NKPR

NKPR 26 Acts of Kindness

Sparked by the 26 Hours of Kindness holiday campaign in 2015, the NKPR 26 Acts of Kindness is an ongoing agency-wide program through which the NKPR team gives back to the community. The program fosters a culture of kindness and empowers team members to find and support a cause in order to encourage others to do the same. Some of the causes supported through the 26 Acts of Kindness include: Fred Victor, St. Felix, MADD, Second Harvest, Red Door Shelter, CAMH, and others.

Since launching the 2016 program on March 26th, activities have included:

• A surprise and delight for International Day of Happiness in Bloor- Yorkville. The NKPR team spent the afternoon handing out balloons and white roses to families and shoppers, encouraging passersby to share kindness.
• A "Spring Cleaning" initiative in support of Fred Victor Centre. NKPR encouraged friends, family and media to bring in gently used clothing to donate to the Fred Victor housing developments for new Canadians and homeless youth.
• A TTC Token Drive during the Fall 2016 Media Preview. Media were invited to bring TTC token donations in support of the Red Door Family Shelter.

Upcoming acts include:

• The NKPR Scholarship – an annual scholarship that will be awarded to two public relations students each year to support their academic development and professional growth.
• NKPR Open House – NKPR will welcome friends, interns and volunteers for an open house day to focus on career building for those interested in a career in PR
• Global Wellness Day, June 11th – Spread kindness on this international feel good day. More details to come.

Want to get involved? For more information on upcoming activities contact, info@nkpr.net

Artists for Peace and Justice

Natasha Koifman is the Canadian Chair of the Board at Artists for Peace and Justice, an organization created by filmmaker Paul Haggis in 2009. APJ encourages peace and social justice, and addresses issues of poverty in communities around the world. APJ’s immediate goal is to serve children and their families in the poorest communities in Haiti with programs focused on education, health and dignity. In October 2010, Artists for Peace and Justice opened the doors to the Academy for Peace and Justice, just months after the quake. The Academy for Peace and Justice provides children from the poorest communities in Haiti with free middle and secondary school education and is the first free secondary school of its kind in Haiti. NKPR handles APJ's media relations day-to-day, and is responsible for the successful execution of high-profile APJ fundraising events around the globe. NKPR hosts an annual event the opening weekend of TIFF. Bringing artists together to celebrate for a cause, APJ is present at exclusive events such as The Hollywood Awards and Cannes Film Festival and participates in strategic partnerships, aligned with top-tier brands like Vhernier, Bulgari, Vanity Fair and Brioni.

Best Buddies

Best Buddies Canada helps provide meaningful friendships for people with intellectual disabilities and student volunteers. Students with intellectual disabilities are matched in one-to-one friendships with other students and spend time going for pizza, shooting hoops or simply enjoying the company of a friend. Today, there are more than 350 chapters in elementary, high schools, universities, and colleges across the country – since its inception 21 years ago over 120,000 people have participated in the Best Buddies programs. NKPR supports Best Buddies events throughout the year including the Thrill of the Ascot and the annual Gala during the Toronto Film Festival.

Dare to Wear Love

NKPR combines our love of fashion with our passion for doing good work. DARE TO WEAR LOVE is an annual gala fashion event celebrating the talents and commitment to social justice of Canada’s fashion design community. The event raises funds and awareness for the Stephen Lewis Foundation, putting money directly into the hands of grassroots organizations in Africa that are turning the tide on the AIDS pandemic in ways that are innovative, sophisticated & impactful.

Partners for Mental Health

With one in five Canadians experiencing a mental illness in their lifetime, generating conversation to raise awareness and break stigmas is an important cause for NKPR. Partners for Mental Health is a national non-profit organization focused on public engagement, awareness and education. Together, NKPR and PMH have launched two important and successful campaigns, Not Myself Today and a limited-edition mood ring campaign. Money raised by PMH goes towards initiatives aimed at making the mental health system in Canada more efficient and effective.

Camp Oochigeas

Camp Oochigeas is a charitable organization that is very near to Natasha Koifman’s heart. Natasha served on the Camp Ooch Advisory Board for over 5 years and is a regular supporter of Camp Ooch initiatives, such as the Summer Dreams Gala and heads up a team every year at the Sporting Life 10K. Ooch is much more than a summer camp. Camp Ooch is the only camp in Ontario to offer on-site IV chemotherapy treatment and blood transfusions. Camp Ooch offers year round programs for children affected by cancer at their sites in Muskoka, SickKids Hospital, Ooch Downtown in Toronto and in the community. Through these programs, Camp Oochigeas provides fun and meaningful experiences to approximately 800 children affected by cancer each year, at no cost to their families. As their saying goes; Cancer changes a child's life. So does camp.