2021 Beneficiaries

The Windsor Goodfellows Club has been a cherished part of this community for 110 years. Supported entirely through donations and receiving no government grants, the Windsor Goodfellows provides thousands of area families with assistance and support throughout the year, including a food bank, school breakfast programs, children’s footwear program, and much more.

We are best known for our annual holiday charity drive in which hundreds of volunteers stationed throughout the city sell the Goodfellows Special Edition Newspaper, helping to provide Christmas meals and gifts to thousands of children who might otherwise go without. Staffed almost entirely by volunteers, our organization spends over 80% of cash donations directly on the needy, with the remainder going to overhead expenses. Led by our Board of Directors, we are dedicated to a clear mission: to help those that cannot help themselves.

DID YOU KNOW


WE DO ALL OUR OWN FUNDRAISING AND RECEIVE NO FUNDING FROM THE GOVERNMENT

KM (Kind Minds) Foundation provides sport leadership and community programs for special populations. We achieve this mission by working with a network of volunteers and community sponsors, to organize healthy active programming for individuals with special needs, contribute to local mental health supports and mentor the next generation of community leaders (our volunteers). 

Our most recent endeavor is the Kind Minds House. My brother has special needs and it has been challenging to watch him try and gain independance outside my parents home, which is what inspired the idea of the Kind Minds House. The house will be a Supported Independent Living (SIL) Unit for high functioning individuals with special needs to call their permanent home. We will start by offering our residents meal supports in the morning and evening, as well as fitness programming. We also aim to provide grocery shopping support and monthly outings to help build the community and friendships. Kind Minds will provide the cleaning supports, shareable household products, as well as the utilities and entertainment.  As a result of the generosity of our community, the house is mostly furnished so that guests can move in whenever ready. The house does require some updates for safety and privacy such as a fence and security system, as well as some other items to make the house more accommodating for this population which we are working on.

We are actively seeking volunteers, and community sponsors. Sponsors can help us achieve our goals by:

In July of 1989, five women concerned about social justice and poverty issues came together to begin exploring the need for a women’s agency. During the following six months, a “needs” assessment was conducted and gaps in services were identified. The process of incorporation, obtaining non-profit status and developing fundraising initiatives was established. In February 1990, service delivery began at 142 McKay Avenue. Volunteers became a vital part of the organization.

The aim of the Centre was to create a non-threatening, non-adversarial, comfortable, participatory and supportive environment in which women felt a sense of empowerment. The staff defined empowerment as a model of social support that presented a joint endeavour by the client and staff to increase individual choice. The philosophy of the Centre’s model of support reflects a feminist perspective and this perspective has led to the development of a women-centered program based on the empowerment model. 

As early as 1998, the Welcome Centre Shelter for Women was approached by the Social Services Department of the Corporation of the City of Windsor to provide emergency shelter to women experiencing homelessness. New quarters were purchased at 263 Bridge Avenue to replace former smaller quarters at 142 McKay Avenue. In January 2000, the Well-Come Home Women’s Shelter, under the umbrella organization of the Welcome Centre Shelter for Women, was created and began accepting women into the shelter. In 2005, the Welcome Centre underwent major revisions, increasing from 8 to 12 single beds and making additional changes to the structure of the building. In May 2015, the Centre began providing case management and housing support services to any family living in Windsor Essex experiencing homelessness. Families are currently housed off-site in local motels while being provided the same services as single women off site through a housing support worker. The Welcome Centre Shelter for Women now offers programming to women 18 and over as well as any family to assist in ending the cycle of homelessness, poverty and violence. 

Second Chance Animal Rescue Windsor-Essex (S.C.A.R) opened in June of 2015 to service the Windsor-Essex area of Southern Ontario, Canada.  S.C.A.R is a non-profit organization established to rescue and re-home dogs and cats of all ages and size.

The foundation of our organization are board members with years of animal rescue and pet care experience.  Our ultimate focus is to help dogs and cats get off the streets and out of shelters.

With the help of loving foster homes and community support S.C.A.R. aims to be a voice for the voiceless.  We ensure that all of our adoptable pets have necessary veterinarian care by some of the best local veterinary clinics.

The animals are temporarily fostered in loving homes until a forever home is found for each animal. All homes are fully screened and checked before an animal is placed into a loving home.

To find out more about Second Chance Animal Rescue Windsor-Essex or see how you can be part of this rewarding cause be sure to ” like ” our ever growing Facebook Page. (See link below)


Their provincial and regional goal is to be a reliable source of information and support for all citizens who have a connection to autism including families, children, adults on the spectrum, caregivers, support workers, and teachers.

What we do: