From Margaret’s column:

If you’re in a giving mood, here’s a personal selection of charities where your money will go far. I’ve written about several of them through the years. They’re heavily skewed toward services for high-risk children and adolescents, where an intervention at the right time can make a big difference. Most of these groups have been recognized for excellence by either Charity Intelligence or the Donner Foundation, which evaluate charitable groups for transparency, accountability and value for money. All began as small grassroots agencies with a strong founding vision. All are passionate about what they do. And all of them transform lives.

Here’s what she had to say about us:

Educational Program Innovations Charity Society, North Sydney, N.S.: Cape Breton can be a tough place to grow up. Unemployment and low literacy are big problems. EPIC helps the kids who are falling through the cracks because they don’t have people in their lives who can give them good advice or the motivation to succeed. It hooks them up with young adults who give them tutoring, camaraderie and a safe place to hang out. According to its website, 98.7 per cent of its funding goes directly to charitable activities, and it has been named by the Donner Foundation as one of the best-run charities in Canada. This is what “prevention” is all about.

We are proud to be included in this list of deserving charitable organizations.

Donations will soon be accepted on this site through PayPal. In the meantime, please contact us at epiccharity@gmail.com and we will get back to you promptly.

EPIC also took home the award in the Services for Children category, which came with a $5,000 prize. This is the fifth time EPIC has received this top national prize for its work with the children of Cape Breton.

In 2010, EPIC received the overall William H. Donner Award for Excellence in Delivery of Social Services out of all entered organizations across the country.

Barry Waldman - to the right of Ontario's Lt. Gov. - holds EPIC's overall award as the nation's best-run non-profit agency

Thank you to the volunteers, staff and management team of the Youth Peer Program, the staff and volunteers of Parents PEACE and Give Right Back and the EPIC volunteer Board of Directors for making this little agency the best in Canada!

Founder, Barry N. Waldman will receive the award Friday, October 16, 2009 in Toronto. This national recognition carries with it a $5,000 cash prize. EPIC has been a finalist in its category for the last three years and won in 2007.

From the Donner Foundation Press Release announcing the finalists:

The Donner Awards are Canada’s largest recognition program for non-profit social service agencies, established in 1998 to recognize and encourage best practices in non-profit management and to increase public confidence and support for Canada’s non-profit sector. The awards, administered by the Fraser Institute on behalf of the Donner Canadian Foundation, will be presented October 16th at a celebration in Toronto. Additional information is available at www.donnerawards.org.

This year, 582 non-profit social service agencies from across Canada applied for the awards. Participating
organizations are ranked on their performance in 10 key areas, including management and governance, the use of staff and volunteers, innovation, program costs, and outcome monitoring.

The top organization in each of seven categories of social service delivery will be awarded $5,000 while the $20,000 William H. Donner Award for Excellence will be presented to the highest performer overall.

This award was presented to EPIC for the excellence of the Youth Peer Program and its adjunct projects: Parents PEACE and Give Right Back. Thanks to our outstanding staff who make it all happen: Barb Donovan, Elizabeth Broderick, Brian Dwyer, Noella Fitzgerald, Susanne Donovan, Emile Conn, Kayla Wood, Catherine Ross, and (last year) Jen MacNeill. We love our staff!

We never forget that the staff is there to support and facilitate the volunteers in their selfless service to the kids. The relationship between the high school and university youth and their younger peers is where the magic happens. Recognition also needs to extend to Barry Waldman who volunteers his time to make all of this happen. Thank you volunteers for the hours and hours of dedicated work.

Thank you, too, to The Law Foundation of Nova Scotia for its continued and vital financial support.

The award was presented at the United Way of Cape Breton Annual General Meeting, held at Membertou on April 15, 2008.


The honour is awarded to individuals who 1) have a history of community volunteer experience in Cape Breton, 2) have devoted considerable time and effort in a volunteer capacity in the non-profit, non-governmental field, 3) have made an exemplary contribution as a community leader, and 4) epitomize the true volunteer spirit by choosing to give his/her time freely for no personal gain.

Barry, the creator of EPIC, serves as Supervisor of Programs and on the Board as Director of Finance, both volunteer positions. EPIC has managed over a dozen programs and projects since its inception, all focused on marginalized learners. During that time, over 98.7% of funding has gone directly to programs and initiatives, due mainly to Barry’s habit of donating time in all administrative capacities. It is conservatively estimated that the lives of over 1500 youth and young adults in Cape Breton have been favourably impacted by the programs fostered by Barry.

In accepting the Harvey Webber Memorial Award, Barry graciously drew attention to those who nominated him as well as the hundreds of other volunteers in Cape Breton who deserve this kind of recognition.

We who work with Barry are thrilled at his receiving this well-deserved honour and hope there are many more to come!

The award was presented to Dan in Montreal on February 14, 2008.

Dan was nominated by the Unama’ki Economic Benefits Office in Membertou. Criteria for the award include demonstrating leadership that motivates and inspires as well as raises the standards of aboriginal finance and management. The association is recognizing Dan’s vision for excellence and the highest standards of contribution to an effective, well-managed and governed community.

The EPIC Board and staff, who have known and worked with Dan for many years and who are always appreciative of his wisdom, intelligence, hard work and kind nature, are pleased to see others singling him out for this well-deserved recognition.

Congratulations, Dan!

With funding from the Eskasoni School Board, teacher and former Vice-Principal of Eskasoni High School, Newell Johnson—who has been tutoring students after school on a volunteer basis for several years—will oversee Eskasoni student volunteers as they tutor junior high and high school students in math.

In November, Newell brought 15 of her volunteer tutors to Sydney to attend a Tutor Training session provided by the staff of the Youth Peer Program.

Tutoring sessions will be held in the Eskasoni High School on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:30 to 5:30. There is limited availability for these tutoring slots and therefore students are selected by school referral.

EPIC provides financial management of this project as well as tutor education and on-going support and supervision.

Cathy Penney from the Cape Breton Centre for Sexual Health was the evening’s presenter.

Twelve adults and fifteen teens attended the candid talk and lively discussion that followed.

A similar evening was presented last spring to rave reviews and Blair believes there is continued demand for this kind of interactive and targeted information session especially as it occurs in a forum that encourages good communication between teenage girls and their closest female adult relatives or friends.

Another Mother/Daughter evening is planned for April 2008.

EPIC has won the Donner Foundation Award for Excellence in Delivery of Social Services in the Child Care Category division.

Barry Waldman was in Toronto today to receive this recognition for EPIC’s Youth Peer and Parents PEACE Programs. The award comes with a $5,000 cash prize.

More soon on this national award and Barry’s trip to Toronto.