Frequently Asked Questions

You can reach us by e-mail at info@stephenlewisfoundation.org or by phone at 416-533-9292 or toll-free at 1-888-203-9990. Our charitable registration number is: 89635 4008 RR0001.

WHat WE DO FAQs

Q. How do you choose the programs you fund?

A. The Foundation considers every project thoroughly. We select community projects within our mandate – in countries where we have contacts on the ground who can evaluate the projects and be certain that donations get to those most in need. All of the projects we currently fund have been seen first-hand by one of our trusted Field Representatives. We accept proposals on an ongoing basis, however we continue to build slowly and carefully.

Q. Does the Stephen Lewis Foundation fund the direct delivery of drugs to people with AIDS in Africa?

A. The Stephen Lewis Foundation does not currently direct money to treatment (ARV drugs).This is a desperately difficult decision, with which we continue to struggle. For the moment, however, we cannot fund treatment directly. The reasons for our decision can be found at the 'The SLF and funding ARVs (antiretroviral drugs)' page.

What YOU CAN DO FAQs

Donation FAQs

Charitable Tax Receipts

Q. Does the Stephen Lewis Foundation issue tax receipts?

A. Yes, the Stephen Lewis Foundation is a registered charity.You will receive a charitable tax receipt for income tax purposes on donations of $20 or more. Our charitable registration number is 89635 4008 RR0001.

If you make an online donation through CanadaHelps, Canada Helps will issue your tax receipt. If you make a donation online through Goundspring, Groundspring will issue your tax receipt for use in the US.

Q. When can I expect my receipt?

A. You can expect your receipt for your one-time donation within four to six weeks from the date you send it in.

If you are making monthly donations through your bank account or credit card, we will issue an annual tax receipt early in the new year.

If you make your donation online through our website or Groundspring (for U.S. donors), you will receive your tax receipt immediately in an automatic email.

Q. I donated several months ago. Why haven't I received a receipt?

A. Please call us at 416-533-9292, toll free at 1-888-203-9990 or write us (donorcare@stephenlewisfoundation.org) with as much information about your donation as possible. It's possible we had an incorrect address for you so when you call or write, tell us your full name as it appeared on your donation, your address, when you made the donation and the amount. It is also helpful if we know how you made the donation: cheque, money order, credit card, online, etc. Include a phone number or email address so we can get in touch with you if we need to.

If you made your donation through our website and have not received an e-tax receipt, please contact donorcare@canadahelps.org..

If you made a donation online through Groundspring, please contact support@groundspring.org for your receipt.

Q. I can't find my receipt. Can I have another one?

A. We can send you a copy of your receipt. Be sure to give us your full name as it appeared on your donation, your address, the date you made the donation and the amount. Please include a phone number or email address so we can get in touch with you if we need to. Please call 416-533-9292 ext.0 or e-mail info@stephenlewisfoundation.org to request a reprint of your receipt.

Q. Can you send my receipt to someone else?

A. The Income Tax Act obligates us to send receipts only to the person making the donation. This means that unless we receive signed documentation that a person gave you the money to forward to the Foundation, we can only send a receipt to:

the person or people whose names are on a pre-printed cheque
the person who signed the money order
the person whose name is on the credit card

Q: I'm making the donation in lieu of a gift. Can you send the receipt to that person?

A: The Income Tax Act does not allow this. We must issue the receipt to the person making the donation.

Q. I'm writing the cheque, but I want the receipt to go to my partner.

A. If your cheque is pre-printed with more than one name, we can send the receipt to anyone on the cheque. If your partner's name is not on the cheque, you should check with the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency about sharing your tax credit with your partner when you file your income tax returns.

Q. I want to write a cheque to cover cash donations I collected for the Foundation. How can the people who donated cash get a receipt?

A. The 'About Donor Cards' topic under the 'Event Planning FAQ' lists all of the information you need to collect from a donor so that the Foundation can issue them tax receipts.

Credit Card and Online Donation FAQs

Q. I tried to make a donation online but I ran into problems. How do I get help or find out what happened to my donation?

A. If you encounter any problems with donating online, please contact us at info@stephenlewisfoundation.org or call 416-533-9292 or call toll-free at 1-888-203-9990.

