About the Burgundy Brick Foundation
The Burgundy Brick Foundation (BBF) is a non-profit organization founded by a group of young adults who aim to support existing not-for-profit initiatives within the City of Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. Founded in the spring of 2007, the BBF team consists of students and youth (under the age of 30) who are ambitious, dedicated and who all share the same desire of making a difference and helping others in their community. Young people have an important role as citizens and as tomorrow’s leaders to get involved in activism and to make change. Leading by example, BBF has shown youth that it is very easy and rewarding to participate and help make a difference. As young adults living in the City of Toronto, the BBF team recognizes that they have the ability to improve the future of the community in which they live, by encouraging our generation to get involved with established charitable initiatives, such as Habitat for Humanity Toronto.
BBF believes having a safe home is essential to positive growth and success in life. Burgundy Brick’s motivation lies in the principle that, without a strong foundation of a home, one cannot have stability in life, which is why it is important to support affordable housing initiatives in our community. Recently published studies provide evidence of the severity of the housing issues within Toronto. With waiting lists for subsidized housing increasing, along with affordable market housing, the organization has raised funds and actively organized participation in housing builds.
BBF strives to be a leader in youth social responsibility for providing affordable housing for Toronto families, along with other everyday necessities such as clothing and food.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Habitat for Humanity your chosen charity for your first year as a foundation?
For the past two years, Habitat for Humanity Toronto has been Burgundy Brick’s charity of choice. Why? Its mission statement is in line with Burgundy Brick’s values of the home, community and self-dignity. Every person is entitled to the most basic form of humanitarian care, shelter and Habitat is wholly committed to making life better for the most underprivileged, yet most deserving families in the world.
That being said, the Burgundy Brick Foundation has no official partner, as we hope to support various foundations working to make bountiful impacts in the Toronto community. From shelter to food, our foundation’s basic mandate is to help low-income individuals and families. By advocating and keeping our minds focused and hearts open, Burgundy Brick will continue to grow and become a strong force for affordable housing within Toronto.
Do 100% of the proceeds go directly to your selected charity?
All proceeds raised will be invested in homebuilding through Habitat for Humanity.
Is every Burgundy Brick position non-profitable and completely voluntary?
The committee is made up of not-for-profit volunteers – we are dedicated to ensuring all funding supports its respective charity and advances the philanthropic and humanitarian interests of Toronto and surrounding areas.
What makes the Burgundy Brick Foundation unique?
The Burgundy Brick Foundation is unique in that it was founded by youth, to engage youth in a goal that we can all relate to: having a home. Its young committee, its vision and its mandate are aligned to create Burgundy Brick’s outlook on ways to advocate for and assist the development of affordable housing.
Young Leadership. Our team is comprised of Toronto youth who embody the core values of giving, family, community and stewardship. Our members and volunteers are those who, besides from their own careers and educational pursuits, have incorporated philanthropic generosity into their lives. The energy and focus of our foundation is to reach out to other like-minded youth and advocate on the social issue of affordable housing that so greatly affects our city. Moreover, through fundraising, we are providing the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of many deserved individuals and families.
Powerful vision and mandate. The Burgundy Brick Foundation’s call to action is “one brick at a time we can help to change the city we live in, by helping the people who live in it.” This mandate is implemented through three pillars: advocacy, participation and fundraising. BBF utilizes this approach to influence youth and the development industry. The BBF committee has an established network that extends throughout the housing and development industry in Toronto and the GTA. As a result, BBF has been successful in bridging the gap of information and participation between charitable organizations, youth and the development industry.
Neil Hetherington, Chief Executive Officer, Habitat for Humanity Toronto:
Burgundy Brick is such a wonderful example of what amazing change can happen in the world when we direct our energy to what is good. The foundation provides hope to families living in a situation of despair; the team inspires other volunteers and our staff to keep on going.
