Singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes launched The Shawn Mendes Foundation (SMF), seeking to inspire and empower his fans and today’s youth to bring about positive change in the world and advocate for issues they care most about. Shawn and SMF will work to encourage young people around the world to learn alongside him and support them in finding ways to act on topics they are passionate about. The Foundation will serve as a vehicle to support multiple youth-related causes in the realms of children’s healthcare, sustainability, mental health and wellness, human rights, anti-bullying, education and more.
The foundation’s first two campaigns will be with SickKids in Canada, a Toronto-based organization close to Shawn’s heart, and REVERB, an environmental nonprofit that engages fans to take action for people and the planet at shows and beyond, while helping artists reduce their environmental footprint and increase their positive impact on tour.
The Shawn Mendes Foundation on launch has already raised over $1,000,000, through partnerships & donations. Funds raised by SMF will go towards supporting its partner causes, including SickKids and REVERB, plus others identified by Mendes’ audience, including charities dedicated to the foundation’s areas of focus and organizations that help enable the work of other young changemakers. In addition to providing direct support, SMF will work to provide tools to help Mendes’ audience learn, donate, volunteer and amplify awareness around the issues important to them.
SickKids is a pediatric health-care institution and Canada’s leading center dedicated to advancing children’s health through the integration of patient care, research and education. One dollar from each ticket sold for his hometown Rogers Center stadium show, as well as donations and a portion of the proceeds from upcoming Canadian brand campaigns with Tim Hortons and Roots respectively, will go to the Shawn Mendes Foundation Canada at the SickKids Charitable Giving Fund, which will support the hospital and other charities close to his heart. REVERB is a nonprofit that works with music industry partners to green their concert events while engaging fans face-to-face at shows to take environmental and social action. Across Shawn's tour, Shawn & REVERB have eliminated over 70k plastic bottles, and raised funds to offset the carbon footprint of the tour with brand partner Flow Water.
As part of the launch, Mendes will be giving a voice to his fans and anyone who donates to the Foundation to help him determine which issues to address with future campaigns. In addition to its launch campaigns with SickKids & REVERB, the foundation will also continue to work with and highlight Mendes’ previous charitable partners, Pencils of Promise, WE Day, March For Our Lives, DoSomething.org, the American Red Cross, and more. The Foundation will also work with Shawn’s brand partners to find unique ways to give back and incorporate charitable and cause-driven elements to his brand campaigns. Tim Hortons, Roots, and Flow Alkaline Spring Water are among the Foundation’s initial brand partners. Mendes recently became an investor and partner in Flow, working with the brand to further the mission of inspiring positive change in the world by providing a more sustainable alternative to traditional bottled water. The Foundation will also be supported by corporate partners AG Artists, Universal Music Group, Universal Music Publishing Group, Island Records, Universal Music Canada, Bravado, Paradigm Agency and Messina Touring Group.
For information about The Shawn Mendes Foundation, including how to donate, please visit ShawnMendesFoundation.org.