Q. What if I can't print the credit card form from the website?

A. If you have a problem printing the forms, please ‘Contact Us’ and provide an email address or fax number so we can send the form to you.If you prefer, call us and leave your phone number. We will call you back and take your credit card information over the phone. Please see 'Contact Us' for the Foundation's numbers and mailing address.

Q. I see that I can now donate through the SLF website. Can I still donate online through CanadaHelps?

A. It is still possible to donate to the Stephen Lewis Foundation through CanadaHelps.org. However, we wanted to simplify the donation process and use a system that would allow us to be more responsive to our donors. For this reason, we have recently implemented a new online donation system that allows donors to give directly from our website. Donors can now give online using debit cards as well as credit cards, and have the option to personalize and send tribute and in memory cards and letters.

DONATING ONLINE FROM THE U.S.

Q. What is Groundspring and why can't I donate directly through the Foundation's website?

A. GroundSpring is an organization that allows you to make online donations to charities in the United States. They provide their service to over 1500 organizations, and many thousands of donors.

Using this service means the Stephen Lewis Foundation does not have to spend resources processing your credit card donations from the United States, ensuring that more of the money goes directly to grassroots organizations in Africa.

Q. What portion of my donation goes to GroundSpring?

A very modest portion (3 percent) is allocated to GroundSpring for the cost of credit card merchant rates, per transaction charges, banking and disbursement fees. For more details, please visit their website: www.groundspring.org

Q. I tried to make a donation through GroundSpring but I ran into problems. How do I get help or find out what happened to my donation?

A. If you encounter any problems with the GroundSpring website, please send an email to support@groundspring.org or call 415-561-7842 for assistance.

Targeted Donations (to a country or one of the foundation's areas of work)

Q. I want my donation to go to people in a specific country in Africa. How can I do this?

A. Please make your donation payable to 'Stephen Lewis Foundation' and put the name of the country on the reference line. We will designate the money to projects in the country you identify.

Q. I want my donation to help grandmothers, but I don't know which projects are doing that.

A. Just put the word 'grandmothers' on the reference line and we will designate the money to a project that helps grandmothers. (The same applies to orphans, women, and people living with HIV/AIDS.)

Q. How can I find out about some of the projects my donation is going to?

A. Visit our 'What We Do' page, check out the latest issue of our Grassroots Newsletter, or visit the Feature Stories page on our website.

Does the Foundation sell, rent or trade donor information

Q. Does the Foundation sell, rent or trade donor information (eg., mailing and email addresses) to other agencies?

A. At present, absolutely not. We know that some charities share and sell donor information, and we have no intention of buying, selling, or trading donor information.

Donating Goods

Q. I'm collecting pens, books, clothing for kids in Africa. How do I send them?

A. Shipping goods to Africa is expensive and fraught with difficulties of various kinds: it often costs more than the value of what you're donating. For these reasons, most NGOs recommend that you donate money, and let local organizations in Africa do the purchasing of goods. In fact, here's a quote from an email from one of the projects we support in South Africa:

"When a donation of goods gets shipped through we have endless problems getting it out of customs and the costs involved are too horrendous for us to cover. We wait at least 3-6 months to get the donation released and then we have to wait a further month or so to get the goods released for collection."

Adopting/Sponsoring A Child

Q. I want to adopt/sponsor a child. Where do I go?

A. Adopting/sponsoring children is not a realm in which the SLF has any experience. We can tell you that there are programmes at Plan Canada, CARE, and World Vision International, as well as a slightly different approach, which we think is worthy: www.keepachildalive.org. Also, you can get information about international adoption from Adoption Services of Provincial Child Welfare authorities or Children's Aid Societies in each of the Provinces and Territories in Canada.

Donations to other charities

Q. Why should I donate to the Stephen Lewis Foundation when there are so many other charities doing similar work?

A. We do not make any argument that you should fund SLF over and above other organizations. Many NGOs are doing excellent work on HIV/AIDS in Africa and we support their work. Stephen Lewis has spoken at fundraisers for just about every major NGO working in the field, as well as other worthy organizations doing similar work.

If you look at our mandate, you will see that our funds go directly to small projects in the community at the grassroots. If that appeals to you as an imperative, then you might want to support us. There is so much to be done, and so many other organizations doing good work, that wherever you decide to donate will be a boon to those who need it. This is really what matters, not whether the funds reach Africa through the Stephen Lewis Foundation.

How much of my donation will go to those who need it?

