WE Charity

What WE Charity does

WE Charity is a registered Canadian nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1995 by Craig Kielberger (originally as Free The Children) and headquartered in Toronto, with a US office in Williamsville, New York. The organization delivers free service-learning programs to K-12 schools across Canada, the US, and the UK through its WE Schools curriculum and professional development offering for educators; it also runs WE Villages, a five-pillar international development model (education, water, food, health, economic opportunity) operating in Kenya, Ecuador, and India, and produces the WE Day stadium event series featuring celebrity speakers and performers.

The business operates a dual structure: WE Charity as the registered nonprofit, paired with ME to WE, a wholly owned social enterprise subsidiary founded in 2009 that sells artisan products, Fairtrade consumables, and volunteer travel experiences through direct-to-consumer e-commerce at metowe.com, retail partnerships (Staples, Fossil, Davidstea, Call It Spring), and luxury tour operators (Uniworld, Audley Travel, Scott Dunn, African Travel). ME to WE commits a minimum 50% of profits to WE Charity and donates 90%+ of profits on average; since 2009 it has contributed over $20 million in cash and in-kind support including office space, speakers, and staff travel, enabling WE Charity to direct approximately 90% of donations to programs.

Funding comes from individual donations, foundation grants (Otto Bremer Trust committed $250,000 to Minnesota schools), and corporate partnerships including co-title sponsorship by RBC across 8,000+ Canadian schools and technology integration with Microsoft for WE Day Connect. Track Your Impact, an eight-digit code attached to ME to WE products, provides purchase-level traceability to specific development outcomes. In September 2020, WE Charity Canada announced it would wind down operations and convert assets to an endowment fund, with WE Charity US continuing as the surviving operating entity.

Name

WE Charity

Legal name

WE Charity

Website

https://we.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Short description

WE Charity is a Canadian nonprofit (founded 1995) operating free K-12 service-learning programs across North America and the UK, a five-pillar international development model in Kenya, Ecuador, and India, and the WE Day event series, funded through donations and supported by its ME to WE social enterprise subsidiary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Education and International Development

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Educational Support Services (611710), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Leadership, Civic Education & Service-Learning Nonprofits (BPAGADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE), International & Local Implementing NGOs (HLAJAKAD), Volunteer Program Funding, Scholarships & Fundraising Support (EDAIAGAO)

Keywords

• Youth service-learning programs
• International development charity
• Social enterprise marketplace
• School curriculum resources
• Volunteer travel experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations to WE Charity: WE Charity operates as a registered international charity funded primarily through donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. Donations support WE Schools domestic programs and WE Villages international development initiatives.
2. ME to WE Social Enterprise - Travel Experiences: ME to WE sells immersive volunteer travel experiences to Kenya, Ecuador, and India for youth, families, and corporate groups. The social enterprise donates a minimum of 50% of profits to WE Charity, with the balance reinvested for sustainability.
3. ME to WE Social Enterprise - Artisan Products: ME to WE sells socially conscious retail products including handmade jewelry, apparel, and Fairtrade consumables. All products include Track Your Impact codes showing charitable impact. Profits support WE Villages communities and donate minimum 50% to WE Charity.
4. ME to WE In-Kind Support: ME to WE provides significant in-kind support to WE Charity including free office space, motivational speakers at events, and staff travel to project sites. This reduces WE Charity's administration expenses, allowing 90% of donations to go directly to charitable programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

WE Charity is a registered nonprofit that delivers free service-learning programs (WE Schools) and professional development (WE Teachers) to K-12 schools and educators, while running the WE Villages international development model across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It also operates WE Day youth empowerment events and is supported by its social enterprise subsidiary ME to WE, which sells artisan products, Fairtrade consumables, and volunteer travel experiences.

