Reading is an essential life skill and literacy skills are the strongest indicator of a child’s future success in life. With the foundation for literacy skills being laid in early childhood, it is important for communities to focus on improving the literacy skills of children.

Help us help more young children learn to read.


Make a Donation

With a positive approach to reading and education, our programs help young children reach their potential. Together, we can develop lifelong readers. Every gift counts. Learn more about ways to give.

Register as a Monthly Donor!

Baby Connections® is a free community program that helps families develop literacy and language skills with their babies. Parents and caregivers receive coaching and carefully-selected literacy resources to use with their infant to support brain development and lay the groundwork for language and literacy development. The Baby Connections® program is delivered through various organizations and agencies throughout Waterloo Region.

Volunteer Opportunities

Whether you work on-on-one with a child in a local school, with small groups of preschool children in a community centre, or as an individual, group, or team assembling program materials, you will be making a lasting difference in the life of a child.

Why Give

Our mission at Strong Start® is to provide programs and services through community-wide partnerships that help young children learn to read.

Become a Corporate Supporter

The support of partners, small businesses and corporate philanthropists helps us ensure thousands of young children each year acquire the essential skills they need to be confident and successful learners.

Host an Event

We welcome any sort of opportunity, as long as it fits with our brand. From sports events, to bake sales, to dress-down days and fashion shows, the money you raise will go directly to support our programs.

Give In-Kind

In-kind gifts are accepted to meet current organizational needs.

Make a Tribute Gift

Tribute gifts can be made in honour of a loved one who has passed away, to celebrate a special occasion, or to mark a milestone. Weddings, holidays, birthday parties and retirements are all wonderful opportunities to support a cause you care about.

Give a Gift of Stock

Gifts of stock are a wonderful way to make a difference while receiving an enhanced tax benefit.

Leave a Legacy

Want to make a lasting difference in the community and in the lives of our youngest learners? You can make a legacy gift by leaving a gift in your will or financial plans.

Donate A Car

Donating a vehicle is a great way to support Strong Start.  Through our partnership with Donate a Car Canada you can turn your unwanted vehicle into a meaningful donation.  Donate a Car manages the car … Continued

Partner With Us

We are ready to grow! By working through partnerships, we will reach more children in more communities.

Thank You!

Thank you very much to our generous financial supporters for their gifts. We couldn’t do this without you!