Support Awesome Non-Profits
Big change doesn’t begin in boardrooms or on the world stage — it begins with real people doing real things at home. Every thriving community is built by the people who choose to show up, pitch in, and care for the place they call home. That’s why supporting small, local non-profits (or starting one) is one of the most powerful sustainable steps you can take. It’s also a great way to see your dollars hard at work — not gobbled up by a larger organization’s bureaucracy!
We all have different ways we can give — time, money, skills — or even just sharing positive action on social media for others to learn about. If you find an organization that speaks to you, and find a way to contribute to their success, it’s a great way to both alleviate climate anxiety and connect with other people who care about making the planet an excellent place to live.
We also all have different causes that speak to us. The key to volunteer work (if that’s the route you choose to go) is to match it with your passion, so that the hours you spend helping others are also fun and engaging for you.
The list below celebrates small organizations working hard in their communities to address different sustainable development goals — from ending poverty to climate action.
We’re happy to make donations to any of these places in your name if you choose to redeem your Steps for charitable donations.
Visit their websites to learn more about them and be inspired by what they do.
Steps Members:
(You need to be logged in for your Steps to count.)
Earn 1 Step for visiting each site and checking out what they do.
Earn 1 Step (and points toward your Give Well badge) for:
- Donate to a cause. Any cause that speaks to you.
- Volunteer for any cause that speaks to you.
Redeem 2000 Steps for a $20 donation that we’ll make in your name.
Not yet a Steps Member? Join us. It’s free, it’s fun, and it’s all about the power of collective action to shape a world that works.
Awesome People Doing Awesome Things
Aldergrove, BC, Canada
They rescue at risk and abused farm animals and provide a loving, forever home. This place is amazing.
My daughter’s grade 4/5 teacher sponsors an animal here each year with her class. We visited and were blown away by the authenticity of the owners and their devotion to providing farm animals with a beautiful life. They even let us play soccer with a baby goat!
They work hard to preserve local waterways — keeping them clean, reducing erosion, and protecting local salmon populations. They run workshops for all ages, and are a great volunteer opportunity if you’d like to get your kids involved, or spend time in nature with like minded people.
Toronto, ON, Canada
This is tough community to grow up in, and the Jane/Finch Center pulls no punches while they try to address each and every age and stage and the challenges they face. They offer smart, targeted services to help newborn babies, at risk youths, job-seeking adults, newcomers to Canada, and seniors overcome built-in challenges to develop lives where they can thrive.
Browse their site if you want to believe in human kindness.
This photo is a placeholder while I wait for permission to use one from their website.
Squamish, BC, Canada
If climate action is your scene, My Sea to Sky is a group of very smart people whose mission is to protect the region where they live from climate threats like LNG. Their core team includes scientists, political activists, business owners, members of the local Indigenous communities, and people from all walks of life. And when a project they’re not thrilled about (like Woodfibre LNG) is approved? They act as an excellent watchdog to keep the proponents to task to follow environmental requirements. I’m happy to make signs with my daughter and join them on the mean streets of Squamish.
Locations Across Canada
They low income women and gender diverse people transition out of poverty to build sustainable, prosperous lives with the aim of permanently exiting poverty. They provide them with one-on-one coaching for a full year to help them understand what they’re good at and how to create a life they love that can sustain them. The owner was once homeless herself, and she’s turned this passion project into a national phenomenon.
This image is a free image placeholder while I wait for permission to use one of theirs.
Vancouver, BC
Sarah McLachlan School of Music (SoM) is an inclusive, collaborative, and safe learning community. They provide free after-school music programs for young people with limited access to traditional music education.Â
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