Next Door INSIDER INFO
The superhero
wish I could tell you how many times my kids have watched Avengers: Age of Ultron on Netflix, but, honestly, I’ve lost count. They’re fascinated by Thor’s brute strength and Iron Man’s endlessly morphing computerized rocket suit. It’s all great entertainment, but the heroes I want them to know about aren’t usually in movies, and may not appear larger than life—at least not as first. I’m talking about emergency-department nurses who work the overnight shift, social workers who intervene when kids are in trouble and your neighbour who swept up that broken bottle on the street so children and pets can play safely. Real-life superheroes are all around; in fact, the potential to swoop in and save the day is inside each and every one of us.
If selfless deeds are the sign of a superhero, Canada happens to be one of the most superhero-dense countries in the world. Each year, the Charities Aid Foundation World Giving Index looks at who around the world gives the most in the form of charitable donations, volunteered time and assistance to strangers. In 2015, Canada ranked fourth, after Myanmar (where the wide practice of Theravada Buddhism promotes generosity), the United States and New Zealand; Australia rounds out the top five.
At Canadian Living, we’re proud to share the stories of everyday superheroes within the pages of our print magazine, on our website and on our Facebook feed (follow us at facebook.com/canadianliving). In this issue, we asked Toronto-based illustrator Kagan Mcleod to draw six outstanding Canadian superheroes the way we see them—in capes and spandex—to accompany the stories of how each of them makes a difference: by improving the lives of people battling mental illness, Parkinson’s disease or HIV; by creating educational opportunities for underserved students; and by renovating facilities so charities can work more efficiently. Marvel’s superheroes may be colourful, but they have nothing on these amazing individuals.
Do you know someone who’s making a difference in the lives of other Canadians or helping people on the other side of the globe? Please tell us at letters@canadian living.com, or nominate them for a Canadian Living Me to We Award (see above right) to help us recognize the good that they are doing.
In the meantime, think about what you can do to help someone today. That’s what I’ll be doing, too. Sandra E. Martin, editor-in-chief The 12th annual Canadian Living Me to We Award nominations are underway! Each year, we partner with the organization founded by Craig and Marc Kielburger to recognize the good work six individuals are doing locally and abroad. To nominate someone in your circle, head to canadianliving.com/metowe by April 15. The phrase “beautiful inside and out” is a pretty good shorthand for our collaboration with skincare brand Kiehl’s. Founded in 1851, the company doesn’t do conventional advertising. Instead, it focuses on funding charities in ways that reach a lot of eyeballs. This month, our Test Kitchen and celebrity chef Roger Mooking developed recipes inspired by ingredients in two new Kiehl’s face masks. The resulting Tested-tillPerfect dishes (starting on page 103) bring awareness to savethechildren.ca, and when you buy a Kiehl’s product from Feb. 18 to 21, the company will donate $1 to the charity.