Q. How much of my donation will go to those who need it?

A. We work very hard to keep our administrative costs as low as humanly possible: in our first five years we spent less than 10% on administration.

EVENT PLANNING FAQs

Getting Started

Q. Are there any legal constraints or considerations which I need to know about planning, promoting and holding my own fundraising event?

A. Read the above section 'Foundation Involvement' and the 'Event Letter of Understanding ' (EventLOU) to clarify the Foundation's role in your event. Together, these sections clearly define what you and the Foundation are legally permitted to do. Print and carefully read the EventLOU. After you contact us, sign it and send the signed letter by fax or mail to the Foundation. See 'Contact Us' for our fax number or mailing address.

FOUNDATION MATERIALS AND RESOURCES

Q. I have never organized an event before, how can the Foundation help me?

A. As you probably know, we have a very lean infrastructure here in Canada because we are focused on sending the maximum amount of money you raise directly to Africa. While we wish to provide you with some assistance, we simply cannot assist with the following: event logistics; liquor licences; event insurance; writing letters or materials. However, the Foundation can provide:

Materials about the Foundation to distribute at your event;
Information on the group(s) to whom the contributions will be sent in Africa;
Tax receipts for your donors, in select circumstances, as outlined in the 'Donations & Receipts FAQ'.

We've heard from many people about their experiences in organizing an event – whether to raise funds or awareness about HIV/AIDS in Africa. They've told us two things: they really needed and valued the help of their friends or family in putting it all together. And everyone who took part found the experience to be positive and inspiring.

Q. What materials are available for me to distribute at my event and how do I get them?

A. Visit the 'Materials and Resources' page in the 'News and Resources' section of our site for a list of materials available to event organizers.

To request materials, visit the Event Planning Forms page or contact community@stephenlewisfoundation.org.

Q. Where do I find current information about HIV/AIDS in Africa that I could distribute at my event?

A. We recommend that you visit the UNAIDS website (www.unaids.org) for the latest information on the pandemic. They publish several reports during the year, which include detailed and current information about HIV/AIDS in Africa. UNICEF also produces reports about the impact of HIV/AIDS on children which can be downloaded from their website (www.unicef.org). You might also want to explore the World Health Organization's website (www.who.int) for more information.

Q. Are there audiovisual resources available to show at my event?

A. If you want to use audiovisuals at your event, the Public Service Announcements produced by CFTPA for the Foundation are an excellent resource: Public Service Announcements.

Q. I would like to have someone from the Foundation speak at my event. How do I go about making this request?

A. The Foundation will always try to have a representative available to attend your event but, naturally, that can't be guaranteed. Please give us detailed information about: date; location (name of venue and/or address); type of event; other special details. You may e-mail us with your request at: community@stephenlewisfoundation.org

Q. I would like to have Stephen speak at my event. Is this possible?

A. Stephen’s schedule is completely full for 2010 so it will not be possible for him to speak at your event. However, we do have some terrific speakers for you. If you’re interested, please send an email to jsolberg@stephenlewisfoundation.org o r call 1-888-203-9990 x224. Be sure to include a phone number where you can be reached. Janet Solberg, SLF Community Campaigns Liaison, will be in touch with you.

Q. When do I send in the Event Letter of Understanding?

A. Here's the order we'd like you to follow. First, contact us to discuss the three items outlined in the 'Foundation Involvement' section. Then carefully read, sign and fax (or mail) back the Event Letter of Understanding before beginning your event.

Please visit the Event Forms page and the Materials and Resources section of the website for a complete list of materials that could be useful in your event.

Other types of fundraising

Q. I would like to spread the word about the Foundation; can I canvass door-to-door in my neighbourhood/apartment building on your behalf?

A. The Foundation does not undertake this type of solicitation at this time and we simply do not have the capacity to oversee or manage any type of door-to-door fundraising. For this reason, we do not encourage or endorse anyone to carry out this kind of activity. However, we do want to thank you for wanting to share with others what we are doing. Please feel free to provide information about the Foundation to your friends and family, and explore the Share Ideas page of our website to find out how to engage a broader section of your community in the struggle against HIV/AIDS in Africa.

Q. I run a business and we're interested in starting a campaign to raise funds for HIV/AIDS in Africa. We would like to send the funds we raise to your Foundation, how do we begin?

