Great Results for Give a Day 2010!

Posted on June 7, 2011 by Give a Day

We are thrilled to announce that the Give a Day 2010 campaign has raised over half a million dollars on behalf of people affected by HIV! This is a great time to celebrate and reflect on all that happened in 2010.

There was even greater energy, enthusiasm and momentum for the Give a Day movement this year. We saw the concept of “global solidarity and local solutions” put into action as communities in Canada came together in creative ways to show their strong support and solidarity for communities in Africa that are affected by HIV. We kicked off the campaign by hearing former Prime Minister Paul Martin address a sold-out crowd from the legal, medical and business communities, urging them to join the Give a Day movement. We were gratified to see how this endorsement inspired new campaigns and donations and gave us the opportunity to bring the idea of Give a Day to a wider audience.

We thank all those who participated in the Give a Day campaign. The donations received have been instrumental in allowing The Stephen Lewis Foundation and Dignitas International to continue their remarkable work in responding to the HIV and AIDS pandemic at the grassroots, facilitating access to life-saving drugs and by supporting community-based initiatives.

We are already hard at work preparing for Give a Day 2011. Please contact us at info@giveaday.ca if you would like to be a part of this growing movement! We can give you information on how to launch a campaign in your workplace or how you can join us as a volunteer.

Stouffville Makes Beautiful Music for Give a Day

Posted on December 6, 2010 by Give a Day

The Stouffville Harambee, a benefit concert with the Rouge River Connection and Albert Street Four held at 19 on the Park on Nov 25th, raised over $6,300 for Give a Day to World AIDS and their partner organizations.

Dr. Jane Philpott, founder of the Give a Day movement, says, “What an incredible result this is. What a generous and compassionate community we have here in Stouffville.”

Rouge River Connection

She expressed gratitude to the musicians and volunteers and commented that, “Even without the donations it was a very important evening for raising awareness and growing our sense of global solidarity. And with these donations we can see the solidarity translated into real impact to give people longer and healthier lives.”

Robina Ssentongo, a visitor from Uganda, spoke at the concert about her community-based organization that is serving the AIDS orphans and the grandmothers burdened with the care of many children – work funded by the Stephen Lewis Foundation.

Robina Ssentongo from Kitovu Mobile in Uganda and Dr. Jane Philpott, Give a Day Founder

The Toll of AIDS

Posted on December 1, 2010 by Give a Day

Dr. Winnie Siu, Give a Day supporter writes…Her name was Grace and I met her at an orphanage on the outskirts of the city of Lusaka, toward the end of a two-month research project in Zambia’s capital city. A friend had been volunteering at the home for girls left parentless by AIDS and wondered if I might want to come along.

Grace was a quiet and serious girl, and while the other girls danced and played and laughed around me, Grace took me by the hand and led me to the blackboard to practise her writing. I watched with a lump in my throat as she formed slow, careful strokes with the chalk in her hand, writing the facts of her life for me: “I was born in 1999. . . My mother died when I was a baby. My mother was ill. My father was ill also. . . have never seen my father or my mother before.”

Continue reading Dr. Siu’s story here.

World AIDS Day 2010

Posted on December 1, 2010 by Give a Day

Give a Day Campaign Director Julie Weiss writes…Today is World AIDS Day 2010.

Throughout the month of November the people who support the Give a Day campaign in their workplaces in the legal and medical communities, and in a huge variety of other settings, have been quietly, but persistently, spreading the word about the HIV and AIDS pandemic and letting people know how they can help. There have been silent auctions, cookie deliveries, photo exhibits and even dance contests. We have been fortunate to have the support of former Prime Minister Paul Martin who spoke with great passion at our Hot Talks event in November.

If you have not already made a donation to the incredible organizatons that we support – Dignitas International and the Stephen Lewis Foundation – today is the day. It’s easy to do.

