Yvonne Trapman – Director of Communications
Frances Dobbs – Director of Marketing (1980 - 2009)
Yvette Vali - Editor and Chief

Yvonne Trapman, Frances Dobbs and Yvette Vali have one major character trait in common – all are firm believers in the need to educate the public of the difficulties faced by charitable organizations in today’s society.

Having been heavily involved with volunteer work for many years, Yvonne and Frances made a conscious decision in 1979 to put together a publication that would provide a way to connect donors with the many different charitable organizations that exist within Canada.

Yvonne and Fran met through their volunteer work at the North Western General Hospital. They soon realized that they shared a passion and concern for their community and humanity as a whole. They decided to form The Canadian Book of Charities as a way of spreading the word about various charitable organizations and increasing donor participation. Both of these passionate humanitarians have received the Queen’s Jubilee Medal for their fundraising efforts.

In 2003 Yvette joined the team as Editor and Chief and combined her wealth of business knowledge and volunteering experience with numerous fundraising campaigns to The Canadian Book of Charities.

Together these three women are the backbone and strength behind the continued growth of The Canadian Book of Charities network and its purpose.

Thirty one years later, The Canadian Book of Charities has grown into a ‘must have’ resource used by the executives of charitable organizations as a way to increase awareness of their specific causes and inspire donor giving through additional advertising in this wonderful venue. This comprehensive publication is also utilized by lawyers, accountants, notaries, funeral homes, top corporations and not-for-profit companies as an educational resource for their clients, allowing them to make an educated and informed planned giving decision in bequests and/or wills.

Not so long ago, charitable organizations relied heavily on government involvement for support. Times have changed and the government is no longer in a position to provide this kind of funding. Consequently charitable organizations have had to increase their fundraising efforts in order to meet their financial needs, hence their involvement with The Canadian Book of Charities.

This story book publication is sent free of charge to every legal firm in Canada (notaries in Quebec), corporations, trust companies and granting agencies. It is an easy reference tool to use for those involved in tax and estate planning for the mutual advantage of clients and charities.

We strongly encourage legal and financial professionals to take an active role in recommending charitable giving to their clients and we hope that all Canadians will continue this tradition with new vigor and determination. Let us make the next decade a success by encouraging increased volunteer and financial aid to charitable organizations. Here is a tool to make the introduction of such giving possible, now let’s exercise it!

Thank you!

“Where there’s a will... there’s a way.”