The New Secret Santa Project
Donation protected
A few years ago, our company LinkNow Media , decided that instead of participating in a traditional gift exchange during the holiday season, we would donate to a local orphanage. We quickly learned that there are currently no orphanages in Quebec. Parentless and deserted children are sent right into Foster Care programs. This got us thinking, maybe there was more we could do, maybe there was some other way we could give back to our community.
After some research, we discovered the Batshaw Youth and Family Services Agency. The Agencys mission is to support and complement the work of The Batshaw Foundation , who intervene when children are victims of abuse, neglect, abandonment and have serious behaviour problems. We knew right away that this was something we wanted to be a part of.
Batshaw Youth and Family Centres has been serving the Montreal community since 1992. Their main goal is centered on providing underprivileged children with the support system they need and crave, but lack. The centre delivers professional psychosocial, rehabilitation and social integration services and a number of other free amenities such as:
· Services related to child placement for children who suffer from neglect
· Psychological, physical or sexual abuse
· Abandoned Children
· Kids with behavioral problems
· Family mediation
· Adoption disclosure
· Expertise to the Superior Court on child custody
· And more
Why We Got Involved
The work that Batshaw Youth and Family Centres
does is amazing, the amount of care that goes into serving these kids is inspirational. The workers and volunteers are devoted and wear their heart on their sleeves; dedicating their lives to helping others. Although we are a small family run company, we couldn’t help but feel touched by such kindness and generosity. We had to get involved, somehow!
The Story
When we first approached Frank Campanile
(the Head organizer for the Holiday Campaign) at Batshaw Youth and Family Centres, we weren’t at all prepared for the stories we heard. Our hearts ached and stomachs dropped, after hearing the devastating true recounts of how children end up under the care of the Batshaw Youth and Family Centres. These kids experienced a lifetime of hardships: Abuse, neglect, sexual assault, violence, death… things too awful and gut wrenching to repeat.
We suffered yet another blow when we found out that thousands of children end up under their care. Thousands…
Prior to meeting Frank, we had absolutely no idea that there were so many neglected kids in our province. These are our youth, they are the future and yet they feel as if they have no future to look forward to. Can you blame them? They are alone and abandoned and need us as a community to see them for who they are; kids. Kids who need love, attention and care.
How You Can Help a Child in Need This Holiday Season.
There are a lot of kids in the system with great foster parents who have the means to provide for their foster kids. Then there are kids who don’t get anything at all. Nothing for their birthdays, nothing for Christmas…
This is where you come in!
Around Christmas time, The Batshaw Foundation asks their kids to write letters to Santa, with what they would love for Christmas. Kids will be kids and some ask for Xboxes and cameras and thanks to some amazing donors, they sometimes even get those things! But most ask for small items that cost very little.
However, then there are the sad letters; letters from teenage girls asking for diapers because they don’t have the money to pay for food, clothes or a crib for their soon to be born child.
These gifts might be the only fun thing these children get all year, a spark of light and kindness in a world that has been so dim.
Here are some of the thousands of letters they get every year:

The Sad Reality
Back in 2012, our then staff of 50 employees donated what we thought was an amazing 120 gifts to the Batshaw Foundation kids. Not to take away from how amazing that was, but let’s just say that we were very saddened when we found out that so many kids still went without gifts. We were comitted to doing more the next year...
We Donated $10,000 and 250 Gifts!
So we did what any other company would do; in 2015 we raised that number (with the generous help of sponsors, friends and family) to 250 gifts. We also donated various bags of clothing, furniture and produced a check for $10,000. The majority of this came directly from the LinkNow Media family, both owners and employees, this year we want to expand beyond that, we want to include you!
Get Involved
LinkNow has formed a fundraising committee and a number of our staff have volunteered their time to help us build websites, run fundraisers, create events and make phone calls; all as a way to help raise money and awareness. Join the effort and help our team accomplish something amazing this year. Make a child’s wish come true!
When we donate to this awesome foundations gift drive all the proceeds, the money and the gifts that are donated –go directly to the kids – there is no cut to pay salaries. The work LinkNow Media is doing is all volunteer based. We believe that it is our duty to give back to the community.
Our Goal
Every year, we do our best to exceed our previous quota! Our main goal is to do more, raise more, give more. This year we really want to go all out, but to do that we need your support. Please help us spread the word, forward this e-mail and tell your friends, family, co-workers and staff.
We are looking to raise $25,000 and 2500 gifts – enough for a birthday present and a gift this holiday for every single one of these children. We know we can accomplish this goal but we need your help! We know how busy life gets and how impossible it can be to find the time to volunteer. All this takes is a couple minutes of your time and the click of a button. Help us change a kid’s life for the better, spread awareness and donate to an amazing cause. Every dollar counts! Want to sponsor a child? We typically go out and buy gifts in the $35-$50 range.
