The Donor: Eileen Coulton
The Gift: Raising $3-million and climbing
The Cause: Inasmuch Foundation
The Reason: To finance global health, education and food projects.
For years, Eileen Coulton and her husband Jim travelled the world during summer holidays, frequently visiting impoverished countries. When friends started asking if they could donate money to help some of the people the Coultons met, the couple decided to create the Inasmuch Foundation to support development projects.
Since the charity's founding in 1981, the Coultons have raised roughly $3-million in total and financed dozens of programs including schools in Nepal, scholarships in South Africa, a dental clinic in Guatemala, educational courses in Peru, a medical centre in Cambodia and a teen drop-in centre in Mississauga, Ont.
Mr. Coulton, a former vice-principal at Upper Canada College in Toronto, died in 2000. Ms. Coulton, a former teacher and journalist, has kept the foundation going from her kitchen table with help from her son, John, and many supporters. She also does extensive volunteer work, such as teaching English as a second language and helping at homeless shelters and food banks around Toronto.
This month Ms. Coulton received a Citizenship Award from the St. George's Society, a not-for-profit organization that works with many charities. She was stunned by the recognition. "I was floored actually," she said from her home in Toronto. "I do volunteer jobs all the time and I don't expect anybody to even notice that I'm doing it." She added: "I enjoy people and there's always something new you can learn no matter how often you meet a person."
The charity takes its name from a Bible passage - "Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me"- and Ms. Coulton shows no sign of slowing down despite turning 91 this year.
"I'm going to keep going that's for sure," she said. "I'm so blessed."