September 30th represents the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada. This important day honours the Indigenous children who never returned home and Survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. The acknowledgment and understanding of the tragic history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a crucial part of the truth and reconciliation process.
On this impactful day, we proudly wear our orange shirts as a sign of our commitment to supporting Indigenous Peoples.
Respectfully, we recognize that the Plan Group Head Office is situated on the traditional lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Territory and Treaty 13. Additionally, we pay tribute to the traditional territory of the Huron-Wendat and the Haudenosaunee (hodeeno-shonee) while honouring the enduring presence and resilience of the Indigenous Peoples who have stewarded this land across generations.
History of Orange Shirt Day
In May 2013, the St. Joseph Mission Commemoration Project and Reunion brought residential school survivors and their families together at Williams Lake, British Columbia. Among those who spoke at the event was Phyllis Webstad, a Northern Secwepemc (Shuswap) woman.
When Phyllis was 6 years old, she and her grandmother went to the local store to purchase a new outfit to start school – which included an orange shirt. Like her grandmother and mother before her, Phyllis was sent to a residential school. As soon as she arrived, she was stripped and forced into different clothing. She never saw her orange shirt again.
From Phyllis' speech at the Williams Lake event came the idea for the orange shirt to be a symbol of remembrance, teaching, and healing. The event organizers eventually formed a board, which went on to create a Canada-wide annual Orange Shirt Day as a way to invite others to join conversations about the legacy of residential schools. The 30th of September was chosen because it was the day that Indigenous children were taken from their homes and forced into residential schools. Later, the message and slogan of Orange Shirt Day became Every Child Matters.
The hope for Orange Shirt Day is for all Canadians to listen with open hearts to the stories of residential schools as a first step in reconciliation.
WeCare about Orange Shirt Day
This year's fundraiser is more than just purchasing an orange shirt that you'll wear for a day - it's a meaningful way to demonstrate your support for Indigenous Peoples and the meaning behind Orange Shirt Day.
Through this fundraiser, we aim to make an impactful contribution to supporting Indigenous communities in Canada. The funds from the orange shirt sales will be donated to True North Aid - a charity dedicated to serving and supporting northern and remote Indigenous communities in Canada through practical humanitarian support, such as housing, food, water, health, and education.
Thank you to everyone who has supported this fundraiser and showed their support by wearing an orange shirt!
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