National Canadian charity partners help launch first-ever Spirit of ECHOage Awards

Canadian charities nominate 5 philanthropists age 10 and under for leadership in charitable giving

TORONTO, Oct. 2, 2017 /CNW/ - ECHOage.com, the better way to celebrate, today launches the first-ever Sprit of ECHOage Awards, recognizing 5 children for connecting with the spirit of giving and making a positive impact on Canadian charities through generously donating a portion of money raised through their birthday party celebration.

Nominated by a panel of ECHOage charitable partners – including Make-A-Wish Canada, Right to Play Canada, The Jane Goodall Institute of Canada, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario – 5 children are being acknowledged for making a big impact on the world through their birthday parties.

"Through the ECHOage platform, these children have helped raise millions of dollars for charities in need of funding. Children are capable of so much more than adults realize and the ECHOage birthday experience is proof of their innate desire to give," says Alison Smith, Co-Founder, ECHOage.

Announced below are the Spirit of ECHOage Award winners including why (in their own words) they've chosen to celebrate by giving back:

• Maiya (age 10) who supported Make-A-Wish: "I wanted to help someone who might be sick and needed something special to make them feel better. I just had surgery at the IWK and wanted to help other children who may not be feeling well."
  
  
• Ethan (age 9) who supported Right to Play Canada: "I have been supporting Right to Play for my whole life because every kid deserves to play."
  
  
• Kendal (age 8) for helping The Jane Goodall Institute of Canada: "Chimps are so smart and beautiful like humans! I want to protect them. The money we raise helps Jane Goodall give the chimps a safe and happy home."
  
  
• Milan (age 8) for donating to Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital: "I had a brain injury this year and Bloorview Kids helped me to get better and remember my words again. Everybody was very nice to me. I also made friends at the school in Bloorview and I want to help all the kids there."
  
  
• Teddy (age 8) who supported Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario: "I saw a boy once and one of his eyes was missing. My mom told me he probably had cancer, like my grandmother. I didn't know kids could get cancer too and I felt scared and sad. So for my party I wanted the money to go to kids with cancer."

"Since we launched ECHOage almost ten years ago there have been thousands of children who have led by example showing us how much they feel for others and the connection they feel for charities large and small," says Debbie Zinman, Co-Founder, ECHOage.

ECHOage looks forward to working with the Spirit of ECHOage Award winners in a variety of ways throughout the coming year.

To learn more about ECHOage, please visit www.echoage.com.

About ECHOage – The Better Way to Celebrate

ECHOage is a platform that has changed the way children celebrate. The service is a streamlined online invitation system that invites guests attending a party to contribute to group gifts while also donating funds to a charity. The platform has modernized the birthday party experience and is a welcome change as it integrates group gift giving and charitable donations as part of every celebration. ECHOage partners with hundreds of charities and has given thousands of kids the opportunity to give while celebrating – it has also created junior advocates of change across North America. For more information, please visit: www.echoage.com.

SOURCE ECHOage

Sharon Lassman, Founder, Purpose Ink at [email protected].