LONDON ON, Dec. 3, 2020 /CNW/ - This year's pandemic has separated too many Canadians from their family and friends. This holiday season, the loneliness of isolation will become even more pronounced for many grandparents, and those with health conditions who are unable to be with the ones they love. The Sunshine Foundation of Canada in partnership with Canadian tech company, LifeTales are looking to change that through the power of group video gifts.
The Sunshine Foundation of Canada is a national charity that changes the lives of kids living with severe physical disabilities and life-threatening illnesses. Sunshine Dreams brighten a child's future and play an essential role in their personal development and mental wellbeing. This year especially, Sunshine sees the compounded impact of isolation from friends and family. Even in the absence of a pandemic, over half of Sunshine kids are vulnerable to isolation, adding depression and anxiety to their medical challenges. They need our support more than ever.
One part of the solution, rests with a new online app produced by LifeTales called Celebrate. Celebrate makes it easy for families and friends to create and share group video gifts with anyone in their lives who is socially or physically distanced. Gift creators collect video messages on the platform and easily edit those messages into a single video gift complete with music, pictures, and text (no special skills required). Then they share the video anywhere in the world by including a link in an email or text message. Unlike a phone or Zoom call, a Celebrate gift can be treasured both on the Celebration Day and for years to come.
"There has never been a more important time to connect with family members who are isolated and lonely. Celebrate is grateful to join Sunshine in a way that will make a difference for Sunshine kids and, we hope, all families across Canada," shares Celebrate co-founder, Michael Meagher.
"Our team is working hard to fulfill dreams for kids and youth during such a critical time. It's with your support through donations and fundraising partnerships like Celebrate's, that we can bring kids optimism, help them connect to their peers, discover their individuality, and pave the way for a brighter future. Together, we can make sure our dreamers know that their dreams still matter." – Nancy Sutherland, President & CEO, The Sunshine Foundation of Canada.
In the spirit of the holiday season, and to bring cheer to Canadians from coast to coast, Celebrate will donate 75% of every video purchase (that's a $25.49 donation for every $33.99 Celebrate purchase) to The Sunshine Foundation of Canada. Purchasers win twice: they get a heartwarming gift to give to a loved one and they help support Sunshine's important work making dreams come true for kids living with severe physical disabilities or life-threatening illnesses.
To participate go to www.celebrate.buzz and, when asked, enter the promo code SUNSHINE.
The Sunshine Foundation of Canada
The Sunshine Foundation of Canada changes the lives of children living with severe physical disabilities or life-threatening illnesses by making their dreams come true. Sunshine Dream Programs helps children and youth build confidence, independence, and optimism, leading to a brighter, more hopeful future.
Sunshine Dreams are mental-health boosting opportunities that range from tech gear, creativity and style, dreams that connect, promote fitness, or outdoor adventure.
Since its inception in 1987, Sunshine has fulfilled more than 8,500 dreams for children and youth across Canada and coordinated 64 Sunshine DreamLifts. For more information, visit www.sunshine.ca
Celebrate Inc.
Celebrate (www.celebrate.buzz) is a product of LifeTales Inc., a Canadian tech firm headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. The inspiration for Celebrate began in 2012 when Founder Harvey Beck created an online app to help people better preserve family memories by adding the stories behind special moments to a person's online collection of photos and videos. When the Covid pandemic began in early 2020 Harvey and friend Michael Meagher saw a new need: to help people more deeply connect with those loved ones who, because of age or health, they could not see in person. The result: the creation of Celebrate, an online app that lets users easily collect video messages from friends and family, edit them into a heartwarming group video gift, and share that gift effortlessly either in person or over the internet. Celebrate was launched in early September 2020 and is continuing to add new users in Canada, the United States, and beyond.
SOURCE Sunshine Foundation of Canada
For further information: Media Contacts: Jennifer Stead, Manager, Marketing & Communications at The Sunshine Foundation of Canada, Cell: 519-520-9160, Email: [email protected]; Michael Meagher, Chief Celebration Officer at LifeTales, Phone: 519-851-9899, Email: [email protected]
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