Kind Ottawa is only possible with the generous support of our Sponsors:

OUR GOLD SPONSOR
OUR SILVER SPONSOR

Be part of the growing movement to celebrate kindness in Ottawa   

Kind Ottawa has become a vibrant movement in our community, encouraging people to “choose to be kind” and recognizing those who engage in everyday acts of kindness.  

Kind Ottawa and Kindness Week are now run by the Caring and Sharing Exchange with extensive representation from our community.  Founded by the late Rabbi Reuven Bulka (spiritual leader of Congregation Machzikei Hadas, host of CFRA’s Sunday Night with Rabbi Bulka, columnist with The Ottawa Citizen), community leaders and volunteers from across Ottawa employ their resources, experience and enthusiasm to bring Kindness Week to life in Ottawa.  In fact, on June 3, 2021, Kindness Week across Canada became law.   Senator Jim Munson (Retired) designated the third week of February as Kindness Week which received Royal Assent on June 3, 2021.  Canada is the first country in the world to pass such legislation.

We have the ability to create the community we want.  Make a conscious choice to contribute and focus on A Kind Ottawa throughout the entire year!  

For more information, please contact us at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Rabbi Dr. Reuven Bulka, Founder  

Kindness was at the core of the person he was, and it will forever be his legacy.  He was the kindest man and his care and concern for others, for his communities, and for the world at large was unwavering, anyone who knew him was better for it.  Kindness Week is a special tribute to the founder of this wonderful initiative as we continue his work to celebrate and recognize “everyday acts of kindness” and those who “choose to be kind”.

The Rabbi Bulka Memorial Blood Drive

During his lifetime, Rabbi Bulka made 345 blood/platelet donations. We invite you to remember his legacy by making a blood donation in his memory.   We can honour the Rabbi’s memory by helping to provide lifesaving blood to local hospitals.  You can help by joining the group and donating blood. Join today at https://myaccount.blood.ca/en/join-team/THEC0101707

Follow the steps below to join the team and book an appointment time that works for you. 

Join the team today by following these simple steps:

1. Register online - Log into or create your blood.ca [blood.ca] account.
2. Select The Rabbi Bulka Memorial Blood Drive from the menu and select JOIN THE TEAM
3. Scroll down to the bottom of the team page and pick an appointment date and time.
4. Be sure to check the eligibility [myaccount.blood.ca] quiz before you book.

Teachers work so hard to support our students!
 
To show your appreciation for their kindness, care, and knowledge, consider saying thanks in a way that counts by donating to the Sharing in Student Success program in their honour!
 
Your donation with provide a child in need in Ottawa with a fully supplied backpack. Click on the button below, and select "in honour" to select your card. It is the perfect end of year gift!

A Gift of Hope

Just $40 provides a local child in need with a backpack filled with grade-appropriate school supplies, so they start the school year with their head held high, ready to learn! You also have the option of presenting a digital e-card to the recipient of this special gift.

Help Ottawa Children and Youth Succeed

Supplying backpacks to children from families in need is part of our Sharing in Student Success (SISS) program. Our goal is to supply Ottawa children and youth with backpacks filled with all the supplies needed for their grade level to help them return to school in the fall prepared to face any challenges so they can succeed in their studies. Without programs like SISS to help, many of these young learners would go without.

Maximize Your Gift

At the Caring and Sharing Exchange, we triple every financial gift made to Sharing in Student Success. That means we buy 3 backpacks complete with school supplies for the price of 1!

Teacher Appreciation Gift - FAQs

When will a child receive the backpack?

Backpacks are distributed through agencies around the city prior to the first day of school. We work throughout the summer preparing backpacks, so they are ready in the weeks leading up to the first day of French-language public school.

How do I know a child receiving a backpack really needs it?

All households with children and youth on our list must qualify as low income under the LICO (low income cut-off) measure. This qualification is reviewed by Statistics Canada on an annual basis.

What school supplies are provided in a backpack?

Backpacks are divided by grade level. Each backpack contains all the grade-appropriate school supplies according to the Boards of Education to ensure each child is prepared to participate in all classroom activities, for a successful year of learning.

How many children get backpacks?

In 2022, we were fortunate to provide all 3,213 children on our list with assistance. The demand for back-to-school assistance has significantly increased since 2015, and we expect to see a dramatic increase in registration this year.

Will the teacher know or see the backpack I gift in their name?

For privacy reasons, the teacher will not see the gifted backpack or get to know the child that receives the backpack. However, from time to time we do share stories and testimonials from recipients with donors and in our newsletter.

Can I include a personalized message to my teacher?

Yes! As you complete your donation, you’ll have the option to include a personalized message as part of the e-card you send to your teacher.

Do you supply children in cities other than Ottawa?

We are a  local charity and only provide assistance to children and families within the City of Ottawa.

Our Co-ordination Service is the backbone of our existence. As the reason for our organization's birth way back in 1915, the Co-ordination Service we provide to the Ottawa community ensures that no one in need of assistance goes without. This service also allows the donor dollars being given to nearly 250 community organizations to be distributed evenly and fairly. The Co-ordination service is provided to these agencies free of charge.

Just like Santa, we're making a list and checking it twice!

The Caring and Sharing Exchange works closely with many different agencies that either provide assistance or request assistance for their clients. During this process, we collect the names of the individuals other organizations are helping, as well as the names of the individuals who still need help. Caring & Sharing cross-references the names in order to ensure that (a) all clients in need are matched with an organization providing assistance, and (b) no client is being helped by more than one organization. By running these "duplication checks" we ensure that assistance is distributed evenly within the community and that everyone applying for assistance receives it.

This has saved the community and agencies nearly $300,000 over the past three years!

Are you helping Ottawa residents? Save time and money by joining forces with other caring agencies like yours:

• You can save your organization money by not providing help to someone who has already received assistance;
• You can save other caring organizations like yours money by letting them know who you have helped;
• You can assure donors that their gift is used in the most efficient way possible, going to where it is most needed;
• We provide this service free of charge.

Call 613-226-6434 ext. 232 to register your agency for this program.

The Caring and Sharing Exchange currently runs the following programs. Find out how each of them helps the Ottawa community!

	The Christmas Exchange Program provides redeemable gift vouchers or food hampers to individuals and families who are in need in our community during the holiday season.
	The Sharing in Student Success Program provides grade appropriate stuffed backpacks to children from families in need so that every child in Ottawa can return to school on equal footing, ready to learn.
	The Co-ordination Service is the backbone of the organization! We work with more than 200 agencies in the city to ensure that no one in need is forgotten and that both school and Christmas assistance is distributed evenly and fairly within the community. We do this through the help of duplication checks and appropriate distribution coordination.