Frequently Asked Questions

The more you know about CityKidz, the more you’ll love us. Here are answers to some common questions about what we do and how we do it.

If you can’t find what you’re looking for here, please feel free to contact us.

Families

Our programs are open to all children on CityKidz bus routes in grades 1-12. We have several bus routes across the city. If you live on one of our existing routes, we will provide transportation for your child to and from each of our programs with one of our big red buses. 

 

To register your child for our programs, call our office at 905-544-3996 (Monday-Friday, 9:00 am to 4:30pm).

Absolutely nothing! Thanks to the generous donations from the community, CityKidz is free for all children.

CityKidz has been providing programming and taking care of children since 1993. Our highest priority is always the safety and well-being of the children in our care. During all of our Saturday and Wednesday programs, children are cared for by our staff and volunteers.

All staff and volunteers are carefully screened through an extensive application, interview, background check, and reference check. Once screened, each staff member and volunteer receive the necessary training to ensure every child is cared for so they can fully participate in all the fun CityKidz has to offer.

CityKidz programs take place at our theatres on Wednesdays and Saturdays, March to June and September to December. We provide door-to-door transportation in our buses for all children on our designated routes.

Presently, CityKidz operates programs in Hamilton, Ottawa, and Regina.

Program dates and offerings are subject to change, so we encourage you to connect with your local branch for specific details.


Volunteering

In order to become a CityKidz volunteer, you must be 16 years of age or older, in agreement with our mission, vision and values, and complete the CityKidz volunteer intake process. Each volunteer role is unique and the specific requirements may vary depending on the position.

We want to make sure that CityKidz is the right fit for you! Our intake process is designed to start you in your role with confidence and excitement! All volunteers attend an orientation where they learn more about the history, mission and vision of CityKidz as well as information about each of our programs. Following orientation, volunteers are screened through an application, interview, background check, and reference check. To begin the process, fill out our volunteer application!

We ask volunteers to commit to a full season so that relationships and trust can be built with the kids! If you are 16 years of age or older, and able to commit to a full season, we would be happy to help facilitate your requirement for graduation.

Yes! If you would like to come as a guest for a Saturday, we would be happy to pair you with a current volunteer so you can see firsthand what we are all about. We hope you will love it so much, you’ll be signing up for orientation!

Monthly Giving

Your monthly support provides dynamic programming and mentorship that teaches kids that they are known, loved, and capable of anything they set their minds to. This includes:

  • Interactive and engaging programming – both in-person and online.
  • Nourishing meals for hungry children.
  • Mentorship that supports mental health and helps youth develop communication, leadership. and life skills.
  • Weekly connections through Home Visits that nurture strong and resilient communities.

While we certainly hope that you can continue your commitment for years to come, you’re welcome to cancel or change your support at any time and for any reason.

For any number of reasons, people make changes all the time. If you would like to make changes to your monthly giving, cancel your donation or make changes to your information (address, credit card number, etc.) contact Kelly Veysey at kelly.veysey@citykidz.ca or 905-544-3996 ext. 216.

Each February, we will issue you one cumulative tax receipt for any and all donations made during the previous calendar year.

The challenges of COVID-19 and the introduction of our new CityKidz Cares Project led us to look for a better, more impactful monthly giving model to support our work and our kids.

After much thought, prayer, and consultation, we felt that the term ‘Child Sponsorship’ no longer accurately reflected the structure of our monthly giving program. Even though the name is changing, monthly gifts will still have the same tremendous impact.

Privacy, Finances & Accountability

No, we do not trade, sell or otherwise share your information with any other charity or organization. Your privacy is very important to us. Please feel free to read our Privacy Policy.

As part of our commitment to good financial stewardship and to you our donors, CityKidz adheres to our Donor Bill of Rights which we invite you to read in full.

We are honoured by your generosity and trust. We take seriously our responsibility to use your investments efficiently and in ways that make a demonstrable difference in the lives of the children we serve. You can find more information about our financial accountability as well as our audited statements on Our Impact page.

Volunteers Transform Lives

Whatever your time, whatever your talents, you can make a transformative difference in a child’s life.

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