2023 Reflections from the Bags of Promise Executive Team
As we reflect on this past year of operations, we are incredibly proud of the collective efforts devoted to the Bags of Promise organization that has contributed to our overarching successes throughout 2023. Specifically, our Operations Team has performed significant strides towards re-branding our organization’s public appearance, successfully launching COLLECTION ONE of our tote bags, and reaching greater communities within Ontario through establishing chapter organizations.
Organization Re-Brand
Our Branding & Marketing (B&M) Team, led by Isabelle Ettinger, devoted countless hours this past year towards re-establishing our public appearance through a professional and creative lens. Among formulating a partnership with L.A. Inc. New Thinking. located in Toronto, we have successfully collaborated alongside their team in curating new logo designs and a freshly launched website. The thoughtful articulation of the colour palette, layout, and design were key determinants that we aimed to align with our charitable efforts and overarching mission. Further, their creative approaches towards brand awareness and marketing strategies allowed us to leverage our digital planning through promoting, educating, inspiring, and engaging our audience. The collective, detail-oriented efforts among the B&M and L.A. Inc. team evidences the shared passion and drive towards creating a clear and purposeful organizational image that demonstrates longevity within its future initiatives.
COLLECTION ONE of Tote Bags
Our former Chief Advancements Officer, Megan Stellato, pitched the idea of launching tote bags within our organization, with 100% of profits donated towards our bag drive initiatives. Collectively, our Operations Team brainstormed alongside L.A. Inc. in crafting designs that were simple and intentional. Each bag carries an inherent message that aligns with the overarching goals of our organization — to empower youth in feeling dignified and worthy regardless of their circumstances while ensuring that no youth are left behind and neither are their belongings. This is achieved when we encourage young people to lead by example and take action to better their communities. In partnership with Justin Case Promo, our tote bags were brought to fruition and have been sold at booths, conferences, sidewalk sales, and private events which have been beautifully photographed by Luis Gogar. We are incredibly grateful for the continuous support of our partners — from product design, production, and capturing our launch, none of this would have been possible without you.
Chapter Expansion
Our team recognizes that youth homelessness is a prevalent issue among countless communities across Ontario. With this, we strive to uplift student leaders to carry forward our mission of supporting at-risk youth across diverse university regions. We are so incredibly proud of our chapter directors passion and dedication in building in the foundation of Bags of Promise at the University of Guelph, Toronto Metropolitan University, and the University of Western Ontario. They embody the true values of a leader as demonstrated through their honesty, integrity and ability to adapt with the ebbs and flows of formulating a new chapter as an extension of our larger organization. The future is bright among our student leaders and volunteers within Bags of Promise.
Partnerships
We are filled with gratitude for the partnerships that have significantly propelled our mission to alleviate youth homelessness and support our local communities. Each event we hosted was a testament to the power of collaboration and the difference it can make in our community.
Our February Bag Drive, in collaboration with Kingston Interval House, was a resounding success. We received numerous donations that played a crucial role in supporting the youth at the shelter. This event was made possible through the generous contributions from companies like Knix, Fluf, and Athena Club, whose commitment to community welfare was vividly displayed. In March, we hosted a Private SpinCo Event in collaboration with SpinCo Kingston, raising over $1100 for future bag drives. This event saw the involvement of Evry Jewels, Nomz, Two Bears, and Greenhouse Juice Co. Their contributions not only added excitement but also provided substantial support to our initiatives, helping us create a more engaging and impactful experience for all participants.
Our Period Drive in partnership with Integrated Care Hub was another highlight of the year. This drive was significantly bolstered by the support of Bleed the North and Knix. Their dedication to addressing period poverty and supporting the health and dignity of those we serve was truly commendable.
December was a month of high energy with our Spin It Forward events. These events were truly special thanks to the participation of Lululemon, Polar Joe, Herbaland, and Copper Branch. Each of these partners brought unique elements to the table, from giveaways to nutritious offerings, greatly enhancing our ability to reach and support more young people. As we close this year, we want to extend our deepest thanks to all the brands and organizations that stood with us. Your support has not only helped us in our immediate efforts but has also laid a foundation for long-term impact in the lives of the youth we serve. Here's to continuing this journey of making a difference, together.
