Shine Foundation

What Shine Foundation does

Shine Foundation is a Canadian registered charity (Charitable Registration #129954822RR0001), founded in 1987 and headquartered at 1200 Commissioners Rd E, Unit 103, London, Ontario. The organization delivers personalized 'Shine Dreams' to young Canadians aged 11-21 living with severe physical disabilities, with an addressable pool of approximately 60,000 medically eligible youth nationally. Since inception it has fulfilled more than 9,000 dreams, including 64 'DreamLift' flights to Walt Disney World before that program concluded in December 2019. Its core offering centers on tailored experiences — equipment, technology, room renovations, and travel — coordinated through coast-to-coast volunteer chapters and certified healthcare referral partners. Supporting programs include the annual Dreamers' Summit (a motivational and networking event for past and present Dreamers, with the 2026 edition hosted at Hotel X Toronto), Come to Sleigh (sledge hockey tournament), Let's Rally for Kids (car rally fundraiser), and DreamRaiser (peer-to-peer fundraising platform).

Name

Shine Foundation

Legal name

Shine Foundation

Website

https://shinefoundation.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Shine Foundation is a Canadian registered charity founded in 1987 that delivers personalized dream experiences to young people aged 11-21 living with severe physical disabilities across Canada, funded through donations, corporate partnerships, and events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Disability Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAH)

Keywords

• Charitable disability services
• Youth dream fulfillment
• Pediatric disability programs
• Nonprofit fundraising events
• Volunteer community programs

Headquarters

HQ city

New London

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute through one-time gifts, monthly recurring donations, and tribute donations. The organization maintains a monthly donor community called 'Rays of Hope'.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partners provide funding for personalized Shine Dreams through sponsorships, cause marketing, matching gifts programs, employee engagement events, and in-kind support. Partners include Experior Financial, RBC, Green Shield Canada, and Air Canada Foundation.
3. Third-Party Events: Third-party organizers run fundraising events including car rallies, golf tournaments, comedy galas, and charity events. Examples include Celebrity Golf Benefit (Windsor), DreamLift Days (Wendy's), and Sudbury Comedy Gala.
4. Grants and Endowments: Grants from foundations such as Canada Post Community Foundation ($50,000 in 2021) and endowment fund income from named endowment funds support ongoing programs in perpetuity.
5. Legacy Gifts: Planned giving through bequests, endowment funds, and gift of securities allows donors to build lasting dream legacies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Shine Foundation designs and delivers personalized Shine Dreams to young Canadians aged 11-21 living with severe physical disabilities, tailoring each experience to the recipient's individual aspirations to build confidence, independence, and optimism. The charity also runs supporting programs such as the Dreamers' Summit motivational event, Come to Sleigh sledge hockey tournament, and Let's Rally for Kids car rally fundraiser. All beneficiary programs are provided at no cost to recipients and are funded entirely through individual donations, corporate partnerships, foundation grants, and signature fundraising events.

Product overview

Shine Foundation operates as a single unified charitable program rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Its core offering is the Shine Dreams program, which delivers personalized dream experiences to young people aged 11-21 with severe physical disabilities. Supporting programs include Dreamers' Summit (a motivational event), Come to Sleigh (sledge hockey tournament), Let's Rally for Kids (car rally fundraiser), and DreamRaiser (internal fundraising tool). The DreamLift program, which previously transported children to Disney, was discontinued after 64 flights, with the last taking place in December 2019.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Shine Dreams: Personalized experiences delivered to young people aged 11-21 living with severe physical disabilities to help them build confidence, independence, and optimism.
• DreamLift
• Dreamers' Summit

Products and services

• Shine Dreams Program Core personalized dream fulfillment program for young Canadians aged 11-21 living with severe physical disabilities, delivering customized experiences — ranging from adaptive equipment and bedroom renovations to technology, travel, and shared family experiences — designed to build confidence, independence, and optimism. Provided at no cost to recipients and funded entirely through donations, corporate partnerships, and grants.
• Dreamers' Summit Annual motivational and empowering event organized for current and past Shine Dreamers, featuring speakers, workshops, caregiver support programs, and networking opportunities with employers and educational institutions. The 2026 edition, titled 'More Than You See: The Dreamers' Summit 2026,' is hosted at Hotel X Toronto and presented by RBC.
• Come to Sleigh Sledge Hockey Tournament Annual sledge hockey tournament that brings together Shine Dreamers, Paralympians, and community members to raise funds for Shine Dreams. Positioned as an accessible-sport celebration of courage, inclusion, and community, with the Toronto edition scheduled for September 24, 2026.
• Let's Rally for Kids Car Rally Full-day team car rally event where teams of 2-4 people solve puzzles, navigate checkpoints, and drive a designated route to raise funds for Shine Foundation, with registration at $230 per person and event goal of $50,000. Co-beneficiary partner is Jennifer Ashleigh Children's Charity. The next edition is scheduled for November 7, 2026.
• DreamRaiser Online Fundraising Platform Self-service online fundraising platform that enables individuals and corporate groups to create personalized fundraising pages, send supporter emails, and track progress in support of Shine Foundation programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9,000+ life-changing Shine Dreams delivered
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered partner, supporter, minor, core and flagship.

