Our Story
Our story as fundraisers, grant providers and champions of positive change
We are the registered charity affiliated with the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto (CCAS) and we fundraise to support their life-changing work. We provide short-term funding for the needs of kids and youth in care, and significant grants to develop programs that improve the child welfare system for families. Without the Foundation, CCAS workers say that children and youth would not have access to things they need to live a normal life. Our heart-in-hand logo expresses how we care and provide for children in need.
Fundraising for kids in Canada’s most established Catholic Children’s Aid Society
The CCAS was established in 1894 after the Ontario government introduced an act and funding for Children’s Aid Societies, authorizing them to apprehend children who were neglected or without parents or guardians.
When Catholic children placed in non-Catholic homes endured attempts to convert them to other religions, it sparked a movement to form a Society to meet the unique needs of the Catholic population.
On October 22, 1894, the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Toronto was incorporated under the stewardship of the Most Reverend John Walsh, Archbishop of Toronto. Today, the CCAS and CCAF continue to uphold the Vincentian values of compassion, humility and generosity.
Our charitable work originated through Hope for Children, a former department of the CCAS. As our philanthropic efforts evolved, we created a separate entity and identity for the Foundation.