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The owner of Bargains Group — a Toronto-based discount wholesaler of promotional products — uses the network to promote her company, find suppliers, make hires, and stay current on business trends. She spends at least an hour a day on the site, and encourages her 30 staff to use it as well. “It’s such a […] Read More
North York Mirror With three weeks to go before Project Winter Survival wraps up, the founder is calling on the public to help reach its goal. With a goal of raising $60,000 and distributing 3,000 kits, Jody Steinhauer said the project is short $20,000, which could fund 800 kits. “We’re not solving the (homeless) problem, […] Read More
禍福同享 為社區打氣 臨近聖誕新年長假期，聯歡派對的邀請應接不下，很多人已經開始準備禮物、食物在家中招待朋友和家人。可是社區內並不是人人有飯開，一些家庭，他們不但生活條件欠佳，就連基本的日用品和食物也不足夠，更不用說買禮物給孩子。有否想過我們可以用食物、禮物、金錢、甚至時間，去幫助別人，回饋社區？趁著假期前，把他們的需要也放在你的購物清單上，還可以藉此教導孩子「施比受更為有福」的功課，一同將點點心意傳遞開去。 採訪：蔡可欣 圖片由受訪者提供及互聯網 捐溫暖 寒冬漸漸迫近，對於置身於暖氣環境中的我，完全感覺不到寒風刺骨的滋味，最多只是上車前的一刻會稍微手腳冰凍而已。面對這樣的環境，沒有人希望留在街裏，可是卻有很多有家靠不得的人，要冒風雪渡過不止一個晚上。本地大型批發公司Bargains Group負責人Jody Steinhauer說：「身為母親的我，絕對接受不到孩子要在這樣惡劣的寒冬露宿街頭。一些年青露宿者因為對人失去信心而不願意入住庇護所。我在想既然公司售賣廉價貨品，何不幫助他們，於是我要求供應商：『如果我買5萬對襪，你可以捐1萬對襪嗎？』結果對方答應，就這樣開始了保暖求生背包計劃(Project Winter Survival)第一步。」 除了供應商的貨物，捐款才是主要令計劃可以順利進行，她表示：「因為有些物資如睡袋，找不到供應商願意捐贈，因此便要靠募捐得來的錢去購買。」不過Jody亦試過幾乎辦不下去，原因是主要的資助，因金融海嘯而無力再支持。「正當我宣佈這個壞消息給員工知道時，一向沉默寡言的男孩突然站起來說：『從沒有公司肯這樣做，而你們的背包就曾救回我一命，讓我可以生存下去。』到現在我還記他的名字叫Alex，曾在街上流浪了5年，因為這句說話，我決定繼續。」轉眼已經踏入第14年，Jody的影響力竟打動了溫哥華的一間公司也參與，更會在2013年1月投入計劃，希望市民同樣會關注加西露宿者的問題。 這個計劃除了捐款支持，還可以用學校、公司、家庭等去組隊參與包裝的工作，Jody認為這樣一來是希望更多人關注，而且在包裝過程中，才能親身感受到背包內的東西，原來是那麼可貴。所有背包最後會送到慈善機構去分派給露宿者。「因為這是存在著危險的工作，我們千萬不要以為送贈的過程是有多美好，事實上露宿者或許受過很大的傷害而心存敵意，因此還是交給專人去做更好。」 捐溫飽 聖誕吃火雞似乎是理所當然，一隻可以令6-8人飽得過份的火雞，有時候甚至要在往後的日子繼續跟它「拉鋸」，最後可能不敵吃厭的理由把它丟掉。按照Cut Waste, Grow Profit 2012的報告指出，加拿大人每年所浪費的食物達27億元，單是家裏棄掉的食物已佔51%。然而，這一隻令人又愛又恨的火雞，其實是可以餵飽很多沒有三餐溫飽的窮人、老人、無家可靠的兒童…。因此，一個拯救食物的慈善組織Second Harvest今年與Loblaws超市合作，發起火雞募捐活動。Second Harvest傳訊總監Katherine Moffat表示今年他們期望能籌集6千隻火雞，然後運到各慈善機構的食堂，提供3萬6千份的火雞餐給有需要的市民。你只需把火雞送到以下收集地點，或即場購買然後交給收集站的工作人員，他們便會立即放入冰櫃，再一箱箱運上貨櫃車，直接送到慈善機構裏，如食物銀行、庇護所及學校等。 火雞募捐日(Turkey Drive) 日期：12月15及16日 Loblaw超市指定收集地點： Victoria Park分店：50 Musgrave Street Yonge分店：3501 Yonge Street Leslie & Lakeshore分店：17 Leslie Street Queen’s Quay分店：10 Lower Jarvis Street Dupont & Christie分店：650 Dupont Street Humbercrest分店：3671 Dundas Street West Burnhamthorpe分店：380 The East […] Read More
A Few Culture “Best Practices” I just finished judging for Canada’s 10 Most Admired Cultures program (I am on the Board of Governors of the program, and Nurse Next Door is a past winner, put on by Waterstone Human Capital) It was great to be exposed to so many other cultures, and through it, I […] Read More
City Centre Mirror Jody Steinhauer is the president and CBO (Chief Bargaining Officer) of the Bargains Group, an award-winning Canadian discount wholesaler of promotional products. An innovative social purpose business and champion of corporate social responsibility, the Bargains Group founded Project Winter Survival and Project Water, two programs that benefit the homeless, and Give Back […] Read More
For Immediate Release Bargains Group CBO and Social Business Leader Jody Steinhauer named as one of Canada’s 100 Top Female Entrepreneurs 2012 14th annual W100 ranking produced by PROFIT magazine and Chatelaine Toronto: October 1, 2012 – The Bargains Group is proud to announce that its President and CBO (Chief Bargains Officer) Jody Steinhauer, is […] Read More
At this time of year when temperatures are starting to drop, our thoughts turn to our homeless friends and many ask how they can help. It is difficult for many of us to imagine how someone could sleep outdoors in the winter but on any given night hundreds in our city are out there. For […] Read More
TORONTO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – Sept. 17, 2012) – Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network CEO Camille Orridge, United Way of Greater Toronto CEO Susan McIsaac, Ecuhome ED Angie Hains, and The Bargains Group CEO Jody Steinhauer headline the 2012 edition of the Paul Croutch Awards from The Good Neighbours’ Club. WHO: The Good Neighbours’ Club is a small but […] Read More
We frequently offer tours of our Club to individuals and groups, and each time we do we surprise our visitors by telling them that our all-male Club—known as “The Old Man’s Club” on the street—was started by a woman. In 1933, May Birchard convinced the City of Toronto, the armed forces, and the city’s police […] Read More
The Gifts Project Water, Project Winter Survival The Reason: To help the homeless About 10 years ago, Jody Steinhauer was working on her annual Project Warmth program (now called Project Winter Survival) when she asked a fellow volunteer how homeless people cope in the summer. Ms. Steinhauer had always been geared toward the winter program, […] Read More
In Your Own Backyard Jody Steinhauer, president of Bargains Group and PPPC’s humanitarian of the year, knows a thing or two about giving back. Founder of Project Winter Survival and Project Water, she recently created the tagline “Give back where you live.” Steinhauer thinks the promotional products industry is in a perfect position to be […] Read More
During the past twenty years businesses from Starbucks, McDonalds and FedEx have taken the high road and realized the business is important but having a conscience and understanding that people of every walk of life needs assistance in many ways. The leaders have to accountable to stakeholders, employees, investors, vendors, communities and the environment, with […] Read More