A. The Foundation has been the beneficiary of select Third Party initiatives of this nature organized by individuals/organizations (also known as 'Third Party organizers'). We continually work to assess our capacity to be the recipient of funds raised through this type of initiative. Please e-mail community@stephenlewisfoundation.org with your idea so that we can begin the dialogue!

Q. We would like to make a donation as part of the sale of our product and use your name and logo on our materials, what are the steps to make this happen?

A. Please see the above response. We cannot authorize use of the Foundation name or logo until we have completed the dialogue discussed above.

Q. I would like to donate the Royalties of my book, how should I contact you about this?

A. We have been the grateful recipient of several such donations from book royalties since our inception. Please contact us at community@stephenlewisfoundation.org to discuss this generous intention further.

Q. Some friends and I were discussing how we might engage our community in the struggle against HIV/AIDS in Africa and we thought of starting an ongoing community initiative. We'd like to send any funds we raise to the Foundation, how can you support our efforts?

A. It is just terrific that you want to get your community involved in supporting the struggle against HIV/AIDS in Africa. You can read about many grassroots groups across Canada on the 'Share Ideas’ page which have the same objective. We'd like to hear about your proposal when you've reviewed the Plan Events page. Please contact us and we can start a dialogue from there. We can provide support in all of the manners outlined in the 'Foundation Materials and Resources' section. Legal considerations, of course, prevent us from having you act as an "agent" for the Foundation – this is why we must ask for careful clarity in your documents for this type of initiative. Please read the Communications piece of the 'Foundation Involvement' section for complete details on how the Foundation could be represented in your efforts.

Q. I would like to form a Stephen Lewis Foundation Chapter or Club in my school/community, what do I need to do?

A. Thank you for your desire to support the Foundation on an ongoing basis! At this stage, the Foundation is unable to support the formation of official chapters or clubs. For this reason, we are unable to authorize the use of the Stephen Lewis Foundation name in the title of your club. We have learned that many community organizers have a vision larger than traditional fundraising efforts. For this reason, they form a club with their own name which reflects their motivation and goals. For example, (and this example is entirely made up) the "Sarnia Club to Combat HIV/AIDS in Africa" could lobby their MPs, could have monthly information meetings and film screenings in their community about HIV/AIDS in Africa, and could decide to donate funds, raised through specific activities, to the Stephen Lewis Foundation. If you decide to form this kind of club and choose the Foundation as a beneficiary of one of the fundraising projects you might undertake, please contact us to discuss this further.

donations through events faqs

Tickets

Q. We will be running a ticketed event, what are the options around tax receipting?

Q. We will be charging X amount of money as an entrance fee to our function. Is it possible for those who bought tickets to receive a donation receipt?

Q. We want to give the Foundation a percentage of each ticket to our event. How does the tax receipting work if we do this?

A. The Foundation has a legal obligation to obtain original invoices for all catering and other expenses and to obtain valuations for any "give-aways" occurring at an event from which organizers would like to donate all of, a percentage of, or a portion of the ticket price. As you can imagine, all this involves a tremendous amount of work and our current staffing complement makes it impossible for us to issue tax receipts in such circumstances.

There are some other options for you to consider:

Option 1

Set the ticket price at the amount which will need to cover costs. Payment for tickets is then made out to you as the organizer.
You may suggest/encourage/invite/recommend attendees to make a donation in addition to the ticket price. This suggested donation should be made payable to the Stephen Lewis Foundation directly and can be receipted. If you are collecting cash, the donor simply needs a 'Donor Card' attached to their donation so that it can be receipted (see below).

Option 2

These are the most common methods of donating funds from a ticketed event.

a) Full ticket price is donated to the Foundation

In this instance organizers collect cheques payable to the Stephen Lewis Foundation and forward them to the Foundation at the conclusion of the event. Cash donations (in the form of a money order) and accompanied by 'Donor Card' for those wishing to be acknowledged for their contribution may also be forwarded. A written acknowledgement of the gift will be porovided to each contributor, but no tax receipts will be issued due to the reasons stated above.
Any donations received at the event, in addition to the ticket price, can be forwarded on to the Foundation and will be eligible for a donation tax receipt. Please ensure such donations are kept separate from the other funds and are clearly marked (for Cash Donations, please follow the procedures outlined below).

b) A portion or percentage of the Ticket Price is donated to the Foundation.

