Toronto hospital plans online fundraiser
‘Streamathon’ to showcase local talent
Dan Hadad’s title at Toronto’s Sinai Health Foundation is Director, Innovation Philanthropy. It’s a post he’s held for two years, but there couldn’t be a better time for a job description like that.
The COVID-19 crisis has upset traditional fundraising — no charity runs, bike-athons, movie nights or concerts in these socially distant times. But at the same time it’s highlighted the needs of food banks, community charities and frontline workers.
Clearly, creative fundraising is the order of the day. Hadad has risen to the challenge as one of the minds behind Champions of Sinai, a “streamathon” set to start at 2 p.m. ET this Saturday and run to 1 a.m. the next morning.
The world has seen some major online and broadcast charity events in recent weeks. April 18 brought One World: Together at Home, a televised event that raised close to $130-million for health-care workers.
Last weekend there was Stronger Together / Tous Ensemble, a made-in-Canada TV special just about every celebrity with a maple leaf in his or her passport. It raised more than $6 million for Food Banks Canada.
Champions of Sinai will have a different vibe, says Hadad. While it will feature lots of Canadians, the focus will be on local talent and more niche programming.
That means that while not all the performers will have the recognition factor of a Drake or Celine Dion, they will mean a lot to particular demographics. Names like SoaR Mani, Revilo and SoaR Daltoosh are big in the world of online gaming. NHL fans will know of Ryan O’Reilly of the St. Louis Blues and Tyson Barrie of the Toronto Maple Leafs. And both groups should be aware of Zach Hyman, the Leafs’ left-winger and founder of esports company Eleven Gaming.
“We wanted to bring together celebrity and gaming,” says Hadad.
The event will begin with an appearance by Toronto Mayor John Tory, interviewed by Ben Mulroney. It will also include appearances by celebrity chef Scott Saunderson of BlueBlood Steakhouse at Casa Loma; “mixologist” Frankie Solkirk; Dr. Brian Goldman of CBC’s White Coat, Black Arts; and David Hein and Irene Sankoff, authors of the musical Come From Away.
“Some mindfulness, some music, some art,” is how Hadad describes the first five hours of the event. It will then segue into sports and egaming, with a final hour that includes music and comedy. The telethon will be hosted by TV personality Amber Mac, Faizal Khamisa of Sportsnet, and video game expert Marissa Roberto.
Funds raised through the event — streamable at ChampionsofSinai.com — will help purchase medical and support supplies such as meals and overnight accommodations for health-care workers, and iPads for patients in isolation.