This term, we’ve primarily focused on the organization of our Spin-It-Forward (SIF) fundraiser series. Spin-It-Forward is a weekly $10 charitable spin class initiative established by SPINCO, where 100% of the proceeds go to a charity of choice. Last year, Bags of Promise established a strong partnership with SPINCO Kingston, a local spin studio, through a preliminary SIF class and a back-to-back spin class fundraising event. These events were highly successful and generated some of our greatest fundraising amounts yet. Our ongoing partnership with SPINCO Kingston has enabled our organization to facilitate another round of events this year. Bags of Promise was chosen as the charity for the SIF series for the entire month of December, allowing us to receive donations from four different spin classes – our largest fundraiser series to date!
To run this type of event, we manage the logistical and promotional execution, including communication with studio managers, aiding in the production of promo videos and coordinating volunteers. Furthermore, we work with the Service, Branding, Finance, and Partnerships teams to ensure that the event goes as seamlessly as possible. The Bags of Promise x SPINCO partnership is very special to this team, and we hope to continue with more events, with exciting twists, in the upcoming year!
Pillars: Education, Service, and Advocacy
This past year, we’ve supported our Education team in bringing to life a very exciting and important project - that is the writing and publishing of our very own children’s book. Education about social justice through children’s literature is a meaningful and powerful way of introducing young children to stories, ideas, and perspectives that they may not be familiar with. The book that we’ve written, titled Rabab’s Backpack, aims to encourage children to be aware of the many different social challenges that others may face, and provides an example of how individuals can take action and make change within their local communities.
From a mere idea of telling a playful story that would address the topic of youth homelessness in a simple and digestible manner, this project has flourished into a more large-scale project, involving the collaboration of several different authors, artists and volunteers from backgrounds of all kinds. This book project has come a very long way since the beginning of its writing in early Winter - we’ve since fine-tuned the book’s manuscript with the help of an editor, and have begun creating rough sketches for its illustrations. We are incredibly proud of all of the hard work and dedication that our team and collaborators have demonstrated throughout this process, and are so appreciative of the many meaningful relationships we’ve established along the way. Although there is still work to be done, we hope to be able to share this project in the Spring of 2024!
In 2023, our team dedicated itself to several impactful projects, making significant strides towards supporting those in need in our community. One of our first initiatives was the bag drive for the youth at Kingston Interval House. We successfully gathered and distributed 35 bags filled with essential items. These bags not only provided practical necessities like shower products, snacks, and warm outerwear but also conveyed a message of care and support to the youth experiencing homelessness. This project was a heartfelt reminder of the power of community solidarity in addressing urgent social needs.
Following this, we embarked on building a community library for Kingston Interval House as our spring project. The objective was to foster a culture of literacy and a love for reading among the youth. We collected over 250 new and used books, catering to a variety of interests and reading levels. This library became a beacon of knowledge and a safe haven for exploration and learning, significantly contributing to the intellectual and emotional growth of these young individuals. Overall, 2023 was a year marked by meaningful achievements and significant contributions towards our mission of supporting vulnerable populations in our community. Through each project, we not only addressed immediate needs but also invested in the long-term well-being and development of those we served.
On behalf of the Bags of Promise Executive Team, thank you to our generous sponsors, devoted community members, and passionate team of volunteers. Our charitable efforts would not be possible without your support and dedicated to our mission. As we look forward to the year ahead, we hope that 2024 brings many more opportunities to contribute to the community while addressing the root causes of youth experiencing homelessness.
Written by the Bags of Promise Executive Team: Co-Founders and Co-Presidents Brooke Baker and Celina Lovisotto, VP Logistics Makena Sceeles, Executive Director Bridgett Chau, and Partnerships Director Antonin Holowka.
