The Brick’s teams across the country achieved extraordinary results for sick and injured children in this challenging year, finding creative and effective ways to raise funds and promote our cause through Children’s Miracle Network (CMN). We are deeply grateful for the extraordinary efforts you made in 2020 to extend your record of generous support for Canada’s children’s hospitals. Thank you.
A Message of Gratitude from Mark
Canada’s children’s hospitals are deeply grateful for The Brick’s steadfast partnership during this extraordinary year. Even as you managed the exceptional demands of 2020 in your own businesses, you found new ways to come through for kids.
With your support, children’s hospitals were able to adapt and innovate in 2020, responding to the year’s challenges and laying even stronger foundations for the future. Many rapidly adopted virtual platforms to ensure that young patients would have access to the care they needed. Pediatric teams navigated unprecedented operational complexities to continue delivering treatment and care. Hospital leaders reached beyond the walls of their institutions to help protect the health of their communities and of all Canadians.
As hospitals made these extraordinary efforts, The Brick was by their side. You sought new ways to support children’s hospital foundations in your communities – engaging your associates and customers, and using fresh approaches to get others involved. Canada’s 12 children’s hospital foundations join me in thanking you for every part of your work with us this year. We have always been grateful for your support; this year, it meant more than ever.
Year in review
The Brick showed remarkable creativity and determination in 2020 as it extended its long-standing support for sick and injured children from B.C. to the Maritimes. Even as stores worked hard to adapt their core operations to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Brick achieved results that placed you among our top fundraising partners in Canada, building on the record that led you to be recognized as the Canadian Corporate Partner of the Year in 2020 by the Children’s Miracle Network (CMN).
After a strong beginning, including a new partnership on the Resolution Run with the Running Room, The Brick faced the same pandemic-driven disruptions as other businesses and communities across Canada. As everyone worked to slow the spread of COVID-19 in March and April, most of The Brick stores closed to the public, serving customers only through curbside pick-up.
When retail activity resumed in the summer, however, The Brick’s stores and associates rebounded with remarkable energy, going on to exceed their targets and projections for 2020. In addition to extending their year-round point-of-sale campaigns, stores developed creative new initiatives to offset fundraising shortfalls resulting from the cancellation of live events. One notable example was a virtual cooking class with chef David Rocco, which raised more than $45,000 for Canada’s children’s hospital foundations.
As many customers moved their shopping online during the pandemic, we were grateful that The Brick incorporated an online giving tool into their ecommerce platform to ensure that their online retail operations would continue to deliver results for children’s hospitals.
Above: The Brick Burlington
One more sign of The Brick’s engaged and generous partnership was President Dave Freeman’s participation in the partner panel at CMN’s Fall Business Meeting. Dave shared an executive perspective on the year, describing how over 200 of The Brick’s franchisees and corporate stores across Canada adapted their fundraising and philanthropic activities to the challenges and uncertainties of 2020. We were appreciative – but not surprised – that even as stores made extra efforts to advance their own work for sick and injured children, The Brick’s leadership stepped up to help other partners and the entire CMN community do the same.
Financial overview
The Brick has an amazing history of supporting children’s hospitals across Canada. Since first donating to Canada’s children’s hospital foundations in 2014, you have given over $9 million.
Result Summary
Total Contributions (2014 to 2020)
Total Contributions (2014 to 2020)
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Giving (include underwriting and in-kind) |
$473,961 | $805,388 | $1,119,510 | $1,260,744 | $1,401,729 | $2,788,924 | $1,465,801 |
| Percent Change | N/A% | 70% | 39% | 13% | 11% | 99% | -47% |
Recognition and engagement
Canada’s children’s hospital foundations sought opportunities to celebrate and promote The Brick’s efforts to support the health of children and youth.
Estimated reach of television and radio broadcast:
522,000
Estimated reach of local and national public advertisements:
1,114,351
Total circulation of print recognition (including annual reports):
26,143
In addition to spreading the word through traditional channels, our team and partners posted and shared news about The Brick’s efforts on social media.
Total number of
posts*:
22
*includes posts on CMN Canada social media only
Total number of engagements* (including likes, comments, shares, and interactions):
3,645
*includes engagements from CMN Canada and member foundations social media
Total number of
impressions/reach*:
154,251
*includes impressions/reach from CMN Canada and 11 member foundations social media
Commitment coast to coast
Through The Brick’s partnership with Canada’s children’s hospital foundations, we are enabling impact across Canada, store by store. Every dollar that teams raise locally stays local, inspiring neighbours and supporting patients and families nearby. This local impact – often benefiting the kids, families or neighbours of associates – is part of what keeps The Brick’s teams active and engaged, year after year.
Before it all changed
Some regions had major initiatives scheduled before the pandemic began to affect Canada. After starting the year on a festive note, these teams maintained their support through a uniquely demanding year.
Coming through for kids
In a year when adapting their core business required plenty of energy and attention, The Brick teams across Canada still dug deep to keep supporting children’s hospitals.
New ways to connect
Every The Brick store and franchisee that raised money for children’s hospitals this year found smart ways to adapt to the pandemic. Some created new events and practices that were so effective they might persist in years to come.
A celebration with impact
It’s a question almost everyone faced in 2020: how to celebrate a birthday during a pandemic? Friends of Brickley, the bear whose October birthday raises thousands of dollars for sick and injured children, faced the same question. Teams across Canada rose to the occasion.
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Thank you, The Brick.
Children’s hospitals across Canada are deeply grateful for your support and commitment – this year and every year.
Download a PDF version of our Partnership Report.
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