The Pepper & Dylan Show is teaming up with James H. Brown & Associates to give some much-needed help to local charities.

Join KiSS 91.7 for Pepper & Dylan’s Week of Giving. Each day of the week from December 7 – 11 will focus on a different themed charity. Do you know of another charity that fits the day’s theme? Call the Pepper & Dylan Show at 780-426-0917 or text 917-917 (standard data and messaging rates may apply).

Check back all week as the list below gets updated with more charities and ways to help.

FOOD CHARITIES

Holiday Hamper

Website: holidayhamper.ca/

About the charity: The Holiday Hamper Program makes a difference in the lives of Edmonton families in need. Participants become Hamper Elves by adopting a local family – then shopping for a healthy festive meal and small gifts for the kids. On Delivery Day, Hamper Elves deliver the hamper to their adopted family.

Delivery Day: December 19 at the Edmonton Expo Centre

How you can help:

• Donate money. Just $35 buys a turkey for a family in need. Holiday Hamper officially became a charity, so donations over $20 receive a tax receipt.
• They’ve reached their target for Hamper Elves this year, but you can still sign-up for the waitlist (so that you can be called in last-minute if they need extra support day-of).
• Volunteer at delivery day on December 19. Help organize everything for the Elves on delivery day.

Edmonton Food Bank

Website: edmontonsfoodbank.com/

About the charity: The Edmonton Food Bank provides food for over 20,000 people each month. Their goal is to create community where no one goes hungry.

How you can help:

• Donate toiletries, baby formula, adult and baby diapers.
• Drop off canned goods (beans, canned meat, peanut butter, healthy school snacks, soup).
• Monetary donations.

Leftovers Rescue Food

Website: rescuefood.ca/

About the charity: Leftovers is a charity that works with local restaurants to pick-up leftover food and deliver it to service agencies, like YESS, the Bissell Centre, the Mustard Seed, and more.

How you can help:

• Volunteer as a driver. Sign-up on the Leftovers app to pick up a route.
• Sign up your restaurant / bakery / café to become a food donor on their website.
• Buy something for them off their Amazon wish list.

Campus Food Bank

Website: campusfoodbank.com/

About the charity: The Campus Food Bank is a confidential, non-profit organization that provides food hampers to University of Alberta community members (staff, students, and alumni up to five years after graduation) who are in need.

How you can help:

• Money is most preferred donation.
• Donate non-perishable food (canned meat & fruits/veggies, peanut butter, cereal, brown rice) and toiletries.

FAMILY CHARITIES

Basically Babies

Website: basicallybabies.org

CLICK HERE to hear Pepper & Dylan’s surprise $10K donation from James H. Brown & Associates to Basically Babies.

About the charity: Basically Babies takes donations to create a ‘Layette’ – a complete first-year baby wardrobe. It is a large gift made specifically for babies that are living in situations of extreme need. It contains approximately 110 items sized from 0-24 months, made up of new and gently used items.  A Layette is a gift intended to communicate worth, value, respect, and dignity to each family while providing a full wardrobe and baby supply essentials. The finished Layettes are given to partner charities, including Bent Arrow, Action for Healthy Communities Society of Edmonton, the Bissell Centre, WIN House, and more.

 How you can help:

• Money is the most preferred donation.
• Contactless and curbside baby item donations are accepted Wednesdays only from 8am – 8pm.
• Most needed items:
  • Snowsuits and outerwear
  • Sleepers
  • Receiving blankets
  • Bibs

Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society

Website: bentarrow.ca/

CLICK HERE to hear Pepper & Dylan’s surprise $10K donation from James H. Brown & Associates to Bent Arrow.

About the charity: Bent Arrow works to keep culture in the centre of their work to help build upon the strengths of Indigenous children, youth, and their families to help them grow spiritually, emotionally, physically, and mentally. Programs include Practice as Ceremony to provide cultural services and teachings, Journey to Success program to help Indigenous adults 18+ find and keep employment, housing support, and a variety of programs targeted for youth, seniors, and families.

How you can help: 

• Monetary donation to the general fund, or to go towards a specific program.
• Join the Volunteer List on their website to be the first to know when they need extra volunteers for anything.
• Become a sponsor or partner up with Bent Arrow.

