12 Deserving Charities (Including Some You May Not Be Aware of) to Give to This Holiday Season

With more than 85,000 registered charities in Canada at last count, there is certainly no lack of good works to choose from when considering your year-end charitable donations. Below we’ve chosen a dozen “green” non-profits to highlight – including a few smaller ones we think deserve some extra attention – covering environmental protection, as well as preventative and integrative health care. There are so many more we’d like to profile! We hope this list will inspire you to pay it forward, giving a gift of whatever you can to sustain our future generations.

Artists’ Health Centre  promotes the health and well-being of professional performing and creative artists through an integrative clinic at the Toronto Western Hospital. Read the GoGreenInside® article about this program.

Bruce Trail Conservancy is committed to establishing a conservation corridor containing a public footpath along the Niagara Escarpment, in order to protect its natural ecosystems and to promote environmentally responsible public access to this UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve.

The David Suzuki Foundation works with government, business and individuals to conserve our environment by providing science-based research, education and policy work, and acting as a catalyst for change.

Environmental Defence inspires change by connecting people with environmental issues that affect their daily lives in their homes, workplaces, and neighbourhoods. Read the GoGreenInside® article about one of their latest initiatives.

InspireHealth has provided physician-led integrative cancer care in British Columbia to more than 6,500 people since 1997, working to inspire lasting lifestyle changes that enhance quality of life, reduce cancer recurrence and improve survival. As well, through research and education, they aim to  play a significant leadership role in the creation of a fully integrative model of health care.

The Jane Goodall Institute of Canada supports wildlife research, education and conservation, promoting informed and compassionate action to improve the environment shared by all Earth’s living creatures.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada protects areas of natural diversity for their intrinsic value and for the benefit of our children and those after them.

Not Far from the Tree puts Toronto’s fruit to good use by picking and sharing the bounty. When a homeowner can’t keep up with the abundant harvest produced by their tree, the organization picks it, offering one-third to the tree owner, one-third to the volunteers, and donating one-third (by bicycle delivery) to neighbourhood food banks, shelters and community kitchens.

Organics4Orphans builds the capacity of African communities through organic biointensive agriculture so they can care for the orphans in their midst, focusing on the four key goals of food security, nutritional training, disease prevention and income generation.

The Ottawa Integrative Cancer Centre is the first integrative cancer care and research centre in eastern Canada, established to improve quality of life for those touched by cancer. Through clinical practice, research and education, they strive to assess and reduce possible causes of cancer while exploring innovative integrative treatments. Read the GoGreenInside® article about the official opening of the OICC.

The Pink and Green Ribbon Health Campaign is a program of the Mary A. Tidlund Charitable Foundation and supports research and public education on achieving better health through natural means. The group focuses on breast cancer prevention, teaching girls and women how to care for their breasts and increasing awareness about the link between women’s health and the environment, following an integrative, whole-person approach.

Prevent Cancer Now works to eliminate the preventable causes of cancer. Its goals including creating a national movement for cancer prevention, ensuring more funds are assigned to primary prevention (from the current 2% of total cancer research spending), improving regulations and policies to end environmental and workplace exposure to carcinogens, and supporting individuals, communities, businesses and governments to reduce or eliminate cancer-causing exposures.