Free-The-Children-2014-Annual-Report
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2014 A NOTE FROM OUR LEADERS Dear Friends and Supporters, From the entire Free The Children family, thank you for being a part of this exciting movement. We are sincerely grateful for your support. It’s hard to believe that this year marks our 20th anniversary. When we started Free The Children in 1995, we were just a small group of twelve 12-year-olds, Be the change, eager to change the world. And while at first we weren’t quite sure how, we had the passion to know it was possible and the commitment to make it happen. It is this shameless idealism that has allowed us to build schools in Haiti, set up health clinics in Kenya and reach out to thousands of youth, educators and Craig Kielburger Marc Kielburger Scott Baker supporters who inspire us every day. Together, we’re leading a global movement that proves it’s cool to care. Our journey up until now has been an incredible one and we’re thrilled to share the achievements of the past year with you. In 2014, Free The Children’s Year of Education initiative exceeded its goal of fundraising to build 200 schools in developing communities! Riding high on this incredible feat, this past fall we launched the Year of Empowerment to equip 25,000 families with the skills and resources they need to take charge of their future. Through our educational program, youth in North America and the UK have been leading through service and action, making positive changes for themselves, their communities and the world. Entering into 2015, our movement for change roars even louder as We Day debuts in Illinois, expanding our reach to thousands more youth. TABLE OF 4 10 24 CONTENTS A CHARITY UNLIKE INTERNATIONAL DOMESTIC ANY OTHER PROGRAMMING PROGRAMMING Our Model ..................... 5 Adopt a Village...................11 Living We 365 Days a Year......25 Financial Responsibility ......... 6 Education .......................12 We Day.......................26 Shifting the World from Clean Water and Sanitation....... 14 We Act .......................28 Me to We . 8 Health.......................... 16 We365 .......................30 Alternative Income and Livelihood.. 18 Profiles.......................32 Agriculture and Food Security.....20 Profiles......................... 22 A NOTE FROM OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS Dear Friends and Supporters, dollars raised for local and global causes. Our holistic, sustainable Adopt a Village development model is breaking the cycle of poverty by providing education We can’t think of anything more rewarding than children helping each other to to children, clean water and health care to communities, alternative income live free and healthy lives. This message is at the heart of Free The Children programs for families and food security throughout the year. and a movement that we’ve been honored to witness over the past two decades. All of our achievements were made possible because of your generosity. From Craig and Marc’s living room to 13 offices around the world, On behalf of the Board of Directors, thank you for your dedication and Free The Children has grown into a community of millions of like-minded enthusiasm as we continue to grow our organization and venture into people that empower the Me to We generation—a movement of informed and a new year of exciting opportunities. compassionate global citizens motivated to shift the world from a focus on the individual to the power of the collective. We are grateful to the passionate youth, educators and trusted partners who have stood by us over the years. Your continuous support has allowed us to evolve We Day from a modest event in one Canadian city to a series of 12 stadium-sized celebrations spanning Vancouver to Atlantic Canada, Seattle Michelle Douglas to California, and even across the pond to the UK. Eva Haller With your help, our year-long educational programming encourages young people to discover their unique gifts and take action on issues they’re passionate about. This commitment to service among youth has led to tens of millions of 34 DID YOU KNOW? More on OUR TEAM p.25 Staff and Volunteers ...........35 91% Celebrity Ambassadors ........36 Profiles.......................38 OF YOUTH ENGAGED IN OUR Board of Directors .............40 PROGRAMMING BELIEVE IT’S We Day Co-Chairs .............41 COOL TO CARE ABOUT Outstanding Partners and SOLVING SOCIAL PROBLEMS Supporters ...................42 A CHARITY UNLIKE ANY OTHER OUR INNOVATIVE MODEL IS DESIGNED FOR SUSTAINABLE CHANGE, EMPOWERING YOUNG LEADERS EVERYWHERE TO ACHIEVE THEIR FULLEST POTENTIAL AS ACTIVE, COMPASSIONATE AND INVOLVED CITIZENS. THROUGH EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WE SET OUT TO SHIFT THE WORLD FROM ME TO WE—FROM A WORLD FOCUSED ON THE INDIVIDUAL TO ONE THAT’S FUELED BY THE POWER OF COMMUNITY. 