As organizers you collect the full ticket price in an account opened specifically for this event. If you need to cover overhead costs associated with the event, you may do so before forwarding the balance of funds which remain to the Stephen Lewis Foundation in honour of your guests. We will provide you (the organizer) with an acknowledgement of the funds received.
Any donations received at the event, in addition to the ticket price, can be forwarded on to the Foundation and will be eligible for a donation tax receipt. Please ensure such donations are kept separate from the other funds and are clearly marked (for Cash Donations, please follow the procedures outlined below).

For complete details on the information required on a donor card, including a sample provided by other event organizers, open the following link 'Donor Card'.

If you have additional questions pertaining to tickets and tax receipts, please contact community@stephenlewisfoundation.org.

Q. I am organizing an event and thought that it would make things simpler for the Foundation if I bought a receipt book and made out receipts on the spot. Is this possible?

A. Only the Foundation is authorized to provide donation tax receipts in accordance with the Income Tax Act.

Cash Donations

Q. If people at my event would like to donate cash to the Foundation, is it possible for me to collect this money and write a cheque on behalf of several donors who have given cash?

A. There are three answers:

If tax receipts are not required (which will be the case in many instances) you may forward the Foundation a cheque for the lump sum indicating it is on behalf of your guests and we can issue an acknowledgement of the funds received for your records;
In the event that any donor wishes to receive a receipt for a cash donation, s/he must provide you with a Donor Card. The Donor Card must indicate that the donation is being given to the SLF and provide the donor's name, address, e-mail, phone number, amount of donation, signature and date. As the organizer, you then send this in with the lump sum. Click on this link for a printable Donor Card;
It is possible for one individual to aggregate the gift of several donors and to provide SLF with a list; however the information on the donor card information must be provided for each individual on your list:
Organizers can collect the cash raised from the event and either obtain a money order for the total amount, or write a personal cheque for the total amount. But remember, in order for donors to get a receipt, the organizer must submit a list of the donors including all the information from a Donor Card.
Alternatively, you could send in a stack of completed Donor Cards for each one of your guests;
If some funds have been donated anonymously, please fill in a donor card with the amount donated anonymously;
If you, as the organizer, have also made a contribution which is included in your personal cheque, don't forget to fill out a donor card for yourself as well!

Note: If you anticipate that your event is going to be large and, as a result, that you will be raising a large sum of donated cash, please contact the Foundation prior to proceeding so that we can discuss the options. If we work together, this will help ensure that the Foundation can keep the administrative costs as low as possible and that more of the funds raised can get to those in need.

Q. What are the Donor Cards for?

A. To receive a tax receipt for a cash donation, a donor must complete a 'Donor Card'. We provide a printable file formatted with four Donor Cards on a single page (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader). The donor cards can be printed to plain paper (and cut up) or to a page of four labels. Many organizers find labels are useful because they can be affixed to envelopes and the donations placed inside. To make sure that we can track all the donations from your event, fill in the Event Name on the donor cards prior to their use by your guests/volunteers. A Donor Card indicates that the donation is being given to the Stephen Lewis Foundation and requires the following information to be provided by the donor:

full name;
address;
phone number;
e-mail address;
amount of donation;
method of donation (cash/cheque)
signature;
date.

Encourage people at your event to make donations by cheque or credit card. You can download and printout our 'Credit Card Withdrawal Authorization Form' which can be used to make either a one-time donation or monthly donations.With cheques, the donor should fill in any information required for the donor card which is not on the cheque itself.The Donor Card and cheque must be attached together.

Walkathons

Q. We'd like to organize a Walkathon in our community/school. Is it possible to provide tax receipts to all those who pledge?

A. The Stephen Lewis Foundation has a small and very busy staff and thus, we don't have the capacity to fulfill this request in every circumstance. Please contact us prior to the Walkathon so that we can discuss the event in more detail.

In order to issue tax receipts for donations made in a Walkathon, we normally require a list of the donors' names along with their complete addresses and contact information (see 'About Donor Cards' for more details). That list should be accompanied by a Money Order which corresponds to the total. (For more information on handling Cash Donations, please refer to the section above). If you have any cheques from your Walkathon which have been made out to the Foundation, we will issue a receipt to the individual who wrote the cheque (and thus made the donation). All of this should be put together in a package and sent to the Foundation following your Walkathon.

