JIC Design Blog: SEO, Web Development and Technology

Good Evening,

JIC Design is a proud believer in helping those in need from all parts of the world, and it all begins with great people working for great charities. We have had the honour to sponsor one of those wonderful charities, Learning Smiles, and were able to have a quick interview with founder Rob Gilmour.

What is Learning Smiles?

The goal of Learning Smiles is to purchase, collect and distribute learning supplies for children in developing countries.

How did it start?

After eating dinner with my family at Swiss Chalet one evening my children asked what they should do with the crayons they were given when we entered the restaurant. We have lots of crayons at home and really don’t need anymore. However, we told our kids to bring them home since we did not want to see them thrown-out and did not know what else to do. That is when the idea came to us that it would be great if there was some other option where we could donate these slightly used crayons to someone who needed them – plus the positive impact on the environment by keeping them out of the garbage. We made some calls and discovered that CIDA was involved in education projects in Peru and Cambodia and through connections any supplies we could collect would be distributed to schools that needed them – therefore the creation of Learning Smiles.

Has it been easy to start a charitable organization?

No, there is plenty of paperwork and the toughest part is the cost – about $1000 in fees to just register.

What projects have you started?

Our first project is a partnership with Swiss Chalet Restaurants Kingston, where we will collect the slightly used crayons provided to children at the restaurant. After their meal, customers will be invited to donate these crayons by dropping them into containers located at the entrance. Once these crayons are collected they will then be shipped to rural village schools in Peru and Cambodia. (Historically, Peru has had low levels of investment in primary education and one of the most ineffective and inefficient educational systems in Latin America. The current administration, however, is taking steps to correct this and we can help. Likewise, in Cambodia efforts are being made to provide education that helps children develop the skills they need to make positive changes in their lives, and finally break free from poverty.) We hope to collect 100 pounds of crayons by July.

Where would someone go to find out more about Learning Smiles or make a contribution?

We invite people to visit our website at www.learningsmiles.ca …….we are always glad to partner to raise more supplies for these schools.