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A Note From The Founder

eCause Canada has been a natural evolution of my work and experiences. My name is Joyce Shanks and I am the founder and president of eCause Canada Inc. I am a wife, a mom, a holistic health care practitioner, and a long time tree hugger. My background in tourism and event planning, fundraising, volunteering, and in owning my own business have all contributed to establishment of this company.

I know that our personal well being is directly connected to the well being of our planet. I lived for 9 years in Banff, Alberta in the Canadian Rockies and saw first hand our interconnection with our eco-systems. It is our responsibility to contribute, support and improve the health of our oceans, air, plant life, and wildlife. The future depends on our actions today. This concept is what governs our everyday actions at eCause Canada.

The idea of Green Fundraising with eCause came to me on August 24th, 2008 while I was walking in Montreal's Weekend to End Breast Cancer for the 4th time. I had been selling top quality stainless steel bottles by Klean Kanteen™ in my clinic to encourage my clients to drink more water from bottles other than plastic ones, since hydration is imperative to our good health. I knew that the transition to stainless steel bottles for my clients would be beneficial to not only our environment but it would reduce their exposure to the harmful toxins often found in plastic bottles.

It occurred to me that there was another great thing to be done with these bottles. If I sold the bottles to other participants in the breast cancer walk for a better price, they could then re-sell the bottles to their families, friends and colleagues for fair market value using the difference in proceeds for the charity. What made this concept even better was the knowledge that less plastic in circulation would one day lead to less breast cancer. Plastics and some of the chemicals used in their production have been shown to contribute to endocrine disruption which has also been linked to the incidence of breast cancer.

I personally have been fundraising for more than 25 years. In my late teens I got involved and eventually became co-president of The Juvenile Diabetes Foundation of Montreal's chapter of Young Adults. In the years since then I have supported various causes, organizations and national fundraising campaigns. Raising money can be challenging, but it is also extremely empowering because so much good comes from people working together towards one goal.

Now that I have a school aged daughter, I have come to realize that school fundraising is on-going. Gym equipment, field trips, and special events all need funding, as much as medical research, Scout troupes, sports teams and choir groups. Traditional fundraisers like chocolate don't really harmonize with today's beliefs or needs. Alternate fundraisers have still left room for improvement as they are often selling items we don't need at inflated prices. eCause resolves all of these issues. We offer products that are practical and useful top quality everyday items, at the same prices you would pay in your local stores. We know that we can help to support your cause, your health, the planet and our future with our fundraising programs.

I look forward to working with you and your organization, for any comments or questions please don't hesitate to send me an e-mail to info@eCause.ca.

Wishing you good health and happiness, and the time to enjoy them, warm regards

Joyce Shanks