Halifax Community News

Every holiday season, a Nova Scotia man has completed a dozen dares in honour of his late cousin. “We just finished up our 10th year of the 12 Dares of Christmas. Another successful year, lots of great donations, and lots of support from people sharing and liking videos, so, yeah, pretty happy with how this year went.,” said Eric Anstey of Lower Sackville. As part of the challenge, Anstey has gone paddle boarding in First Lake in the winter, rode around Mic Mac Mall dressed as the Grinch and even gotten a tattoo. One year, he was even dared to dress up as CTV News Atlantic’s Katie Kelly.

Nova Scotia News Souls Harbour feeds hundreds in annual New Year’s Eve dinner in Halifax. Hundreds flocked to Souls Harbour Rescue Mission in Halifax for a warm meal as part of the charity’s annual New Year’s Eve dinner. For 15 years, Souls Harbour has helped provide holiday dinners to women, men and children in the community.

Other Order of Nova Scotia recipients for 2025 include Cape Breton business and community leader Rankin MacSween, philanthropist and entrepreneur John George (Jack) Flemming and human rights advocate Carolyn G. Thomas, who won the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers in 2008. An investiture ceremony will be held at Government House in Halifax this spring. The Order of Nova Scotia, which was established in June 2001, has invested 132 members.

Many individuals seeking support have turned to The Salvation Army for food, clothing and practical assistance, with more than three million visits reported last year in Canada and Bermuda. Donors continue to play a crucial role in helping The Salvation Army provide essential services in 400 communities across Canada.

Millions in funding for food-related initiatives will flow to communities across the province in the coming weeks using $4 million in proceeds from the sale of U.S. alcohol products.

Charitable giving in Canada is on the decline, according to the Fraser Institute’s latest generosity index, which analyzed tax returns to track private donations across the country. The study shows that fewer Canadians are donating, and the value of donations has also fallen.