Courage to Care is a powerful collection of 140 stories, poems, reflections, and art about the everyday care that holds families and communities together.
A meaningful gift for yourself or someone you love.
Illustration: Emily Chen
Courage to Care: Ripples of Love in Action
Courage to Care is a curated collection of 140 fiercely personal reflections, poems, paintings, photographs, graphic illustrations, song lyrics, and recipes about receiving and giving care. Together, these contributions reveal the depth, breadth, and vibrancy of caring taking place across Canada—the hard truths and the sticky love.
They show caring as it truly is: neither heroic and saintly nor devastating and hopeless, especially when the right supports are available.
Courage to Care:
- Shines a light on natural caring as the invisible and indispensable force that connects Canadians to each other and to the living world.
- Reminds readers they are not alone, and that they are part of a mighty and majestic network of caring people.
- Reveals caring as a unifying force in Canada.
- Invites all Canadians to join a national conversation about caring.
Courage to Care is published by the Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network in support of the wonderful work of the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence.
Courage to Care: Ripples of Love in Action
A powerful collection of 140 stories, poems, artworks, photographs, and reflections from across Canada, revealing the everyday reality of caring—the hard truths and the enduring love.
A book to read, share, and return to.
Courage to Care: 10 Book Bundle
Place the book in many hands and create space for conversation. Ideal for teams, organizations, book clubs, and families.
This bundle supports shared reflection and dialogue.
Donation Opportunity
Donations make this work possible—helping us distribute books to caregivers, host community experiences, amplify unheard voices, and grow a movement rooted in connection, dignity, and belonging.
Please use the link below to make a donation, or contact us at hello@plan.ca to discuss sponsorship opportunities.
Illustration: Bekki O'Neill
Canadians is a caregiver today
Caring Is Everywhere
Every day, in every community, almost all of us are part of a caring relationship.
We care for family members, friends, co-workers, neighbours, and sometimes complete strangers. We also care for the land and the living world around us.
While paid professional care receives much of the attention, researchers estimate that most care in Canada happens in homes, neighbourhoods, and communities—freely, creatively, lovingly, and often unseen.
More than half of all employees will become caregivers at some point in their working lives.
At least one in four Canadians is currently caring for someone they love:
- Aging parents
- Children with disabilities
- Spouses facing illness
- Relatives with mental health challenges
- Grandchildren
- Grieving friends
- Neighbours in need
Care is everywhere.
It holds families together.
It strengthens communities.
And yet it is too often invisible.
Courage to Care is here to help change that.
Get InvolvedCourage to Care: Ripples of Love in Action is a national project shaped by people across Canada whose lives are rooted in caring for others.
Illustration: Ohara Hale
Care happens every day — in families, friendships, neighbourhoods, and communities. It is essential, yet often invisible.
This project shines a light on that care and invites a broader conversation about how we support one another.
