What We Do

Reconciliation in Action

• In honour of Orange Shirt Day and the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the Caring Society partnered with Assembly of Seven Generations (A7G) and Beechwood Cemetery to host an event on September 30 in Ottawa that was attended by over 1,000 people.
• To celebrate Have a Heart Day 2025, we hosted a virtual screening of My Voice Matters: Changing the World Through Child and Youth Activism. The event featured former students and included a panel discussion, attended by over 200 students and educators across the country.
• 2025 marked the 20th anniversary of Jordan’s Principle. The Caring Society was honoured to attend a parade to celebrate Bear Witness Day and honour Jordan River Anderson's family in Winnipeg, hosted by Sagkeeng Child and Family Services and Kinosao Sipi Minisowin Agency. In Ottawa, Senator Francis, Senator Audette, Senator Greenwood, Senator Harder, Senator Klyne and Senator White joined with A7G and the Caring Society to host a Bear Witness Day celebration for elementary and high-school students at the Senate of Canada.
• To support community participation in Honouring Memories, Planting Dreams, we collaborated with Rideau Hall to install a permanent Heart Garden in honour of residential school survivors.
• In honour of residential school survivors and to support the legacy of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, over 500 hearts were planted in heart gardens across the country by schools, organizations, community centres and workplaces. 

Spirit Bear and Friends

• The Spirit Bear Pawdcast received a Canadian Podcast Award for Outstanding Indigenous Series. Season 3 of the Spirit Bear Podcast, Courageous Conversations, made its debut on Podbean.
• Over 1,000 copies of Spirit Bear's 2025 calendar, Spirit Bear's Guide to Reconciliation, were distributed to individuals, child and family service agencies, school boards, and educators across Canada.
• Spirit Bear's four children's books continue to be made available for free online in English, French and some First Nations languages. Over 2,000 copies of Spirit Bear's books were distributed to children, youth, families, supporters, Elders, and community membears.
• 13 Reconciliation Ambearristers found new homes in schools and community centres across Canada! Each hosted bear accompanies the group as they learn about and promote TRC Calls to Action. 

Big Win for the Kids

• The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (Tribunal) has issued 35 non-compliance and procedural orders since the 2016 landmark ruling, five of which were issued this past year.
• The Tribunal ordered Canada, along with the co-complainants in First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada et al. v. Attorney General of Canada, to move forward on national First Nations Child and Family Services (FNCFS) long-term reform without further delay (2025 CHRT 80).
• The Tribunal issued orders on the Caring Society's non-compliance motion regarding the Government of Canada's chronic and wilful failure to adhere to binding orders on Jordan's Principle. The Tribunal affirmed the presumption of substantive equality as a right owed to First nations children and emphasized it is both a right and a remedy to address discrimination and prevent its reoccurrence.
• The National Children's Chiefs Commission (NCCC) was established by First Nations-in-Assembly to provide oversight and strategic direction on the long-term reform of FNCFS and Jordan's Principle.

Making New Friends

• The Caring Society completed over 86 virtual and in-person events in 9 provinces, 2 territories and 2 countries!
• We completed more than 78,000 social media friends, gaining followers across Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky platforms.
• We participated in over 50 media engagements, appearing in both Canadian and international media.
• We published 4 newsletters featuring over 35 articles. We distributed newsletters to over 250 First Nations Child and Family Service Agencies, Caring Society members, and educators.