ENGAGE AND CHANGE is a charity that was created to foster good citizenship and encourage healthy communities by giving back. We provide people and companies with the opportunity to participate in hands-on group volunteer projects that assemble and build kits to assist in the alleviation of poverty. These kits are then distributed to local communities (GTA) through frontline social service agencies and homeless shelters directly to those in need.

HELP THE CITY’S MOST VULNERABLE THIS SUMMER! 

Every year, Engage and Change distributes bottled water and summer survival kits to over 140-200 frontline social service agencies and outreach programs who distribute them safely to members of the homeless community they serve. The water and survival kits are used by those social workers to engage homeless individuals in conversations about going to a shelter, entering a program or seeking medical attention whether due to illness, chronic conditions or heat stroke.   It is estimated that over 10,000 people in the GTA are without permanent housing, a number that has grown significantly through COVID.

During the summer months, vulnerable people are often forced to spend their days and nights outside in the soaring temperatures and are at increased risk of dehydration and heat related illnesses. You may not realize that even if a person seeks shelter at night, they are not always able to stay there all day – they leave the shelter each morning to return at night if there is room.

Dehydration occurs when our bodies do not have enough water and although our community members on the street will frequent parks where they can find cool grass and shady areas, there is a lack of access to drinking water. 

In addition to water, our survival kits provide essential supplies such as: hygiene kits, sunscreen, hats, towels and re-usable water bottles that can be filled at shelters or the ever-dwindling number of public water fountains. These items are very much needed for the homeless and less fortunate to survive on the streets – your donation of $50 can often make the difference between life and death.  One of the directors of such an agency, wrote us a letter last year to thank us for the water, noting "that a homeless person often walks up to 15 km daily in search of water and washrooms." 

With your generous contributions, our goal is to distribute essential summer supplies and over 400,000 bottles of water to at least 150 agencies/shelters (including 400,000 bottles of water). Every $50 raised provides drinking water and essential survival items to help save lives this summer!

Please give generously. Every donation makes an impact.

We will leave you with these thoughts:

• Nobody chooses to be homeless
• Nobody deserves to die on our streets

Thanks again for engaging in our movement of caring.

Did you know... 

There are 2 kit packing events held in Toronto each year:

PROJECT WINTER SURVIVAL in January

PROJECT WATER in June