Community Outreach
- 2024: Different activities and donation to AMSEL
- 2023: Different activities and donation to Off Road Kids Foundation
- 2022: Different activities and donation to Liebenau Foundation
- 2021: Canvys Europe Giving Back
- 2020: Canvys Europe Giving Back
- 2019: Canvys supports children in need
- 2019: Art Project with Primary School
- 2018: Art Project with Primary School
2024
Canvys' Christmas donation 2024 to the AMSEL Group Schwarzwald-Baar Kreis (German District "Black Forest")
People with multiple sclerosis (MS) need professional support, and AMSEL is a strong partner.
Canvys is committed to helping and is supporting the AMSEL Contact Group Schwarzwald-Baar-Kreis with a donation for Christmas 2024.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) – What is it?
Multiple sclerosis is the most common inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. For reasons that are still not fully understood, the protective sheaths of nerve fibers are attacked and damaged at various points, leading to delayed or disrupted nerve signal transmission. Symptoms can vary widely, including numbness, impaired vision, coordination problems, difficulty concentrating, and even paralysis. MS, which was once considered incurable but is now treatable, typically affects individuals between the ages of 20 and 40.
Source (only in German): https://www.amsel.de/amsel-ev/presse/zahlen-und-fakten/
About the AMSEL Group Schwarzwald-Baar-Kreis
The AMSEL contact group SBK has been providing help and support for people with MS since 1980. It currently consists of around 220 members. The aim is to sustainably improve the situation of those affected and their relatives by helping them to help themselves. To this end, the AMSEL group has built a comprehensive range of help and information.
A M S E L means Campaign for People with Multiple Sclerosis National Association of the German Multiple Sclerosis Society (DMSG).
Services and activities of the AMSEL Contact Group Schwarzwald-Baar Kreis
The diagnosis of MS not only impacts the person affected but also their loved ones. Spouses, partners, parents, children, friends, and colleagues all face challenges as they adjust to the changes that MS brings. These changes can often be overwhelming, and support is crucial for coping. AMSEL offers a range of services, from informational brochures and consultations to seminars. AMSEL also recognizes the vital role that partners play in the lives of those with MS, which is reflected not only in the support services it provides but also in the special Ursula Späth Prize for Caring Relatives—an award presented to a member of the contact group for the third time this year.
In many cases, individuals with MS can maintain a degree of independence. However, in some situations, a person with MS may require full-time care. In such cases, it's essential to find the best care solution—whether that means family care, outpatient services, or specialized facilities like AMSEL's House of Antonius. The AMSEL Contact Group offers advice and practical assistance in navigating these decisions:
- Guidance on selecting the right assistive devices and care services
- Support with classification for care insurance levels
- Ambulatory care provided by nursing staff and volunteers
- Residential and care units at AMSEL's House of Antonius
- Short-term care units at AMSEL's House of Antonius
- Family support programs
The AMSEL Contact Group is committed to providing comprehensive support in all of these areas. To learn more about AMSEL's services and activities, visit their website here…
Learn more on all services and activities of AMSEL on their website here ...
Volunteering with the "Surfrider Foundation" in Ventura, California
David Gaynor, District Sales Manager at Canvys, volunteered with the Surfrider Foundation in November of this year as part of Canvys' commitment to giving back to our communities. The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit organization that protects and preserves our oceans, waves, and beaches. Their efforts focus on reducing plastic pollution, improving water quality, ensuring public access to beaches, preserving surf spots, and sustaining healthy marine and coastal ecosystems. One of their key initiatives is organizing beach clean-up events throughout the year.
David says: "I am proud to be an active participant in helping keep our beaches clean and beautiful for future generations."
We say: "Thank you, David."
Learn more on the Surfrider Foundation (Ventura County) here…
The mission of the Bristol Santa House (2024)
The Bristol Santa House provides a magical, inclusive Santa experience and welcomes children of all abilities to share their holiday wishes. The accessible, sensory-friendly environment creates a place where children with autism, Down syndrome, mobility impairments, and other developmental disabilities can comfortably visit Santa regardless of physical, mental, or economic challenges.
For a third year in a row, Karen Wheet, District Sales Manager for Canvys is volunteering for this non-profit organization which focuses on children with special needs and their families. She volunteered as a "door elf" welcoming the child(ren) and their families into the house. She describes it as a warm moment (on many a cold evening) to see their wide-eyed amazement when they get their first look of the magic within these doors.
2023
Canvys participates in the Salvation Army's Angel Tree Program
Every Christmas there are children who do not receive gifts because their families are struggling financially and cannot afford the expense. Canvys (Marlborough, MA - USA location) will be partnering up with the Salvation Army again this year to participate in their Angel Tree Program. Each year, The Salvation Army helps provide Christmas gifts to children 12 and under who would not otherwise experience the joy of Christmas. The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Program has been running for over 40 years to ensure that these children have a wonderful holiday season with their families.
