his progress to write a book about his experiences in the wild and the value of the work he did.
“A few months ago, the camp fired all the Rangers because they had asked for an increase after having received none for many years. While the wage he earned was extremely low, he counted on the generosity of campers whose tips provided the majority of his income.
“Rather than bemoan his situation, he looked into gaining more education to better himself and improve his chances of getting a better job. This very experienced Ranger continuously turned down opportunities to make significant money by helping Poachers. He was disgusted by the ivory trade and disgraced that his countrymen resorted to this means of torture for income. By Christmas, he was still without work and feeling poorly that he could not provide for his children through the Christmas holiday.
“The amount of our donation with minor additional help converted into African currency was equivalent to an average month’s wages. I gladly wired this money over to him with Holiday blessings.
“I admire people who have the integrity and discipline to ensure their values drive their moral compass no matter what hardships they encounter. I know our friend Collen will do well as he has the dedication and character to know his value and improve his circumstances.”
Not Just Tourists was founded with the purpose of getting medical supplies to those who can’t afford them.
“A good friend of mine volunteers with them every week packing (non-pharmaceutical) medical supplies into luggage of people visiting areas in need of those supplies. With the kind donation from TPG we can supply 5 sets of stethoscopes and blood pressure cuffs to those who need them.”
Women’s Habitat is a shelter and outreach program in Etobicoke that offers a confidential location for women and children in need of a safe home and provides services to get families on their feet again. Every year, hundreds of women and their children come to Women’s Habitat for emergency shelter, food, clothing, support, advocacy, safety planning and referral to other community resources.
A $100.00 contribution pays for a grocery gift card that will fill a fridge for a mother and two children who are moving out of the shelter and into their own home.
2 TPG employees banded together to create care packages that had socks, gloves, scarves and beanies as well as a toothbrush. They made 5 care packages and distributed them to the homeless around downtown. They also bought 5 shawarmas to give on the side.
Loving Arms is a Canadian charity working to transform the lives of the people they serve living in Guatemala.
“A family friend of mine has recently done a mission trip to Guatemala and is now sponsoring a family that she met through the organization. It is a small organization and the donations through her are going to local suppliers and builders who are providing furniture and food for the families in need.”
“For my pay it forward I wanted to give the money to a young single mom that my family knows well. She struggles to raise a son with a learning disability as a single mom but does a great job teaching him important values of being a good person. We are very proud of her and thought the money could be an extra help at Christmas time. Then, she made a Facebook post about a fundraiser she wanted people to donate to for her December birthday and Christmas. She stated that she and her son have everything they need but she knew that many animals in Shelters at Christmas time went without love or care, so she wanted people to donate to The Mississauga Humane Society Christmas Fund. This choked me up as she is someone who just gets by but was more concerned about the animals’ welfare.
“Being an animal lover myself this was no problem, but I called her and gave her the choice to keep the money for her and her son if she would prefer. She chose to add it to her fundraising event, and it put her over her goal. She and her son were so thankful for the donation. I was humbled by the whole experience.
The ride to conquer cancer is a bike ride of thousands of passionate participants who are all driving towards a common goal: to conquer cancer in our lifetime. This donation was given to a friend of this employee who is doing the ride to conquer cancer. This event is and is something near and dear to them. It’s also an event that they volunteer for every year.
This donation is an investment in their mission to use food as a tool to strengthen bodies, empower minds, and build communities.
DC Central kitchen looks at root causes, not symptoms. They know band-aid solutions won’t solve hunger and poverty, but providing access to marketable skills, comprehensive support, and real opportunities just might. This gift will make it possible to train more people for culinary careers than ever before, set up students for long-term success, and sustain over 80 living wage jobs for graduates of the program.
NCC is Canada’s leading national land conservation organization. NCC partners with individuals, corporations, and other non-profit organizations and governments at all levels to protect Canada’s plants and wildlife.
“I feel very fortunate to have made Canada my home, and wanted to support an organization that helps to protect all that I find so beautiful about this country.”
“My Uncle and his family have had a very challenging year, so my whole family was able to at least match this gift from TPG and some were able to multiply this significantly to contribute directly to them during the holiday time. There were significant expenses that insurance didn’t cover, and this donation enabled them to be in a significantly better financial position to begin 2020 and a path to recovery. Thanks TPG!”
This donation was split equally between two agencies: Access Alliance and Parkdale Legal. Access Alliance provides services to improve health outcomes of the most vulnerable populations.
Parkdale Legal tackles poverty law issues and provides legal advice and education to individuals who cannot access prohibitively expensive legal services.
“Through these organizations’ valuable work, local vulnerable populations are able to safely access basic services which would otherwise be unavailable or difficult to obtain. They help individuals who are facing systemic pressures secure and maintain basic needs that ease some of the challenges they face. These organizations embody our values of Service to Others, Empowerment, and a Focus on Results. I’m grateful for The Poirier Group for enabling me to pay it forward and am proud to be part of an organization that values the community of which it’s a part of.”
“Growing up, sea turtles have always held a special place in my heart. My mother, a turtle lover herself, gave me a stuffed turtle as a gift when I was 3 that I still have today
“For over 100 million years, since before the dinosaurs, sea turtles have roamed our planet and occupy a vital role in the balance of marine habitats. With the ongoing threats of habitat encroachment, environmental pollution, poaching, and climate change, sea turtle populations are dwindling at an alarming rate.
“Globally, six out of the seven sea turtle species are now classified as threatened or endangered as a result. For me, reading alarming news equates to taking action by doing what is right. I have been taking personal steps in my life to uphold my stewardship towards the environment. In high school, I was extensively involved in keeping the streams free of garbage and other pollutants to keep our ecosystem healthy. Currently, I minimize the amount of garbage I produce by refusing to accept plastic bags and utensils when ordering take out and will always walk over taking the bus if presented with the choice.
“As Christmas is a time to give, I am thrilled to pay forward my donations to Sea Turtle Conservancy, the oldest international non-profit sea turtle research and conservation group wholly dedicated to ensuring the survival of sea turtles within the Caribbean, Atlantic, and Pacific. Sea Turtle Conservancy has been extensively involved in conducting research projects to understand sea turtle behavior and life cycle, educating local populations on how they can take ownership in conservation efforts, and raising national awareness regarding sea turtle issues. My personal goal in the future is to be directly involved in saving sea turtles and donating to Sea Turtle Conservancy is a big step forward.”