• RBC (Royal Bank of Canada)partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026RBC is supporting More Than You See: The Dreamers' Summit 2026 as the presenting sponsor. Brian Henderson, VP Regional of RBC Insurance Canada West, serves as Chair of the National Board of Directors.
• Rogers Charity ClassicsupporterGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Event sponsor supporting Shine Foundation through Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink.
• Car HeavenminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Shine partners with Car Heaven, Canada's only national charitable vehicle recycling program using authorized members of Automotive Recyclers of Canada, to accept car donations.
• AMCOH Golf TournamentcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Volunteer Ralph and his team have raised over $85,000 in the greater Toronto area through the AMCOH (Association of Major Power Construction Contractors) golf tournament over three years to support Shine Foundation.
• Best Buy (Geek Squad)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Best Buy's Geek Squad provided installation services for Smart TV and technology setup for Shine Dream recipient Allyah as part of her holiday dream fulfillment.
• Pizza NovaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2018Pizza Nova's 12 Days of Christmas campaign in London, Ontario restaurants donated $1 from every order over 12 days, raising $1,894 for Shine Foundation. Two locations participated at 850 Wellington Road and 1194 Highbury Avenue North.
• Dream Tree CampaigncoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 1998Founded by Ted Ward-Griffin in Brantford, Ontario. The campaign has grown to include an organizing committee of over 20 members and raises an average of $100,000 per campaign year, funding Shine Dreams and sponsoring DreamLifts.
• Sunshine Golf ClassicflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 1998Major third-party fundraising event from 1998-2005 led by Mayor Ed Holder that raised over $1.3 million and established the County Heritage/Stevenson & Hunt Endowment Fund in 2003.
• BC Lower Mainland RCMP Charity Golf TournamentcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 1995Staff Sergeant Marc Alexander began donating funds to Shine in 1995 and led the annual BC Lower Mainland RCMP Charity Golf Tournament in Maple Ridge, BC. Leadership efforts have helped raise more than $514,000 over the years.
• Wendy's (John Tietzen franchises)flagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1994John Tietzen's 9 Wendy's franchises participate in DreamLift Days, donating all proceeds plus staff wages to Shine. The initiative has raised over $1.1 million since 1995, with the first year's $10,500 supporting the inaugural DreamLift Day.
• Mio Manz CharitiesflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1992Co-founded by David Batten and former NHL goalie Eddie Mio in 1992 to support Shine Foundation. The Annual Celebrity Golf Benefit raised $75,000 in its first year and has raised over $1 million, funding multiple DreamLifts and establishing an endowment fund.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Make-A-Wish Canada: National Canadian wish-granting charity for children with critical illnesses. Directly comparable mission (fulfill dreams for young people with serious health conditions) and fundraising model, competing for the same donor and corporate partner pool.
• Dreams Take Flight: Canadian charity that takes children with disabilities and serious illnesses on day-trips to Disney — virtually identical to Shine's now-concluded DreamLift program, making it a near-direct functional substitute.
• Easter Seals Canada: Federated national disability charity delivering programs and services to children and youth with physical disabilities. Comparable Canadian geography, disability-focused mission, and donor base.
• Children's Wish Foundation of Canada: Canadian charity granting wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses. Closest direct competitor in scope, beneficiary age range, and donor fundraising approach.
• Starlight Children's Foundation Canada: Canadian arm of a global children's charity serving kids with serious illnesses through wish-granting and in-hospital programs. Comparable beneficiary cohort and program-plus-fundraising model.

Broad incumbents

• Rick Hansen Foundation: Canadian foundation focused on spinal cord injury, accessibility, and inclusion. Larger scale and broader accessibility mandate, competing for corporate disability-cause sponsorship dollars.
• War Amps: Long-established Canadian charity for amputees and people with limb differences. Broader disability scope and historical brand recognition, overlapping donor pool in the disability philanthropy space.
• Special Olympics Canada: National sports organization serving people with intellectual disabilities through training and competition. Overlaps with Shine's disability beneficiary focus and recreational programming, with a sport-based delivery model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCOCdBpWL33IZERCuIAUDvIw
• Facebookfacebook.com/theshinefoundationcanada
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shine-foundation-canada
• Instagraminstagram.com/TheShineFoundationCanada

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Shine Foundation