The mission of the Bristol Santa House
Karen Wheet, one of our Canvys sales representatives, volunteers at “The mission of the Bristol Santa House” where they foster the magic of Christmas for children with special needs and their families. They provide immersive holiday experiences free of charge through community partnerships. The volunteer-run organization strives to create cherished memories, spread holiday cheer, support our community, and promote goodwill and giving.
"Give Kids The World Village" in Kissimmee (Orlando, FL – USA)
Mike Klingberg, one of our Canvys sales team members, has volunteered at the Give Kids The World Village in Kissimmee (Orlando, FL – USA) for over two years.
In previous years, he served ice cream to the children at the famous Henri's Starlite Scoops and made popcorn at Julie's Safari Theater. This year, he was a carousel operator for the Enchanted Carousel, located right in front of the Castle of Miracles.
Mike had a great time helping the children to get onto the various carousel animals, making sure the children were properly secured, transferring children from their wheelchairs to the carousel, and making sure the children and their parents had a fantastic experience.
Off Road Kids Foundation in Germany
For several years, Canvys has supported the Off Road Kids Foundation's charitable work. This year, Canvys has donated €1,000 to the Off Road Kids Foundation. It is surprising to realize how many young people are in need, but organizations like this can make a real difference in their lives on a daily basis. This foundation's help and guidance give these kids a new perspective on life.
About Off Road Kids Foundation
There should be no street kids and young homeless in Germany!
Off Road Kids Foundation helps immediately.
Countrywide Street Social Work.
Berlin . Cologne . Dortmund . Frankfurt . Hamburg. sofahopper.de.
In Germany there are more than 40.000 street children, young homeless and especially young adults who are in danger to become homeless (Disconnected Youth). All of them flee from negligence, ill-treatment and abuse, and live by the way of getting small support from friends, begging, prostitution and petty theft. Some are so-called "sofa hoppers" living at their (internet-)friend’s homes. Those young people dream of a safe and secure place and don’t want to live at their friend's house or on the street forever. Quite often they are inconspicuous, young people - without apparent signs of distress. They come from all classes and walks of society and are not only found among bright-haired punks. They would like to go to school or to start a professional training. Sensitivity is often a distinguishing trait. Many of them are from rural backgrounds and hope to find happiness and luck by disappearing into the anonymous life of a big city.
The street is an extremely dangerous environment – especially for young people in critical situations. They are at risk of loneliness, neglect, infection, addiction, abuse, prostitution and criminality. The danger increases with the length of time spent living on the street, and it is unjustifiable. Every day on the street diminishes the future prospects of these young people.
So, homelessness has to be prevented through professional counselling – on the street and as early as possible beforehand.
In Germany, the Off Road Kids Foundation’s social workers work together with minors and young adults threatened by, or already suffering homelessness, to identify the best-possible future prospects for each individual, and realize these with the consent of the person concerned.
- The Off Road Kids Foundation is the only nationally operating aid organization for street children, young homeless people and sofa hoppers in Germany.
- The digital platform “sofahopper.de” is the only nationally available, digital online counselling services for disconnected youth at risk of homelessness in Germany.
- No other aid organization operates its own network of street social work stations in large conurbations in Germany (Berlin, Cologne, Dortmund, Frankfurt and Hamburg).
- The Off Road Kids Foundation combines its nationwide digital-based social work with “analogue” counselling work delivered at the street social work sites: Young people living in these metropolitan areas can get counselling at the street social work stations.
Countrywide Online-Support for young people in need
Just using a smartphone young people in need easily can contact the Off Road Kids street social workers through Off Road Kids Foundation's platform SOFAHOPPER.DE to chat and find solutions for the private problems - no matter where they actually are in Germany. This support especially has been arranged to establish contact to so-called “sofa hoppers” living in a way homeless at their (internet-)friend’s houses and not appearing in the street-scenes
The aim of Countrywide Street Social Work is to see that the “runaways” never become street kids at all. The Off Road Kids’ Street Social Work attaches great importance to inquiring about the individual's best possible and sustainable future prospects as quickly as possible. The distance to the home towns of these young people is not of primary importance because Off Road Kids operates all over Germany. Therefore young people can be accompanied, for example to their families, to the authorized youth welfare office or to a therapy center, at long distances if needed. This is the fundamental difference between Off Road Kids and all other available local help organizations. Off Road Kids runs street social work branches in Berlin, Cologne, Dortmund (the Ruhr area), Frankfurt (Main) and Hamburg, due to the fact that most young people, who have been trying to survive on the street for a while, often turn up in one of the larger cosmopolitan centers after a short time.