We have developed an Excel spreadsheet which we will send to you the organizers for use in this type of event. This will help to keep the administrative costs as low as possible and ensure that the maximum amount of money raised goes right to the grassroots in Africa.

Total Money Raised

Q. How can I find out how much my event raised?

A. The easiest way for the Stephen Lewis Foundation to keep track of the money raised at your event is for you to ask us in advance to track the donations and ask all donors to put a reference to your event on the "re:" line of their cheque or on their 'Donor Card'.

In addition to doing the above, it is helpful to use the 'Event Sign-In Sheet' to gather donor's contact information for cross-referencing. Lastly, please remember to send all of the contributions raised, through the event, to the Foundation in one package. This helps us easily identify a total for your efforts!

Donations In Kind, Auctions and Lotteries

DONATIONS 'IN KIND'

Q. Someone will be performing/catering/providing a service at our event for free. Normally they charge X amount of money for their particular service. Can the Stephen Lewis Foundation provide them with a donation receipt for the equivalent of the cost of their service?

A. The Income Tax Act does not permit the Foundation to issue donation receipts for services rendered except in limited situations.

AUCTIONS

Q. We have received many donations from local businesses and artists for our silent auction. Can the Foundation issue tax receipts to those who have donated items?

A. The Stephen Lewis Foundation has a small and very busy staff which prevents us from having the capacity to fulfill this request, except in limited circumstances. If you are organizing an auction and require this, please contact us first.

Other auction organizers have told us that, in their experience, many companies were happy to deduct the donation as a business expense, without requiring a donation receipt. That's because this has virtually the same effect on their corporate tax return.

Q. We will be holding a silent auction as a part of our event.Is it possible for the Foundation to issue tax receipts to those who bid on items?

A. The Foundation has a legal obligation to obtain valuations of the items and to obtain certified records. That is a tremendous amount of work and our current staffing complement makes it impossible for us to issue tax receipts in such circumstances.

Other Auction organizers have told us that, in their experience, most participants were quite happy to acquire the Auction item without any expectation of receiving a tax receipt. They were delighted to know that their contribution would go to a worthy cause.

LOTTERIES
Q. I am organizing a lottery (at my school, church, etc.) to raise funds for the Stephen Lewis Foundation. Is it possible for those who buy tickets to receive a tax receipt?

A. The Income Tax Act does not permit a donation tax receipt to be issued for a lottery ticket.

Birthdays and Weddings

Q. I am having a Birthday Party and I've asked guests to bring donations in lieu of gifts. I will collect all of the donations and forward them to you. Can you then provide me with a list of their names and addresses?

A. Unfortunately, this is not possible. Due to Privacy Laws, we are unable to release any donor information to an event organizer.

Q. I am throwing a birthday party fundraiser for a friend and would like all of the attendees to donate to the Stephen Lewis Foundation. Is it possible for the Foundation to issue a donation receipt in my friend's name?

A. The Income Tax Act does not permit the Foundation to issue tax receipts to anyone other than the donor (the person whose name is on the donor card, cheque or credit card).

Q. We would like to request donations in lieu of wedding gifts, is there anything we should know?

A. Thank you for your generous intention! Please remember to ask your guests to request that a tribute letter be sent to you regarding their donation. This will allow us to notify you of their gift.

Q. We would like to donate to the Foundation on behalf of our wedding guests in lieu of bonbonniers, how could we inform them of our donation?

A. Couples have told us that they have made an announcement at their wedding or placed a Stephen Lewis Foundation brochure at the place setting of each of their guests. Alternatively we would be happy to provide a letter for you to post at the wedding.

Volunteering faqs

Skilled & Creative People Getting Involved

Teachers

Q. I am a teacher. Is there anything you could suggest that I should promote with my students in terms of supporting the Foundation and fighting AIDS in Africa?

A. Take at look at our 'Share Ideas' page for a wide range of examples of Canadians of all ages who have come up with their own ways of supporting the Foundation. Finally, the Canadian Teacher's Federation has a very active international program, with HIV/AIDS components, and will surely have suggestions for teachers on how to get involved.

Students

Q. I am doing a project on HIV/AIDS in Africa. Can you tell me where I would find more information on the issue?

A. For school projects, see 'Information on HIV/AIDS' on our 'Links' page. The Foundation also posts copies of relevant HIV/AIDS related articles on our News and Resources page.

