Dr. Maya Angelou’s Poem 'Alone' Scores Safehaven's Message for Compassion in Communities

In every 100 children in Canada, 1% is medically complex. Toronto-based not-for-profit Safehaven is launching a creative campaign with creative agency-of-record, The Local Collective, to shine a light on the remarkable stories of these children who often experience life in a fast-paced world that doesn’t seem to notice them.

Inspired by the walls and halls of Safehaven, the spot takes viewers on an emotional visual journey, scored to the powerful words of Dr. Maya Angelou’s poem, “Alone”, to shape the importance of having awareness and compassion in our communities. By illustrating their often overlooked experiences, the campaign calls for a collective shift in perspective, reminding viewers that acts of recognition can make a difference. And changing what you notice can be as simple as changing where you look.

“This creative campaign represents a breakthrough in educating Torontonians about the 1% of medically complex children in our communities, by inspiring them to engage with compassion and understanding,” said Susan Bisaillon, CEO, Safehaven. “Their stories remind us of our shared humanity and the profound impact we can make when we choose to listen, learn, and support those who need it most.”

The creative campaign includes a hero video for Safehaven’s social channels, cinema, and TV, highlighting a powerful story of the 1% of medically complex children that are important parts of our local communities, as well as out of home placements in the city and at The Well and a sponsored article in the Toronto Star in December for Giving Tuesday, highlighting the impact Safehaven has on the Toronto community. The campaign also includes the creation of children’s seek and find book One in 100 that launched earlier this year, designed to help  illustrate the stories of these medically complex children and their families. 

"We are ultimately judged as a society by how we treat those most in need. This initiative seeks to spark that awareness, using the powerful words of Dr. Maya Angelou to shine a light on our mission,”  said Matt Litzinger, founder and chief creative officer, The Local Collective. “By combining story and purpose, we hope to create a lasting impact for the 1% of medically complex children who deserve our attention and compassion.”

The campaign was led by The Local Collective for creative, M&K for media and  Heads+Tales for PR.