The UPS Store Gives Back
When It Comes To Helping Starlight Children’s Foundation® Canada, The UPS Store Really Delivers
At The UPS Store, our franchisees in Canada work to provide solutions and world class customer service in the over 360 communities that we serve. Each of our locations is franchisee-owned, which means there is a family business behind every door.
The UPS Store Canada has been a proud sponsor of Starlight Children’s Foundation® Canada since 2009 and, together with our franchisee network, have undertaken a number of different activities, locally and nationally, to support this family-focused foundation. The UPS Store Canada offers a mix of financial sponsorship, through fundraising as an example, as well as offer in-kind sponsorships. Here are just some of the ways our network has been involved with Starlight Canada.
Drive For Smiles
Since 2013, The UPS Store Canada has been the primary sponsor of the Drive For Smiles® events in support of Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada. At Drive For Smiles, drivers of luxury cars take Starlight families with seriously ill children on dream rides around a racetrack, helping them leave their medical worries behind, while hope, joy, and laughter take the wheel! In 2024, The UPS Store Canada was once again a sponsor for the Montreal and Toronto events and this year, we’ve added Vancouver to the scheduled events.
As Canada’s largest automotive fundraiser, funds raised from Drive For Smiles support Starlight Canada’s hospital-to-home programs, including Comfort Kits with essential items for unexpected hospital stays, Fun Centers or Starlight Handhelds that deliver gaming to children in hospitals, Once In A Lifetime Wishes, and many other impactful initiatives.
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Starlight Secret Santa Events
December 2024
On Sunday, December 15th, The UPS Store Canada sponsored Starlight Canada’s Secret Santa events at Toys“R”Us Canada locations in Burlington (ON), Etobicoke (ON) and Calgary (AB), which provided seriously ill children and their families a unique holiday shopping experience! Across 11 Toys“R”Us Canada stores, Starlight families experienced a VIP shopping spree, complete with gift cards to choose their favourite toys and magical visits from Santa Claus and other beloved characters.
December 2023
On Sunday, December 17th, The UPS Store Canada sponsored Starlight Canada’s Secret Santa events at Toys“R”Us Canada locations in Burlington (ON), Etobicoke (ON) and Langley (BC), which provided seriously ill children and their families a unique holiday shopping experience! Starlight families had the joy of meeting Santa Claus, superheroes, princesses, and other beloved characters, and they left with a Mega Play From Home Pack—an exciting bundle of board games, crafts, and more from Starlight Canada—to make their holiday season even brighter.
In total, 11 events took place across the country, welcoming over 750 Starlight families. Additionally, more than 1,500 Mega Play From Home Packs were delivered to stores and families who were unable to attend, all made possible by sponsors like The UPS Store Canada.
December 2022
On Sunday December 18th, The UPS Store Canada sponsored three Starlight Canada events at Toys“R”Us Canada locations in Burlington ON, Etobicoke (Sherway Gardens), ON and Langley BC, which provided some Starlight Canada families with a unique holiday shopping experience. In attendance were:
- Langley event: Nicole Longacre-O’Brien of The UPS Store #166 in Langley BC
- Burlington event: Steve Moorman from The UPS Store Canada Home Office
- Sherway Gardens event: Tammy Turpin of The UPS Store #3 in Etobicoke, as well as Michelle Konashewych and Michelle Cameron from The UPS Store Canada Home Office
In total, there were 11 events across the country with more than 640 families attending. In total, there were more than 1,200 Play From Home Packs sent to Starlight children in Canada thanks to sponsors like The UPS Store.
December 2021
When Starlight Children’s Foundation® Canada needed to deliver over 2000 holiday packages to seriously ill kids during the heart of the pandemic, The UPS Store Canada was there to help make that happen. Part of those holiday packages included Starlight Canada themed colouring books, which were printed and bound by The UPS Store Print Team. The UPS Store Canada also sponsored a Starlight Canada event at a Toys“R”Us Canada location in the GTA which provided some Starlight Canada families with a unique holiday shopping experience.
In Store Fundraising
Starting in 2010, stores participated in various fundraising activities locally including coin boxes & selling of “stars” in exchange for a Loonie. Some franchisees took additional initiative and held fundraising events at their own individual locations.
About Starlight Children’s Foundation® Canada
Starlight Children’s Foundation® Canada has been dedicated to brightening the lives of seriously ill children and their families for over 30 years. Focusing on the family as a whole, their mission is to bring joy, laughter, relief, and a whole lot of smiles. The variety of in-hospital and outpatient programs Starlight Canada offers help bring back some strength, hope and lost childhood by being that reliable and shining star in a dark and stormy sky. What makes Starlight Canada unique is that they are there for the entire journey — from hospital to home.
While in-hospital, Starlight Canada gives kids a much-needed distraction from the stress and boredom of hospitalization. From toys to the latest technology to full-blown parties, they replace that fear and loneliness with fun and excitement! While out-of-hospital, they are granting wishes of all sizes with their Day Brightener Wishes, Great Escapes® Wishes, Once In A Lifetime Wishes, and most recently, Play From Home Packs, to make sure Starlight Canada families always have a reason to believe in magic.
Starlight Children’s Foundation® Canada does what no medicine can do: create priceless smiles and memories for seriously ill children and their families. For over 30 years, Starlight Canada has been spreading joy to sick kids across the country through a unique blend of hospital to home programs designed for the whole family.
To learn more about Starlight Children’s Foundation® Canada, visit www.starlightcanada.org.