Q. I would like to interview Stephen for my thesis on women and HIV/AIDS. When is he available?

A. Stephen's schedule does not allow time for a lot of interviews. Since he seeks to reach as many people as possible when he accepts an interview, he is not able to accept individual student requests. However, many of Stephen's recent speeches and interviews are available on our News and Resources page.

Nurses

Q. I am an experienced nurse looking for work in Africa/looking to get more involved in AIDS care. Can you tell me where to start?

A. Try the following organizations:

Canadian Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (CANAC)
www.canac.org

Canadian Nurses Association
http://www.cna-nurses.ca/cna/

International Council of Nurses
http://www.icn.ch/

Artists, Filmmakers, Photographers, Musicians

Q. I would like to do a documentary/develop a treatment on AIDS. I'd like to discuss possible story ideas with your office.

Q. I am a photographer and would like to go to Africa to document Stephen's activities and those of the projects you fund.

Q. I am an artist and would like to contribute my song/art/etc. to raise funds for SLF or to raise awareness. Can you assist?

Q. I have developed a treatment for a project about Stephen Lewis and HIV/AIDS in Africa. I require a letter-of-support for my funding applications. Could Stephen send me a letter of support? Can I discuss the project with you?

A. While we're delighted with the spectrum of artistic projects which have been proposed, we don't have the capacity to take on artistic partnerships. That's not to say we're not interested in your idea -- we simply don't have time to discuss and respond to every creative proposal we receive. But please, send us a document, link, song, or treatment, and if we're interested in pursuing something, we will contact you.

Volunteering in africa faqs

Q. I am a retired teacher/doctor/engineer and would like to travel to Africa and volunteer there for a short period. Where can I go?

A. See answer below.

Q. I heard Stephen speak and was inspired by him. I'd like to take up his call and volunteer in Africa. Where should I go?

A. Below is a list of Canadian organizations assisting Canadians who volunteer abroad.While we cannot specifically recommend them, most are members of the Canadian Council for International Cooperation (CCIC) - an organization in which we have confidence and to which we give our heartfelt support.

CCIC Member Organizations

Canada World Youth Jeunesse Canada Monde	cwy-jcm.org
Canadian Crossroads International Carrefour canadien international	cciorg.ca
Canadian Executive Service Organization Service d'assistance canadienne aux organisms	ceso-saco.com
CUSO-VSO	cuso-vso.org
MSF-Canada (Médecins Sans Frontières-Canada)	msf.ca
OXFAM-Quebec	oxfam.qc.ca
Voluntary Service Overseas Canada VSO Canada is a development agency that works through volunteers. Skilled professionals are needed in a range of development programs, including many programs with a focus on HIV and AIDS. You can find out more about their work and the skills they are looking for on their website.	vsocan.org
World University Service of Canada (WUSC) Entraide universitaire mondiale du Canada (EUMC)	wusc.ca

Non-CCIC Organizations

Interagency Coalition on AIDS and Development (ICAD)	icad-csid.com
United Nations Association in Canada	unac.org

Youth Challenge International

yci.org

Q. I am writing to see if the Stephen Lewis Foundation is interested in helping us send interns to work with organizations in Africa. We would basically need contacts at organizations abroad that are doing good work and could use an intern with technical skills.

A. For overseas employment and intern opportunities, we simply don't have the capacity to facilitate connections with groups on the ground – that's not really the work of the Foundation. However, we do provide links to organizations which have volunteer programs in Canada or Africa in the 'Getting Involved' section of Links page.

Q. I am planning to do a 6-month internship/exchange in Africa. Do you have any contacts that you could pass on to me?

A. When it comes to employment and intern opportunities, we simply don't have the capacity to to facilitate connections with groups on the ground– that's not really the work of the Foundation. However, we do provide links to organizations which have volunteer programs in Canada or Africa in the 'Gettin g Involved' section of Links page.

Partnership/Twinning with African Groups FAQs

Q. During Mr. Lewis' talk he mentioned that your office is working on creating partnerships between Canada and Africa. Is there a role our school/university/hospital can play? I was motivated to possibly twin a school/hospital/university in Africa to provide some support. Would you be able to send some information to us regarding this?

A. A good place to start is ICAD, the Interagency Coalition on AIDS and Development. They have a page dedicated to twinning: www.icad-cisd.com/content/twinning.cfm?lang=e

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