About us

The HelpAge Canada Mission is to support community-based initiatives through our partnerships, both locally and abroad, to improve the lives of older persons and their communities. We develop innovative programs and lead network-wide collaborations to create a world for all to age with dignity.

The HelpAge Canada Vision is for all older persons to lead secure, healthy, active, and dignified lives.

HelpAge Canada puts our values at the forefront everything we do:

Dignity & Equity

We treat people with respect and believe that the power, insight, and expertise of every person is the basis for people to age with dignity. Human rights are for all phases of life, regardless of age.

Community & Connections

We value the interconnectedness of people across the generations. Society thrives when meaningful intergenerational relationships flourish.

Inclusion & Diversity

We value contributions from diverse groups, essential to the fabric of a thriving society. The involvement and contribution of aging adults is fundamental to create a future that offers well-being and hope to all.

Agency & Advocacy

We value having a voice and a choice about the future. Personal agency is central to what it means to be human. It is about the ability to claim our rights, to make choices and to participate meaningfully in decision-making in all parts of life, including the personal, family, social and political.

We are one of six founding members of HelpAge International, a global organizational network that promotes all older people’s right to lead active, fulfilling, and involved lives.

Our Story

In 1975, a group of volunteers, concerned that no Canadian charitable organization represented the interests and needs of older persons in Canada, came together to found “Help the Aged Canada.” This was the beginning of what is known today as HelpAge Canada, an organization more committed than ever to improving how people age in our country and abroad.

In 1983, we joined four other organizations in Colombia, Kenya, India, and the UK to form HelpAge International and create a strong network for supporting older people worldwide. The HelpAge Global Network has since grown steadily, with more than 70 countries partaking in initiatives and concerted action to improve the lives of older people around the world. Our collective voices are heard on the world stage thanks in part to HelpAge International’s consultancy status with the UN and World Health Organization.

HelpAge Canada began expanding its team in 2019 to continue our mission of creating a world where all people can age with dignity, increasing our focus on the needs of older Canadians at home. HelpAge Canada has since grown to include nearly a dozen team members. This talented, growing team has equipped HelpAge Canada to build a network of over 350 community-based seniors’ services organizations across Canada – organizations that are vital to meeting the needs of older people in the places they live.

Our Leadership and Staff

HelpAge Canada’s Board of Directors and staff bring a diverse range of experiences from a variety of professional backgrounds—not-for-profit and community leadership, law, gerontology, and diversity and inclusion, to name a few— in order to improve the lives of older persons. The board and its committees meet one to two times per month, making critical decisions that drive our mission forward.

Our core staff is primarily situated at our head office in Ottawa, the nation’s capital. Ours is a workplace where team members are encouraged to pursue both personal and professional development. We push our team to think creatively, with an emphasis on collaborative work, so all members bring their unique perspective to every project. We also offer staff a flexible, hybrid work model that supports a healthy work-life balance.

Staff
Executive Director Gregor Sneddon
Director, National Programs Nicole Perry
Director, National Partnerships and Knowledge Mobilization Dr. Raza Mirza
Lead, Global Partnerships Hamza Ansari
Manager, Communications Kristen Lonergan
Manager, Digital Fundraising and Sponsorships Tejiri Oghenekaro
Program Officer, Canada HomeShare Adriana (Danya) Wasylyk
Coordinator, Donor Relations Julianna Kerr
Coordinator, Marketing Selina Rattani
Bookkeeper Simon Bikai
Executive Assistant Felicity Watson
2023-2024, board of directors

Chairperson

Amy Westland
Ottawa,ON
Senior Counsel,Westaway Law Group

Vice Chairperson

Kahir Lalji
Penticton, BC
Provincial Director of Population Health, United Way of British Columbia

Secretary

Kyle Shimon
Ottawa, ON
Attorney, Emond Harnden

Treasurer

William (Bill) Morphet
Ottawa, ON
Accountant; HEXO Corp

Directors

 

Rosalie Gelderman
Edmonton, AB
Project Coordinator, Edmonton Seniors Coordinating Council

Donald Hefler
Ottawa, ON
Controller, Cohen & Cohen Group of Companies

Laura Dempsey
Toronto, ON
Manager of Partnerships, Canada Helps

Christine Vilcocq, MSc, Bsc
Montréal, QC
Gerontologist and Directrice Générale, CiViS La Traversée

Jessie-Lee Wallace
Ottawa, ON
Director of Major Gifts and Communications, BGC Ottawa

Simon Cheesman
Toronto, ON
Director, Baycrest@Home, Baycrest Health Sciences

Anthony Kupferschmidt
Vancouver, BC
Executive Director, Langley Senior Resources Society

Michael Chrostowski
Whitby, ON
Senior Manager, Business Development and Industry Relations, AGE-WELL NCE Inc.

Jenviev Azzolin
Montréal, QC
Executive Head of Global Marketing, Customer Service & Business Development, UGROUPMEDIA INC

 

 

Financials

We strongly value transparency and accountability. 90% of all donations to HelpAge Canada go directly to our programming, with 6.7% directed towards administration costs, and 2% going to fundraising costs. Your contributions are crucial to provide the support, funding, leadership, and research to achieve healthy aging for all.

HelpAge Canada is a registered charitable not-for-profit organization (Registration Number: 118955921 RR0001)

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Support Us

We appreciate the support of our generous donors in helping us create a world in which all older persons lead secure, healthy, active and dignified lived.