A new charity incorporated last year set out to prove that the community of Craigleith is populated by caring individuals who could be generous if given the chance.
And with $120,000 raised in the first year, one of the founders of Craigleith Cares believes the point is being made and the name earned.
"I've always been a big believer that most people are philanthropic," said Drew Abbott, who co-founded and now co-chairs Craigleith Cares with Deborah Tennant. "They just need some direction. They don't necessarily have the time or inclination to maybe put in the efforts that I and the board are doing, so we kind of lead them down that path."
Abbott, a wealth advisor for TD bank, has been an active volunteer for large and small charities since he was a teen. While living in the GTA, he volunteered with the Maple Leafs Sports Entertainment Foundation to form a program called the 3to6 Team, which helped create after-school programs at Regent Park and support youth at risk to participate in the programs.
When Abbott and his wife moved to the Collingwood area in 2019 with their two daughters, the family became members of Craigleith Ski Club where they found "a really great group of people."
Abbott and Tennant started Craigleith Cares by pooling together "like-minded people" who could help come up with a direction for a charity.
The idea was to ask people for donations and host fundraising events, then use the money to support local charities.
Though Craigleith Cares is an arm's length organization from the ski club, the charity puts 50 per cent of what it raises into two local charities that have been long-time benefactors of the club: the Collingwood General and Marine Hospital Foundation and Track 3, which is a charity supporting people in adaptive sports.
The other 50 per cent of the money collected by Craigleith Cares will be allocated to smaller charitable organizations in the area in the form of an annual grant program.
Applications for the first intake closed at the end of September, and Abbott said there were 14 applicants. There's $50,000 to give away in the current round, and successful recipients will be announced later this month. The grants will range from $5,000 to $10,000 each.
"That's really my passion, for a couple of reasons," said Abbott, who serves on the Craigleith Cares grant committee with his wife, Heather and three other volunteers. "One: it's amazing what you these small organizations do with small amounts of money. Their whole world is about raising money, and they can't do what they do without funding. So you give them a cheque for $5,000 or $10,000 and it can change their world."
He is personally inspired by the passion he sees from smaller charities doing hyper-local work in the community.
"I love seeing ... how passionate they are about their specific organization, it sort of gives you faith in humanity a little bit," said Abbott.
The Craigleith Cares grants are reserved for registered charities and focused on three different "pillars" of eligibility.
Successful applicants will be charities that work in the realm of health and wellness, community betterment, and/or healthy development through sports and athletics.
Intentionally broad, yet focused, the pillars are meant to line up with the passions of the 80 or so founding members who all donated to the charity in its first year.
Though not all the founding members are also members of Craigleith Ski Club, most are, and all are passionate about the value of sports, outdoor activities and their impact on overall health.
"We've had great response," said Abbott. "I knew we'd have a good response, but it's been better than I thought."
In the coming year, Craigleith Cares plans to host some fundraising events, including small concerts, and will again ask for donations from its members.
"There's no shortage of needs ... and we all believe we have a social responsibility to give back," said Abbott. "We've been fortunate in our lives, and want to be a good example for our kids."
With the exception of a contingency fund, the charity gives away everything it raises. The board and committees serve as volunteers, and there are no paid staff.
Abbott said the amount of money the charity gives away depends on the amount it raises through donations, which can be made through the CraigleithCares.org website. He's also hoping people will help spread the word about the new charity.
"We need advocates ... people spreading the word," said Abbott.
His dream is for more ski clubs to form charitable foundations, and he's volunteered to help them navigate the process.
Craigleith Cares is a registered charity, and follows the Canada Revenue Agency rules for charities in Canada.
Donors will receive a tax receipt for their donations.
For more on the charity, and options for donations, visit craigleithcares.org.
