News & Events
Give to give!
Monday, 02 June 2008 00:00
Swag for Kids is a unique non-profit foundation whose primary goal is to take swag donations by generous celebrities, businesses, award shows - and do some good with it!
We raise funds by auctioning off swag on eBay, and we use the money to fund educational or athletic activities for kids across North America.
Swag for Kids accepts applications by, or on behalf of, any child who may be unable to participate in a sporting, creative or learning opportunity because of financial barriers.
It’s an easy, non-bureaucratic way to pass on some of your good fortune.
If you’ve got swag, your donation will help give a disadvantaged kid a chance to earn the same success that you enjoy.
Our goal is to one day get things like the swag bags that are given out at awards shows and movie premieres, and those one-of-a-kind things done for a special launch...
Give to give! If you’ve got swag to donate let us know and we’ll arrange for everything. We’ll also accept gift certificates for services you can’t use, space in the company box for sporting and entertainment events, tickets from your sponsorship of cultural events, etc. Then you can check our quarterly reports to see exactly how your donation helped a kid.
Corporate and Award Show Event Organizers
Plus One is the key. If you are the organizer of an event that will include swag goody bags, we ask you to create one extra bag to donate to Swagforkids.org. We’ll make sure to turn it into funds that will break down the financial barriers that keep some youth from the educational and athletic opportunities that other kids take for granted.
Businesses
If you’ve got extra swag consider passing it on to make a real difference. Or pick a night in the corporate box or passes for an event you are sponsoring and donate to Swagforkids.org. We’ll use the funds raised at our auction to help motivated but disadvantaged youth build the skills and confidence that will make them tomorrows’ leaders.
Let Your Swag Help a Kid in Need
We’ll accept anything as long as we think it has a chance at auction (and it isn’t offensive). Simply contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and we’ll arrange for pick up and auctioning.
Current Auctions
Monday, 02 June 2008 00:00
When you bid on donations at eBay, you won't just get a great deal - you'll help disadvantaged boys & girls to build life skills and confidence.Your bid helps create unique, individual opportunities for some kids to enjoy the educational and athletic activities that others take for granted.
Our auction items are donated by celebrities, companies, and individuals like you who want to make a positive, productive difference in the lives of kids.
Bid online at eBay
We accept PayPal, major credit cards, and some debit cards.
Board of Directors
Monday, 02 June 2008 00:00
Our Board of Directors is a dynamic mix of entrepreneurial business and entertainment leaders who believe in the fundamental importance of positive learning opportunities for youth.
The Directors put effort into this initiative because they know that a small financial contribution is sometimes just the hand-up a kid needs. They have all reached the point where they have the ability to make a difference and are taking direct action to do so.
The Board meets four times a year to review applications and disperse the funds raised during that quarter. We have a commitment to minimize bureaucracy, both to keep administration costs low and to prevent our process from becoming too complicated for disadvantaged children and their parents to access a grant.
Greg Strong, President, THE CURAM GROUP
Thom Bennett, President of BENNETT INSURANCE AGENCY
Robert Ford, Partner, GOWLINGS LAW
Shaun McEwan, Chief Financial Officer, Wi-LAN
Andrew Turner, CEO and founder, JETSTAR
Are you eligible?
Monday, 02 June 2008 00:00
Youth in Canada and the United States who are under 21 years old are eligible for funding.
What does Swagforkids.org give money for?
Grants are awarded for lesson costs or tuition, cultural lessons and materials, books and other educational materials, and team fees and sporting activity equipment costs. In short, we will consider applications for the cost of educational and/or athletic learning goals. For example:
If there are extracurricular lessons you’d like to take but have no money for, apply to Swagforkids.org.
You enjoy singing and want to take voice lessons, but can’t afford the fees or the bus fare to get to the class, fill out an application for Swagforkids.org funding.
You love science, but your parents have no money to send you to Science Camp, Swagforkids.org might be able to help you.
What Swagforkids.org cannot fund
Group Educational activities... we can’t fund an activity for a whole class or team, but we can fund one kid with a financial need.
Non-goal related trips... we can’t fund a trip to Disney Land or Hawaii, but we can fund a trip to a science fair, educational opportunity, etc.
Non-goal related materials... we can’t fund a car, stylish clothes and the latest iPod or video game, but we can fund an individual’s transportation needs, specialized clothing, software, books, or other equipment required for a learning opportunity.
Our History
Monday, 02 June 2008 00:00
Swag for Kids founder Greg Strong is an entrepreneur who moved from a fast paced position as vice president of Calian, one of the few companies to emerge healthy and wealthy from the IT meltdown, to founding The Curam Group, one of Canada's most dynamic PR/marketing firms.
It occurred to Greg that much of the promotional swag he received could be auctioned off to help kids who would not otherwise afford to achieve their educational dreams. He also realized that it wasn’t just going to happen on its own so he decided to make Swagforkids.org a priority because he was at the point in his life where he can give.
After some investigation Greg realized that, while there are many foundations that give grants to worthwhile organizations, there are far fewer non-profits that provide help to a single child asking for assistance. A board was formed from the business and entertainment industry with three goals in mind:
1. To find swag donations from businesses, gala event coordinators, individuals and celebrities
2. Keep administration costs to a minimum while ensuring that the system stays simple enough so that a disadvantaged child or their parent is never intimidated by the application process.
3. Distribute grants four times a year across North America to promote the positive, productive educational development of individual boys and girls.
Swagforkids.org needs successful leaders and entrepreneurs like you to share the perks of their positions. If you’ve got swag, stadium tickets you never use, enough transferable air miles to send you to Mars, etc., this is an easy way to make a huge difference in kids’ lives. Give to give!