FRA message from our leadership
Collaboration. Courage. Change. For Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada, these are the words that defined 2022—the year we emerged from a global pandemic more determined than ever to co-create a future in which every child has every chance to thrive.
Hand in hand with our powerful and growing community of supporters, partners, and champions, we launched and scaled deeply innovative new programs that hold the potential to transform the landscape of child welfare as we know it. We achieved some of our most ambitious goals, making great strides towards our $75 million Stand Up for Kids: Futures Transformed Campaign milestone. We made meaningful progress toward our vision of becoming a truly national organization, including significant expansion of our partnerships in Manitoba.
We also established critical new partnerships with Indigenous organizations and examined new approaches to working with Indigenous communities—informed by listening and research—as we doubled down on our urgent priority to address the extreme overrepresentation of Indigenous young people in Canada’s child welfare system.
Every step of the way, our work was fueled and supported by generous philanthropists, corporations, community members, and government partners who share our vision of a world where no child is left behind—by a pandemic, by the child welfare system, or by society at large.
In this space, we are honoured to share a look at some of the exciting work that took place over the past year—including an innovative initiative that prevented more children in Toronto from entering government care, a new project that’s helping families prevent the reoccurrence of domestic violence, and so much more.
In addition to what you’ll read here, we also invested in the Foundation’s digital transformation to enhance our online visibility, accessibility, and revenue generating opportunities, and engaged in a wonderful collaboration with The Wiggles to create a free e-book about children and youth involved with the child welfare system.
There are so many people to thank for making this progress possible.
First and foremost: the members of our Young People’s Advisory Council and other first-voice advocates who are committed to sharing their lived experiences and insights to inform, improve and strengthen our work. Our incredible colleagues at Children’s Aid Society of Toronto, the Foundation’s founding and longest-standing partner, who are fully engaged every step of the way as we innovate, evaluate and create impact together. Our partners at Native Child and Family Services of Toronto, General Child and Family Services Authority in Manitoba, Land and People Planning and many other Indigenous-led organizations that are guiding and deepening our efforts to reach more Indigenous children and families in communities across Canada.
To the incredible members of our Board of Directors and to the Futures Transformed Campaign Cabinet: thank you for your extraordinary guidance and dedication to rallying people from coast to coast to coast around the work of Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada. We must extend an extra special thank you to two of our longest-serving board members, Andrea Weissman-Daniels and Pruyn Haskins, both of whom are retiring from their director roles but will never be far from our work and mission.
Most of all, to the remarkable community of donors and champions who fuel and sustain our work every single day: thank you, from the bottom of our hearts. It’s because of you that true, systemic change is underway for the children we serve.
There is so much to look forward to, and none of it would be possible without you—someone who cares enough to donate, volunteer, spread the word, or simply read, listen, and understand.
To you, from all of us: thank you.
Valerie McMurtry, CFRE
President & CEO
Daniel Barclay
Chair, Board of Directors
In late 2022, Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada and the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto wrapped up the pilot phase of 
Recognizing that domestic violence has profound and long-lasting impacts on children who experience or witness it, Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada has launched an innovative new project called Safe at Home that aims to strengthen families experiencing intimate partner violence — and prevent violence from reoccurring. 
Asked what makes for a strong connection with her 
“Since I joined karate, I feel stronger. I have more self-confidence. And I am not afraid of bullies either! I have more friends and I hope to become a karate master Sensei one day.” 
In 2022, the Foundation launched the National Housing Program for Youth Leaving Care in response to the growing crisis of homelessness among young people impacted by the child welfare system. 
Nothing for us without us. This idea — that programs and services for young people must be informed by the voices and lived experiences of young people themselves — was the driving force behind the creation of Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada’s Young People’s Advisory Council (YPAC) in 2014.
In 2019, Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada launched the Stand Up for Kids: Futures Transformed Campaign. With an ambitious goal to raise $75 million, the campaign aims to mobilize people from all across Canada to give in support of a healthier, safer and brighter future for the thousands of young people nationwide impacted by the child welfare system. 
Many of our incredible supporters use 
This year, Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada partnered with The Wiggles and youth from government care to release Something in Common, a children’s e-book. Exploring the different types of family structures commonly experienced by young people involved with the child welfare system, Something in Common has a powerful message at its core: that although some families may look different, they’re no less real or loving.