The preventative health program, STREETWORK+, conducts health counselling sessions. Infectious diseases such as COVID-19 are a subject. But "Mental health" is the number one issue. All our social workers are trained in the area of infection prevention thanks to the continuing medical training courses long-established within Off Road Kids, and delivered by the ÄGGF (German association for medical training provided by doctors), alongside the health protection program, STREETWORK+, developed in partnership with Bahn-BKK (health insurance fund).
Off Road Kids Foundation has been adding follow-up programs like STABILIZE and PREJOB to it's STREET SOCIAL WORK and SOFAHOPPER.DE services. The intention is to make sure young people will have a sustainable future. While STABILIZE makes sure the young people are living in stable conditions, PREJOB concentrates on school exams and job training.
Off Road Kids also advises parents whose children are threatening to run away (or have already done so), who are in contact with the street scene, or who have turned to prostitution. For this reason, Off Road Kids has set up a parent hotline. Well-experienced, qualified pedagogues are available to support parents.
Parents and Families having strong internal and private problems are welcome to the Systemic Counseling and Therapy “Family-Neustart” at Off Road Kids’. The Systemic Counseling also is open for kids and young people in outstanding difficult situations.
Our job is to investigate the best possible future prospects for every single street kid. The successful number of cases is encouragingly high: On our homepage you’ll find the total amount permanently updated.
2022
Canvys Giving Back – A Walk On Water
The holiday season is all about gathering with family and friends and a great time to give back. Each year, Canvys makes a monetary contribution to charitable organizations. Along with the donations, employees are encouraged to give back to their communities by volunteering with an organization of their choice. Many employees participate in food banks, Big Brother/Big Sister, Habitat for Humanity, and many more. This year we would like to share stories from two of our employees.
David Gaynor, our west coast district sales manager, chose AWOW (A Walk On Water). AWOW is a non-profit and non-denominational organization that provides the experience of surfing to children with disabilities. AWOW's mission is to empower children with pride and accomplishment as they unlock their inner athlete through the emotional and transforming experience of surfing. David loves seeing the smiles on their faces. ?
Here are some photos from events this year where David was part of the Safety Squad (pictured in red).
Canvys Giving Back – The Elk's Organization
Karen Wheet, a District Sales Manager on the east coast, chose to give back through the Elk's Organization. Since 1868 the Elk's Organization has invested in communities through programs that help children grow up healthy, meet the needs of today's veterans, and improve their quality of life.
Karen loved the idea that this organization focused on giving back to veterans and children, so she joined the Elk's this year, intending to volunteer more often. She has always wanted to help children in need ~ and felt as though this organization does excellent work. She volunteers at various events but most recently chose a special needs picnic where her lodge was responsible for handing out party favors – glasses, hats, beads, balloons, etc. The majority of the ages in need were 20+ years old. In addition, she volunteered at a drive to provide local Children in Grades K-5 with stuffed backpacks for back to school. Karen was very excited to help kids in this younger age bracket. Here is a photo from her picnic
Canvys Giving Back – Stiftung Liebenau
This year the Canvys team in Europe selected the "Arbeit INKLUSIVE" special needs workshop of the Stiftung Liebenau in VS-Villingen to be the recipient of a monetary donation. Villingen is a city in Germany and the district capital of Donaueschingen where our corporate headquarters is located. Since 2011, the workshop “Arbeit INKLUSIVE” has offered people with special needs the opportunity to contribute their abilities to their daily activities giving them a feeling of empowerment and self-confidence. Canvys’ donation will be used for their new "B9" Sustainability Center. In 2023, The Stiftung Liebenau will open a new creative workshop for people with special needs. The previous social department store “Jumbo” in Villingen will get a new and innovative design.
More info about the Stiftung Liebenau here...
2021
Canvys Europe Giving Back
Canvys donates to the construction of a new kindergarten program in the post-care clinic Tannheim
We are happy to announce that our donation this year will again go to the Post Care Clinic Tannheim. The funds will be used for the construction of a new kindergarten building.
The post care clinic in Tannheim gives support, services and peace of mind to families with seriously chronically ill children. It offers a four-week treatment for the entire family as part of the family-oriented aftercare for cancer, heart disease or cystic fibrosis of a child. Adolescent patients can take advantage of the "Young Rehab" program, while the clinic offers adults follow-up care as part of the "REHA27PLUS" program. Families who have lost a child to an illness or accident can also be treated. Ensuring the well-being of a sick child as well as the physical and psychological stabilization of the entire family are the focus of our daily work.