Those who know Give a Day founder Dr. Jane Philpott know that she loves the music of K’Naan. His music inspires and uplifts her. I happen to think that if K’Naan knew Jane and heard the stories of how her idea inspired so many Canadians to give, that it would inspire and uplift him as well. Jane has some thoughts on what she would say if she could write a rap song and you can read those here. I think that K’Naan is right. It’s not every day that you get to give, and to give really is priceless.

Give a Day at McMillan LLP

Posted on November 30, 2010 by Give a Day

Amanda Klein from McMillan LLP writes…Here at McMillan, we kicked off the week with a guest speaker lunch featuring Robina Ssentongo (Director of Kitovu Mobile AIDS Organization in Uganda which is supported by the Stephen Lewis Foundation), Dr. Adrienne Chan (HIV Clinic Coordinator for Dignitas International) and Dr. Megan Landes (Dignitas International Volunteer Doctor) who asked us to rise to the challenge of the fight against HIV and AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa, and helped us understand the stories behind the statistics. Our canvassing team was then dispatched to help the rest of our firm open their wallets and contribute to the cause. We ended the week with an e-auction featuring a number of items generously donated to our campaign by businesses in the Toronto area, and last but not least, auctioned off a few lawyers to participate in Give A Dance (the latter is an especially popular campaign event where a few particularly-generous individuals agree to participate in a dance competition, facilitated by the Wii system, in the name of fundraising for Give a Day).

We are grateful for all the support our firm campaign has received from the GAD headquarters – a special thank you to Julie Weiss in this regard.

Give a Day at Cassels Brock LLP

Posted on November 29, 2010 by Give a Day

Taryn McCormick from Cassels Brock LLP writes…Cassels Brock is proud to be both a sponsor and a participant of the Give a Day campaign for a fourth year! We have some wonderful events to motivate firm members to give a day’s pay for a tremendously worthy cause.

We kicked-off the campaign on Monday, November 22, by delivering pledge packages along with cookies baked by one of our amazing volunteers since we have discovered that nothing inspires generosity like a homemade chocolate chip cookie! Firm members also arrived on Monday to find the firm decorated with 6 hand carved Zimbabwean sculptures from ZimArt that are available for silent auction with the funds going to the Give a Day campaign. We followed this kick-off with a guest speaker panel including Dr. Adrienne Chan, Medical Director of Dignitas International, and Robina Ssentongo, Executive Director of Kitovu Mobile AIDS Organisation in Uganda, which is supported by the Stephen Lewis Foundation. This informative and inspirational panel discussion was a wonderful way to learn about the practical impact of our donations and to encourage each other to continue to give and to engage with the global community fighting to end the AIDS pandemic.

We have many more events planned between now and December 1^st including a bake sale, a book sale, a foosball tournament, a cotton candy day, a closing reception, and a “Give a Day, Get a Day” draw where staff members who have pledged a donation can win a day off with pay! We look forward to surpassing our totals from last year and delivering our donations on World AIDS Day!

Thoughts on Giving

Posted on November 29, 2010 by Give a Day

Dr. Tim O’Shea, Give a Day supporter writes… This past weekend I came across an article reflecting on the recent UNAIDS update which suggested that the gains which have been achieved in the fight against HIV/AIDS thus far are at risk due to what the author identified as “donor fatigue”. The tone of the article suggested that the act of giving, in this case to fight a disease which still affects 7000 new individuals daily, was a onerous task where the benefit rests solely with the recipient and the burden entirely on the donor.

As I read this I recalled the words that Dr. Jane Philpott spoke at this year’s Hot Talks event, quoting K’naan. “You know, it isn’t every day that you get to give”. This simple lyric reminds me of why I love being involved with Give a Day; it is truly a privilege to be able to give, and especially to be able to give confident that your money will make a real difference in the lives of others. It isn’t every day that you get to give. On December 1^st, remember, again in the words of K’naan “To give is priceless”.

Stephen Lewis at Mount Sinai Hospital

Posted on November 27, 2010 by Give a Day

Kanu Handa from Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto writes…Stephen Lewis has a way of making people listen … and care. The former politician and diplomat turned international envoy for humanitarian efforts visited Mount Sinai Hospital and gave a personalized update on the HIV/AIDS pandemic to a packed auditorium. The fight against the disease, says Lewis, has never held so much potential for success or commanded so little government will and resources.

