Newsletter: August 2025

Hi everyone,

Hope your summer has been amazing! As we're nearing the end of August, we know it means many of you are gearing up for the back-to-school shopping season.

Here's something to think about:

According to the Retail Council of Canada, the average back-to-school spend is $600-$750 CAD per child. 

Now, let's put that into perspective:

In Nepal, just $10 CAD provides one student with a basic set of school supplies, including books, pens, pencils, colouring sets, sharpeners and erasers, and even geometry sets and calculators for those in senior grades. The same $10 CAD is also budgeted for supply replenishments throughout the school year, so students can focus on their studies.

And here's another perspective: Similar school supplies cost nearly 8x more (before tax and shipping!) if purchased in Canada. We're conscious of the price disparity and have sourced a wholesaler in Nepal to help stretch the dollar so that $10 CAD can go a long way to helping the students in Nepal.

While we aren't launching our next fundraiser just yet, we'd love for you to keep us in mind as you shop for your back-to-school lists. Even setting aside a small amount could provide a student in Nepal the tools - and the hope - to keep learning. You can read about this year's school supplies distribution in our June 2025 newsletter.

Together, let’s keep improving lives — one student, one story, one smile at a time.

Update: Our Charity Registration

We're excited to share that our application for charitable status with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is in progress, with a target review date of February 2026. Once approved, we'll be able to issue official tax receipts for your donations toward next year's Nepal school supplies drive.

Registering the charity is a time-consuming and costly process, but we know this is a critical step to strengthen and grow our mission. 

Help Us Spread the Word!

We're looking to grow our community of thoughtful, generous and kind-hearted supporters - just like you! Here's how you can help:

1. Invite your friends, family, or coworkers to subscribe to our free newsletters.

2. Encourage them to follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Don't forget to email your referral list to info@improvetheirlives.com.

Nominate Someone Inspiring

Do you know someone making a positive impact to improve lives in their community? We'd love to share their story on our blog — just like we did with Thao and Andrew.

Send us their details at info@improvetheirlives.com.

Referral Giveaway: 

If you engage 5 or more new subscribers/followers by September 15, you'll be entered into a draw for a $25 Cineplex gift card!

The winner will be announced in our next newsletter.