Product overview

WE Charity operates a portfolio of interconnected programs organized as a movement with three main pillars: WE Charity (the registered charity), ME to WE (social enterprise), and WE Day (events). The core programs include WE Schools (service-learning for educators and students), WE Villages (five-pillar international development), and WE Day (youth empowerment events). The social enterprise ME to WE creates products and experiences including ME to WE Trips (volunteer travel), ME to WE Artisans (fairtrade jewelry), and Track Your Impact (transparency technology). Supporting digital resources include WE Virtual Learning Center, WE Teachers professional development, and WE Well-being wellness programming. The model is designed so that ME to WE donates profits to WE Charity while providing consumers ways to contribute through everyday purchases and experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WE Schools A free service-learning program that provides curricular and extra-curricular resources for educators and students to engage in youth-led volunteerism and community action in Canada, the US, and UK.
• WE Villages A holistic five-pillar international development model implemented in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, addressing education, water, health, food, and economic opportunity to achieve sustainable community change.
• WE Day Stadium-sized youth empowerment events held across the US, Canada, UK, and Caribbean that celebrate young people making a difference, featuring celebrity speakers and performers.
• ME to WE Trips Immersive volunteer travel experiences to Kenya, Ecuador, and India where participants work on WE Charity development projects, combining cultural immersion with community service.
• ME to WE Artisans Fairtrade jewelry and handmade accessories created by women artisans in Kenya and Ecuador, providing sustainable income and global market access to traditional craftspeople.
• WE Teachers Free professional development resources for educators rooted in trauma-informed practice, designed to help teachers build capacity and support students through service learning.
• WE Virtual Learning Center A free online resource library offering lesson plans, professional development tools, and curriculum resources focused on service-learning, trauma-informed practice, and student well-being.
• ME to WE Fairtrade Products Socially conscious retail products including coffee, chocolate, and consumables that provide fair wages and economic opportunity to WE Village communities.
• WE Well-being Mental health and emotional wellness initiative for students and educators, featuring online video modules designed to build safer schools and reduce stigma around mental health.
• Take Action Camps Summer leadership development camps located in Arizona and Canada that blend community service with leadership training and cultural immersion for youth.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1 million people empowered to lift themselves out of poverty through WE Villages
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• AugeominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 March 2019Augeo formed partnership with social enterprise ME to WE for member engagement and workplace giving programs.
• Friendship SocksminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 November 2017First-ever sock collaboration between WE Charity and Friendship Socks to support youth programs.
• Rick Hansen FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 November 2017WE and Rick Hansen Foundation partnered to advocate for accessibility across Canada, promoting inclusion and removing barriers for people with disabilities.
• Winnie HarlowminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 April 2017Model and activist Winnie Harlow teamed up with ME to WE for launch of semi-precious jewelry collection supporting women empowerment.
• RBC and City National BankminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 April 2017Partnership to empower young Americans to take control of their financial futures through WE programs.
• FossilminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 3 March 2016Fossil collaboration with ME to WE to empower women through jewelry collection sales benefiting women in developing communities.
• DavidsteaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 February 2016Davidstea partnered with ME to WE to give clean water through product collection supporting WE Villages water projects.
• Staples and ACCO BrandsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 11 August 2015Partnership with Staples and ACCO Brands for back-to-school gear that gives back, supporting WE Charity programs.
• Ford of CanadaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 May 2014Ford of Canada partnered with WE for the WE Create Change Tour to help youth across Canada drive positive change.
• College BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWE and College Board launched a joint effort to incorporate service learning into all AP courses, providing students with opportunities to engage in meaningful service projects connected to their academic studies.
• SiemensminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWE and Siemens launched WEInnovate, a national contest celebrating creative social innovation by young Canadian problem solvers.
• RBC (Royal Bank of Canada)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRBC is co-title sponsor of WE Schools in over 8,000 schools across Canada. RBC developed financial literacy curriculum resources with WE and supports workforce readiness programs.
• WestJetminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWestJet partnership enables passionate world-changers from remote communities to attend WE Days for the first time through flight support.
• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or IntegrationMicrosoft partnered with WE for WE Day Connect, enabling classrooms around the world to participate in WE Day events via Skype and technology platforms.
• Prince's Charities CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRH The Prince of Wales and Prince's Charities Canada partner with WE on the annual Royal Awards celebrating young Canadian change-makers.
• The Travel Corporation (TreadRight Foundation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Travel Corporation and TreadRight Foundation announced global partnership with ME to WE to celebrate World Tourism Day, integrating ME to WE volunteer experiences into travel offerings.
• UniworldcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUniworld partnered with ME to WE for Ganges River cruises, offering four-day ME to WE volunteer trip pre-cruise extensions where guests can work on sustainable development projects in Indian villages.
• Audley TravelminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHigh-end tour operator partner for ME to WE sustainable travel experiences to Kenya and other destinations.
• Scott DunnminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLuxury tour operator partner for ME to WE sustainable travel experiences.
• African Travel, Inc.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorME-to-We Adventure to Kenya program offered through African Travel, including learning traditional beading and helping build schools in Maasai Mara communities.
• Lipton/UnilevercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership between Lipton and WE helping empower 80,000 small-scale tea farmers in Kenya's Kericho County with financial literacy, bookkeeping, entrepreneurship, and business skills training.
• Call It SpringminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCall It Spring partnership committed to build 10 classrooms in Kenya through Rafikis bracelet collection, each $3 bracelet providing school supplies for one student.
• CTVminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCTV partnered with WE for WE Celebrate: Class of 2020 virtual event featuring celebrity hosts to honor Canadian student change-makers.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• DoSomething.org: US-based nonprofit mobilizing young people around social-impact campaigns and volunteerism. Highly comparable to WE Charity's youth-service-learning and civic-action model.
• Points of Light: Large nonprofit focused on volunteer service, civic engagement, and corporate volunteer programming. Directly comparable to WE Schools and WE Companies.
• Pencils of Promise: Nonprofit building schools and delivering education programs in developing countries. Comparable to WE Villages' education pillar and youth fundraising campaigns (WE Create Change).
• Room to Read: International education-and-gender-equality nonprofit operating literacy and life-skills programs across Asia and Africa. Comparable to WE Villages' integrated education-and-opportunity model.
• Global Citizen: International advocacy and youth-engagement organization combining celebrity-driven events, campaigns, and poverty-focused programming — similar to WE Day + WE Villages.
• buildOn: Nonprofit running youth service-learning in US high schools and building schools internationally — directly comparable to WE Schools and WE Villages.
• Youth Service America: Nonprofit dedicated to youth volunteerism and service-learning in US schools. Directly comparable to WE Schools' curricular service-learning approach.

Broad incumbents

• Ashoka: Global organization supporting social entrepreneurs and youth changemakers. Comparable to WE Charity's youth-leadership and social-innovation programs (WE Day, WEInnovate with Siemens).
• United Way: Established broad social-services nonprofit with corporate partnership and workplace-giving programs. Comparable to WE Companies' CSR and employee-engagement offerings but at much larger scale.

Regional players

• TakingITGlobal: Canadian youth-engagement nonprofit focused on global citizenship and social-action education. Comparable mission and regional footprint to WE Charity's pre-2020 Canadian operations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wemovement

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about WE Charity