The groundbreaking recently took place – views of the new children's building
You can access more images of the new children's building by scanning this QR code with your mobile device.
A word of thanks from our friends at the aftercare clinic Tannheim to Canvys
With your donation you support the realization of our new "Children's House", which will ensure the care of patients' and siblings' children in the future. The increasing number of children in the families leads to a greater care effort, and the Aftercare Clinic Tannheim with the existing group rooms has limits of the therapeutic requirements.
Certificate of donation
Certificate of Donation 2021 – Rehabilitation Clinic Tannheim
785.62 KBDownload
2020
Canvys Europe Giving Back
Canvys donates to the Post Care Clinic Tannheim
We are happy to announce that our donation this year will go to the Post Care Clinic Tannheim.
Without a doubt, 2020 is a very difficult year for all of us due to the Covid pandemic.
Throughout this pandemic, we realize there are people and institutions that are facing far more challenging times.
Keeping this in mind, we will not produce and send Christmas cards to our valued customers this year and instead making a monetary contribution to a local charity.
Our donation this year will go to the Aftercare Clinic Tannheim, which is located in the same region as our Canvys European Headquarters in Germany.
Drawing new strength and hope
The Post-Care Clinic Tannheim gives new strength and hope to families with seriously chronically ill children. It offers highly qualified, four-week treatment for the entire family as part of the family-oriented aftercare for a child with cancer, heart disease or cystic fibrosis. Adolescent patients can take advantage of the "Young Rehab" program, and the clinic offers adults aftercare as part of REHA27PLUS. Furthermore, the Post Care Clinic Tannheim treats "Orphaned Families" – these are families who have lost a child due to illness. The 152-bed facility is a modern aftercare clinic with a friendly atmosphere that radiates warmth and security. The hard-pressed families enjoy the clinic in the Black Forest as an "island in the sea of sorrows".
Certificate of donation
Certificate of Donation 2020 – Rehabilitation Clinic Tannheim
843.27 KBDownload
2019
Canvys supports children in need for the 2019 Holiday Season
The Canvys team in Marlborough, MA (USA) pooled their resources together to support children in need for the 2019 Holiday Season.
Rather than only focusing inward, the Social Committee members decided to reach out to others less fortunate, to help make their holidays brighter.
Drawing from the famous Fred Rogers line (Tom Hanks portrayed him in A Beautiful Day, 2019), “Anyone who does anything to help a child is a hero to me”, the Social Committee organized a gift giving drive for a local low income housing/shelter. Gifts were specific to the children’s needs and wants and the Canvys team’s generosity spilled over to even more children that what was originally planned on.
Art Project with Primary School in Döggingen (Gauchachschule)
Canvys has a deep commitment to social, civic and environmental issues. Each year our employees contribute time or financial resources in their communities and abroad to support local, national and international programs.
Each year, the our Canvys Europe team works with a local elementary school in Germany on various projects during the holiday season. In 2019, the school project explored the differences between children living in different environments and cultures. The children learned about the cultural differences in music, fairy tales, foods, school and writings from around the world. The children were amazed to discover the prosperity and luxury they enjoyed in their homes.
By using materials from our facility, the students created models of the type of homes people from different parts of the world. The art project depicted the difference between our modern, “Canvys” world and other parts of the world. The students also explored the importance of sustainability in our daily lives.
The children showed their understanding of the various cultures by building a "Multicultural Christmas Village” – using the slogan "We are one world - in the past, in the present and in the future".
About Gauchachschule Elementary School
The primary school "Gauchachschule" is located in rural surroundings in Doeggingen, the largest district of Braeunlingen near Donaueschingen. It is a small primary school with 40 pupils, divided into three classes: Class 1, class 2 and class 3/4. The everyday school life of this school with its family atmosphere is characterized by a school year with many seasonal activities and festivals. Learn more about the school here (in German): http://www.gauchachschule.de/
Photos of the Artwork and the Photo Shooting
2018
Art Project with Primary School in Döggingen (Gauchachschule)
In 2018, the Canvys team worked with an elementary school in Döggingen (Gauchachschule) on an art project that depicted Santa Claus extremely busy in his modern gift factory called. The children focused on showcasing a smart production environment and tailoring “gifts” to all kids. The theme of the project was called “Christmas of Gift Things”.
About Gauchachschule Elementary School
The "Gauchachschule" is located in the countryside in Döggingen, the largest district of Bräunlingen near Donaueschingen. It is a small primary school with 40 pupils, divided into two combined classes 1/2 and 3/4. The daily school life of this school with its family atmosphere is characterized by a school year with many seasonally oriented activities and festivals.
Learn more about the school here (in German): http://www.gauchachschule.de/