Amity House

Website: www.amityhouse.ca/

About the charity: Amity House is a family resource centre providing support services. They offer programs and services to individuals and families at a preventative level. The programs are designed to fill in the gaps in community services, to help build a sense of community and reduce social isolation.

 How you can help:

• Volunteer for a specific program, or sign up for their current holiday opportunities: Christmas Break Family Activities & Christmas Breakfast.
• Donate clean, gently used clothing and shoes for children, women, and men. They also accept small household items (not large pieces of furniture).
• Donated items are put into their free clothing exchange program, Swap Shop, which is open to anyone in need in the community.

Pregnancy Pathways

Website: bmhc.net/pregnancy-pathways

About the charity: Pregnancy Pathways, in partnership with various community supporters, is aimed at addressing the housing status and support services that were not readily available to pregnant women in need. Women may come to the hospital just before giving birth without adequate prenatal care, which often results in undernourished mothers and underweight and unhealthy babies who need neonatal intensive care. 

 How you can help:

• Monetary donations.
• Volunteer a professional service, such as dental hygienist, foot care, chiropractor, or optometrist & optician.
• Volunteer as a community member to shop and prepare food for specific programs or become a board member.

Ben Calf Robe Society

Website: bcrsociety.ab.ca

About the charity: Our Children Are Sacred. Ben Calf Robe’s work strives to protect and enhance that sacredness by providing Aboriginal children and their families with holistic education, supportive social services, and programs of high quality and cultural relevance.

How you can help:

• Contact the society for volunteer opportunities.
• Donate online at CanadaHelps.org

MENTAL HEALTH & WELLNESS CHARITIES

Mental Health Foundation

Website: mentalhealthfoundation.ca

About the charity: The Mental Health Foundation is dedicated to building better mental health and mental health care for people in Alberta. They do this through raising, managing, and distributing funds to support ground-breaking education and programs, cutting-edge research, next-generation technologies, and facility enhancements within the addiction and mental health care system.

How you can help:

• Give a one-time monetary donation or join the monthly giving program.
• Add the Mental Health Foundation as a beneficiary in your will or life insurance policy.
• Dedicate a monetary gift to the Foundation in honour of a loved one.

Canadian Mental Health Association – Edmonton

Website: edmonton.cmha.ca

About the charity: CMHA is one of the oldest voluntary organizations in Canada. They provide a 24-hour Crisis line providing immediate support, navigation services to help you find the help you’re looking for, suicide grief support services, education and training, peer support services, and a housing program.

How you can help:

• Volunteer or hold your own virtual awareness or fundraising event.
• Become a CMHA member.
• Donate money or a car, truck, RV, or motorcycle.

CASA Child, Adolescent and Family Mental Health

Website: casaservices.org

About the charity: CASA has over 20 programs and services tailored to specific children’s mental health issues. They deliver innovative mental health services for infants, children, adolescents and their families and is an effective advocate for children’s mental health.

How you can help:

• Monetary donation to the CASA Foundation.
• Join the CASA Youth Council or the Family Advisory Council.
• Volunteer as part of their clinical stream or support stream.

WOMEN & CHILDREN’S SHELTERS

WIN House

CLICK HERE to hear Pepper & Dylan’s surprise $10K donation from James H. Brown & Associates to WIN House.

Website: winhouse.org

About the charity: WIN House has one purpose: to give victims the hope and help they need to overcome domestic abuse. Throughout Edmonton and area, for nearly five decades, they’ve given women and children of all ages and cultures a safe place to flee. From passionate professionals and volunteers to dedicated donors and champions of the cause, WIN House is committed to providing safety, support, relief, and resources for abuse victims.

How you can help:

• Monetary donation. Used clothing donations are temporarily suspended due to COVID, so you could also donate specifically to the WIN House COVID-19 Relief Fund which will be allocated towards buying essential items for their clients in care.
• Check their website for current volunteer opportunities.
• Plan a virtual fundraising event.

Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters

Website: acws.ca

About the charity: ACWS is the provincial network organization of women’s shelters in Alberta. ACWS supports 40 members operating over 50 shelters across the province for women, children, and seniors facing domestic abuse. They support their members and work with them to end domestic violence through culture-shifting violence prevention programs, collective data and research, and front-line training. With support from ACWS, Alberta shelters are helping to provide safety, support families, and improve communities.

How you can help:

• Make a one-time online monetary donation.
• Set up a recurring monthly monetary donation.

 Kids Kottage

Website: kidskottage.org

About the charity: Kids Kottage is a crisis prevention and early intervention service that keeps infants and children safe, and families strong. When a family is under toxic levels of stress whether it be from job loss, homelessness, the effects of poverty, mental or physical health issues, abuse, or whatever the case -so are the children- they are the hidden victims. Kids Kottage is there to help.

How you can help:

• Monetary donations.
• Donate new items from their urgent need wish list, including baby formula, diapers, children’s socks, pajamas, bedding, and iPads/tablets.
• Donate new items from their Christmas wish list, including indoor trampolines, rhythm sticks, popup tunnels, video games, and sand toys.

WINGS

Website: wingsofprovidence.ca

About the charity: WINGS offers a second-stage shelter and affordable housing for women with children who have experienced family violence. They address the social, psychological, and health issues affecting women and children, extending their programs inclusively to clients of all races, cultural, and religious backgrounds.

How you can help:

• Make a monetary donation. You will have the opportunity to choose where your donation goes (COVID-19 relief, food supplies, etc)
• Sponsor a child.
• Volunteer to help with childcare, Tuesday and Friday mornings from 9am – 11:30am.

YOUTH SERVICES

John Howard Society – The LOFT

Website: johnhoward.org

About the charity: Edmonton John Howard Society works with people to cut back the root causes of crime so we can build a safe, healthy community. They provide a wide range of housing programs and services for high-risk youth and adults.

About The LOFT:  The LOFT is a 6-bed short term voluntary supported living environment for males ages 16-24 who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness and are committed to sobriety.

How you can help:

• Gift card donations to give to clients as Christmas presents.
• Monetary donations.
• Check online for current or upcoming volunteer opportunities.

Old Strathcona Youth Society

Website: osys.ca

About the charity: The Old Strathcona Youth Society provides purposeful resources and creates a safe and supportive environment that fosters youth empowerment and development. They are a drop-in agency that provides programs, services, and basic need items to youth aged 14-24.

How you can help:

• Monetary donations will go towards food and hygiene items, recreation outing funds, art, music, technology supplies, and much more.
• Donate items to fill backpacks including ear buds, Gatorade/pop, $10 gift cards, journals, pens, travel paint sets, instant noodles, large chocolate bars, lighters, accessories, and warm blankets.
• Drop off warm winter clothing and accessories to the agency in adult sizes small, medium, and large.

iHuman Youth Society

Website: ihuman.org

About the charity: iHuman is founded on the belief that all young people deserve care and support. They support youth (age 12-24) navigate complex systems such as housing, transportation, mental health, justice, financial assistance and medical care.

How you can help:

• Become a Guerilla Fundraiser. iHuman is looking for people to mobilize their community to donate funds to help young artists at the Society. The money raised will be used to buy individualized Christmas gifts, with the remaining funds paying for young people’s post-secondary education.
• Donate funds online, in-person, or through the mail.
• Drop off in-kind donations, including hygiene products, clothing (such as socks, underwear, t-shirts, coats, mittens), parenting supplies, art supplies, and more.

Youth Empowerment & Support Services

Website: yess.org

About the charity:  Youth Empowerment and Support Services (YESS) provides immediate and low-barrier overnight and day shelter, temporary supportive housing, and individualized wrap-around supports for young people aged 15–24. They work collaboratively within a network of care focused on the prevention of youth homelessness by providing youth with the necessary supports to stabilize their housing, improve their wellbeing, build life skills, connect with community, and avoid re-entry into homelessness.

How you can help:

• Monetary donations are most needed right now.
• Bring your in-kind donations to the Bissell Thrift Shop (8818 118 Ave) and mention that the donation is for YESS.
• Check out their website for current and upcoming volunteer opportunities.

Thank you to James H Brown & Associates for helping us make Pepper & Dylan’s Week of Giving a reality!