*Please send us your mailing address once your donation is completed to get a tax receipt. You can email [email redacted]
Help us and take part in making a child's wish come true today!
* Tax receipts will be issued for gifts of $25 or more.
After some research, we discovered the Batshaw Youth and Family Services Agency. The Agencys mission is to support and complement the work of The Batshaw Foundation , who intervene when children are victims of abuse, neglect, abandonment and have serious behaviour problems. We knew right away that this was something we wanted to be a part of.
Batshaw Youth and Family Centres has been serving the Montreal community since 1992. Their main goal is centered on providing underprivileged children with the support system they need and crave, but lack. The centre delivers professional psychosocial, rehabilitation and social integration services and a number of other free amenities such as:
· Services related to child placement for children who suffer from neglect
· Psychological, physical or sexual abuse
· Abandoned Children
· Kids with behavioral problems
· Family mediation
· Adoption disclosure
· Expertise to the Superior Court on child custody
· And more
Why We Got Involved
The work that Batshaw Youth and Family Centres
does is amazing, the amount of care that goes into serving these kids is inspirational. The workers and volunteers are devoted and wear their heart on their sleeves; dedicating their lives to helping others. Although we are a small family run company, we couldn’t help but feel touched by such kindness and generosity. We had to get involved, somehow!
The Story
When we first approached Frank Campanile
(the Head organizer for the Holiday Campaign) at Batshaw Youth and Family Centres, we weren’t at all prepared for the stories we heard. Our hearts ached and stomachs dropped, after hearing the devastating true recounts of how children end up under the care of the Batshaw Youth and Family Centres. These kids experienced a lifetime of hardships: Abuse, neglect, sexual assault, violence, death… things too awful and gut wrenching to repeat.
We suffered yet another blow when we found out that thousands of children end up under their care. Thousands…
Prior to meeting Frank, we had absolutely no idea that there were so many neglected kids in our province. These are our youth, they are the future and yet they feel as if they have no future to look forward to. Can you blame them? They are alone and abandoned and need us as a community to see them for who they are; kids. Kids who need love, attention and care.
How You Can Help a Child in Need This Holiday Season.
There are a lot of kids in the system with great foster parents who have the means to provide for their foster kids. Then there are kids who don’t get anything at all. Nothing for their birthdays, nothing for Christmas…
This is where you come in!
Around Christmas time, The Batshaw Foundation asks their kids to write letters to Santa, with what they would love for Christmas. Kids will be kids and some ask for Xboxes and cameras and thanks to some amazing donors, they sometimes even get those things! But most ask for small items that cost very little.
However, then there are the sad letters; letters from teenage girls asking for diapers because they don’t have the money to pay for food, clothes or a crib for their soon to be born child.
These gifts might be the only fun thing these children get all year, a spark of light and kindness in a world that has been so dim.
Here are some of the thousands of letters they get every year:
The Sad Reality
Back in 2012, our then staff of 50 employees donated what we thought was an amazing 120 gifts to the Batshaw Foundation kids. Not to take away from how amazing that was, but let’s just say that we were very saddened when we found out that so many kids still went without gifts. We were comitted to doing more the next year...
We Donated $10,000 and 250 Gifts!
So we did what any other company would do; in 2015 we raised that number (with the generous help of sponsors, friends and family) to 250 gifts. We also donated various bags of clothing, furniture and produced a check for $10,000. The majority of this came directly from the LinkNow Media family, both owners and employees, this year we want to expand beyond that, we want to include you!
Get Involved
LinkNow has formed a fundraising committee and a number of our staff have volunteered their time to help us build websites, run fundraisers, create events and make phone calls; all as a way to help raise money and awareness. Join the effort and help our team accomplish something amazing this year. Make a child’s wish come true!
When we donate to this awesome foundations gift drive all the proceeds, the money and the gifts that are donated –go directly to the kids – there is no cut to pay salaries. The work LinkNow Media is doing is all volunteer based. We believe that it is our duty to give back to the community.
Our Goal
Every year, we do our best to exceed our previous quota! Our main goal is to do more, raise more, give more. This year we really want to go all out, but to do that we need your support. Please help us spread the word, forward this e-mail and tell your friends, family, co-workers and staff.
We are looking to raise $25,000 and 2500 gifts – enough for a birthday present and a gift this holiday for every single one of these children. We know we can accomplish this goal but we need your help! We know how busy life gets and how impossible it can be to find the time to volunteer. All this takes is a couple minutes of your time and the click of a button. Help us change a kid’s life for the better, spread awareness and donate to an amazing cause. Every dollar counts! Want to sponsor a child? We typically go out and buy gifts in the $35-$50 range.
*Please send us your mailing address once your donation is completed to get a tax receipt. You can email [email redacted]
Help us and take part in making a child's wish come true today!
* Tax receipts will be issued for gifts of $25 or more.
Organizer
Wesley Mendelovitch
Organizer
Westmount, QC