About Us

We are a charitable foundation dedicated to protecting childhood and ensuring that children can thrive. Rooted in nature and agriculture, our approach connects learning to the land, community, and tangible, hands-on experiences. We believe this type of education builds strong foundations; nurturing resilience, creativity, and a lifelong love of learning.

Our team of educational experts, educators, community leaders, and dedicated volunteers work together to champion accessibility and create long-term sustainability for independent schools.

Through scholarships, community partnerships, infrastructure support, and global awareness initiatives, we are building a future where every child has the opportunity to grow with joy, connection, and purpose.

Hi, I’m Carly.

This is my family, and together we’ve poured our hearts into creating The Owl’s Nest Holistic Alternative School in Harriston, Ontario. We started back in 2017 as a tiny home-based program, and by 2020 we had grown into a school serving 35–50 students through part and full time programs. Along the way, we’ve witnessed so many beautiful moments: children discovering themselves, families finding community, and lives being changed through education.

Out of this work grew our next step: this charity.

We started it because we’ve seen the challenges firsthand. As a tuition-based, not-for-profit school, we don’t get government funding. That means even small things, like snowplowing, directly affect our ability to run programs and support students. We’ve often taken personal cuts to help families in need, but that isn’t sustainable if we also want to fairly pay our amazing teachers and keep growing.

This charity is our way of creating something more sustainable. It’s not just about The Owl’s Nest, it’s about helping other like-minded schools too, schools that share this grassroots vision of giving children the education and joyful childhood they deserve.

Our vision is simple: make holistic, alternative education more accessible, more supported, and more sustainable for the future.

Our Mission

Our mission is to create a sustainable source of funding that supports independent holistic, nature-rooted, and agricultural-based education. By encouraging legacy giving and other forms of philanthropy, we aim to ensure that schools like The Owl’s Nest, with similar values, can thrive for generations to come. We are committed to nurturing children’s growth in mind, body, and spirit through meaningful connection with the land, community, and one another.