4 A CHARITY UNLIKE ANY OTHER OUR MODEL WHY WE’RE DIFFERENT When you give with Free The Children, you’re joining a movement to shift the world from “me” thinking to “we” acting. Our holistic and sustainable model is built on the belief that every community has the potential to lift itself out of poverty— children just need the chance to discover their gift to learn and lead. Our focus on empowerment sets us apart and also enables us to create unique impacts by providing cutting-edge service-learning programming to help youth build their skills and discover their passions. STEP 1 REMOVE BARRIERS TO YOUTH SUCCESS STEP 2 EDUCATE & EMPOWER YOUTH STEP 3 TRANSFORM YOUTH & COMMUNITIES A CHARITY UNLIKE ANY OTHER 5 SOURCES OF INCOME Ending December 31, 2014 * 3% GOVERNMENT 37%CORPORATE 11% ADULT TOTAL INCOME $49,554,736 TOTAL EXPENDITURE $48,166,521 21% FOUNDATION 27% YOUTH FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Free The Children’s vision for sustainable change empowers young leaders at home and transforms communities overseas. It is reflected in all aspects of our work—and our fundraising model is no exception. By honoring every donation, from creative coin drives led by students to corporate partnerships, we have an industry-leading policy of financial responsibility that ensures all contributions are spent effectively to create meaningful change. Imagine Canada works in partnership with other charitable organizations, companies, governments and individuals through programs that help strengthen charities and their operations. Its list of Sector Champions include some of the A CHARITY UNLIKE ANY OTHER country’s most prominent charities and non-profits committed to advancing Imagine Canada’s goals of enhancing the 6 sector’s impact and building a more robust Canada. 42% 49% 9% INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS & DOMESTIC PROJECTS GENERAL & ADMIN GLOBAL EDUCATION BREAKDOWN OF TOTAL EXPENDITURE EXPENDITURE Ending December 31, 2014 * $48,166,521 *All figures are consolidated for Free The Children Canada and USA. Free The Children is audited annually by Kestenberg Rabinowicz Partners LLP in Canada and Roy A. Pasieka, Certified Public Accountant in the USA. **Funding income includes cash and in-kind donations. A UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP WITH ME TO WE TWO MILLION DOLLARS Our unique partnership with Me to We Social Enterprise makes our DONATED TO FREE THE CHILDREN fundraising model unlike that of any other charity. As an innovative DURING THE 2014 FISCAL YEAR. social enterprise and Free The Children’s partner in changing the world, Me to We offers better choices for a better world, from international volunteer trips to socially conscious and environmentally 8.5 MILLION DOLLARS friendly products. Even better, half of Me to We’s net profit is donated DONATED TO FREE THE CHILDREN to Free The Children while the other half is reinvested to grow the business and its social mission. This partnership allows Free The Children SINCE 2009. to scale its operational capacity while keeping one of the lowest administrative rates of any charity. *Me to We has a formal donation agreement with Free The Children. Drafted by Torys LLP, the agreement ensures that all cash and in-kind donations are being met. A CHARITY UNLIKE ANY OTHER Cash donations and net income are independently evaluated by auditors Kestenberg Rabinowicz Partners LLP on an annual basis. 7 SHIFTING THE WE DAY WORLD FROM in 11 major North ME TO WE American cities OUR IMPACT HAS LOCAL AND 8,500 SCHOOLS GLOBAL REACH engaged in Canada and the U.S. We’ve all heard the age-old African proverb: “It takes a village to raise a child.” At the same 7 ACTIVE WE ACT time, it takes children to build community—a belief reflected in our work. CAMPAIGNS in North America In Africa, Asia and Latin America, we aim to establish a comprehensive, child-focused development approach that gives community members the education, skills HAITI and opportunities to lift themselves out of poverty. In North America and the UK, we engage youth through service learning and active citizenship so that they NICARAGUA can be free to achieve their fullest potential as 15 COMMUNITIES engaged in Nicaragua, agents of change. Ecuador and Haiti Both our models are built on the understanding that the world we share unites us. Our domestic and ECUADOR international programming work together to provide young people with the tools and knowledge they need to lead meaningful action. MAP LEGEND ADOPT A VILLAGE COMMUNITIES WE ACT REGIONS 8 A CHARITY UNLIKE ANY OTHER WE DAY in 11 major North American cities WE DAY in the UK 1,500 SCHOOLS engaged in the UK RURAL CHINA 25 COMMUNITIES engaged in Sierra Leone, Ghana and Kenya INDIA SIERRA LEONE GHANA 26 COMMUNITIES engaged in India and rural China KENYA THE 2.3 MILLION YOUTH INVOLVED IN OUR PROGRAMMING 60% CURRENTLY PROVIDE 60% OF FUNDING FOR OUR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORK. A CHARITY UNLIKE ANY OTHER 9 INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMMING WE BELIEVE THAT THE KEY TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IS NOT ABOUT A HAND OUT, BUT A HAND UP. WORKING ALONGSIDE DEDICATED COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND DEVELOPMENT EXPERTS IN EIGHT COUNTRIES, WE OFFER A MODEL THAT ALLOWS COMMUNITIES TO LIFT THEMSELVES OUT OF POVERTY AND THRIVE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.