Canvassing Program

 

Our face-to-face program is a great way to make personal connections with Canadians in all communities while telling them about our work.

Canvassing Program

 

Our face-to-face program is a great way to make personal connections with Canadians in all communities while telling them about our work.

Helping Canadians begin a journey like no other

 

Every journey has a starting point. For many World Vision supporters, their sponsorship journey started with a casual conversation at their doorstep, the mall or even on the street with one of our canvassers.

Our face-to-face canvassing program was designed to reach out to Canadians in their own communities. It connects them to children in communities around the world who are still waiting to be sponsored. And it inspires everyone to start their own sponsorship journey to transform children’s lives and entire communities for good.

 

Door-to-door canvassing


We love getting to know people from all walks of life, wherever they live, work or play – and our canvassers help us make that first connection.
 
A World Vision canvasser wearing bright orange parka and branded toque talks to a homeowner.
Our door-to-door canvassers are easy to spot in their World Vision branded apparel. Photo: Anne Lee

World Vision door-to-door canvassers can be easily identified by their name tags, logoed clothing and identification badges. They are also equipped with electronic tablets to help them process donor information quickly and safely.
 

If a canvasser claims to be a World Vision Canada representative but is not wearing these items, you can take the following actions:

  • Ask to see their identification. All World Vision canvassers are issued ID badges, which they should present upon request.
  • Call us at 1.866.595.5550 to verify the canvasser’s identity. 
  • Call the police if they refuse to comply with your request to see their badge and/or you have verified with us that the canvasser is not one of our representatives.

World Vision canvassers are not authorized to 

  • ask for or accept cash;
  • knock on your door after 8:30 PM; or
  • pressure you to donate or listen to their solicitation. If you prefer to donate over the phone, please call us at 1.866.595.5550 and a customer care representative will be happy to assist you.
 

Mall canvassers 

 
A female canvasser wearing an orange apron stands in a World Vision mall booth
Our canvassers can be found in mall booths talking to Canadians about the benefits
of child sponsorship. Photo: World Vision
 

In addition to canvassing door-to-door, we also engage with the public in malls and event venues. Our friendly mall canvassers 

  • wear their World Vision lanyard in a visible place;
  • may wear World Vision branded apparel;
  • are trained to speak on our behalf about our mission and the benefits of child sponsorship;
  • can answer your questions about the benefits of child sponsorship;
  • help you get started on your sponsorship journey right away; and 
  • remain within the physical boundary of our World Vision branded booth.

If you have any questions about our retail canvassing program, please use the Live Chat feature or call us at
1.866.595.5550.

 

Street canvassers 


Street canvassing is another method of face-to-face fundraising we use to talk to the public about the benefits of child sponsorship. Our street canvassers receive training so they can speak confidently on our behalf about the benefits of child sponsorship and can answer your questions on how to get started. 
 

Our street canvassers

  • wear World Vision Canada branded gear, including a visible ID with badge number;
  • will never pressure you to donate or listen to their solicitation;
  • never ask for or accept cash donations; and
  • will not be on the street after 9 PM. 

We love to hear your feedback about our canvassing program and our canvassers. Please use the Live Chat feature or give us a call at 1.866.595.5550 to share your compliments and comments about our program. 

Frequently Asked Questions

World Vision partners with a variety of agencies that provide face-to-face fundraising services. Third-party fundraising is our most cost-effective way to connect Canadians with sponsor children. Our canvassers receive an hourly wage and comprehensive training so they can speak on our behalf about our mission to serve all children and how Canadians can get involved. They are pivotal in helping us establish real connections with people who wish to support World Vision through a monthly donation.

Your feedback is important to us. Please chat with us or call 1-866-595-5550 to share your compliments or concerns.

Becoming a child sponsor is a long-term commitment that can change your life in many profound ways. But if you’re not ready to become a child sponsor or would like to hear about other ways to support World Vision, please call us at 1-866-595-5550 to let us know. We look forward to assisting you.

Once you decide to become a child sponsor, the canvasser will ask you to fill out a form on their tablet, which will be sent to our verification centre. A representative from the verification centre will speak to you by phone to go over the details you submitted. These details help us 

  • verify that the details we received from the form were accurate;
  • create your account; and
  • connect you with a child who is waiting to be sponsored.

World Vision canvassers are only authorized to accept voided cheques, pre-authorized debit forms and credit card information.

We do not allow our canvassers to accept or carry cash donations for safety concerns.

When you become a child sponsor, you’ll receive

  • a thank you card and our canvasser’s verification number and ID for your future reference;
  • a welcome email from World Vision; 
  • a welcome package mailed to your address containing information about your sponsored child (including their photo), their community and how to connect with your sponsored child; and
  • access to resources to help you connect with your sponsored child. 

Throughout the year, you’ll also receive

  • an updated photo of your sponsored child
  • letters from your sponsored child
  • a progress report on your sponsored child’s community
  • your tax receipt
Visit our Sponsorship FAQ page to learn more about sponsoring a child. 
To learn more about our canvassing program, please call us 1.866.592.5550 or chat with us on live chat.