Dramatic improvement in the last decade, which has seen a decline in the number of infections and deaths, has lulled the international community into a sense of complacency. Yet with 33.3 million people living with HIV, 5.2 million in treatment and 10 million waiting for antiretroviral therapies, this is the worst pandemic — exacerbated by poverty and inequality — the world has ever seen.

Still there are reasons for hope: advances with gel microbicides, new strategies in dealing with high-risk groups and the understanding that treatment is prevention.

Giveaday.ca is a Canadian effort to ensure organizations like the Stephen Lewis Foundation and Dignitas International get the funds they desperately need to bring these solutions to communities, where Lewis says, “You can turn the tide; you can save lives”.

Founded by Dr. Jane Philpott, Chief of Family Medicine at Markham Stouffville Hospital, it challenges Canadians to honour World AIDS Day on December 1 by donating one day’s pay to organizations that fight the disease.

Stressing Mount Sinai’s commitment, Dr. Maureen Shandling, SVP, Medical, said, “Our mission to care doesn’t end at the doors of this Hospital.” Dr. Tom Stewart, Mount Sinai’s Physician-in-Chief and Chief Clinical Officer translated that sentiment into action with a cheque to Giveaday.ca, urging others to do the same on December 1 – a simple act to make an important difference.

L to R: Dr. Tom Stewart, Mount Sinai’s Physician-in-Chief and Chief Clinical Officer, Dr. Jane Philpott, Chief of Family Medicine at Markham Stouffville Hospital, Stephen Lewis, Dr. David Tannenbaum, Physician-in-Chief, Family Medicine, and Dr. Maureen Shandling, SVP, Medical

Torys LLP Launches Their 2010 Give a Day Campaign

Posted on November 25, 2010 by Give a Day

Pam Hyrcyk from Torys LLP writes…Robina Ssentongo, Director of the Kitovu Mobile AIDS Organization joined us for breakfast on Tuesday, November 22 to share herexperiences working with orphans and grandmothers in Uganda. Kitovu Mobile AIDS is one of the programs supported by the Stephen Lewis Foundation. She spoke of the grandmothers who have taken on the task of raising their grandchildren. Her heart-wrenching speech also told of the struggles of the households run entirely by children – young children who have no adults to care for them at all. “Our children have lost their childhood; it was taken away from them by HIV and AIDS” stated Robina.

Robina Ssentongo of Kitovu Mobile AIDS in Uganda

One of the more poignant moments in her speech was when she mentioned Santa Claus’ arrival in Toronto. Toronto children were asked what they wanted for Christmas and one child replied, “I’d like a computer”. This made Robina think about how different this answer would be from a child in Uganda. They would respond, “I’d like paraffin so I can have light and be able to study at night” because they know that education is the way to a better life.

Robina expressed her thanks to everyone for attending the event and commended the Give a Day campaign for helping the grandmothers and orphans in Uganda.

Port Perry Launches Their 2010 Give a Day Campaign

Posted on November 18, 2010 by Give a Day

Dr. Steve Russell from Port Perry writes…For the price of one consult (or one annual physical), you can save a life in Africa. That was the message that resonated loudest with medical staff at Lakeridge Health Port Perry as we enjoyed lunch with Dr. Adrienne Chan of Dignitas International on November 12, 2010. The Medical Director of DI, Dr. Chan has just returned from 3 years in Malawi where she saw firsthand the difference our dollars make in providing ARV drugs to people living with HIV/AIDS. She related many stories of mothers and children, nurses and office workers, clerks and clinical officers, who rise up from their sick beds to get back into life, back to work, and back to giving to their community as their disease comes under control. We all agreed that these stories are the ones that propel us into action, working here at home to fuel the donations that make a difference in Africa. To be a part of such a compelling story is just the right thing to do.

Give A Day

Tag Archives: World AIDS Day 2010