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Our Founder & Board

A message from our founder, Sam Mercanti

“Hope has made a difference in our life. Now it’s time to bring hope to others”.

My parents, siblings, and I immigrated to Canada from Italy in 1956. The main reason that my parents
decided to do this was to create a better opportunity and lifestyle for their children. We moved to a
very small house in Hamilton, Ontario located in the north end of the city. Life was hard for my
parents, but with their determination and hard work, we established a good life. Along with my
brothers and sister, I was always taught to work hard, to give back to those in need, and to never give
up hope for the future.

The concept of this charity started amongst our friends at our local YMCA. After some of our feisty
handball games, we would collect $5 dollars from everyone and donate it to a child or a family that
was in need. Then we started a bank account and began to help with requests through word of
mouth. The first child we helped was an underprivileged immigrant girl who was in need of a pair of
boots for winter. It seemed very small, but not to her. We gave her more than just a pair of boots. We
gave her a ray of hope that someone cares and the assurance that the world is filled with good
people.

We finally decided to make this charity official and give it a name: “The Charity of Hope”. It is our goal
to increase the size of the charity each year so we can help more children in need.

Together we can make a difference and bring a little ray of hope to a lot of children.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

Sam Mercanti, Charity of Hope Founder

Charity of Hope Board

  • Sam Mercanti – Ex Officio Founder
  • Daniele Dagenais – Ex Officio Executive Director
  • Guy D’Alesio – Chair
  • Dennis Concordia – Vice Chair
  • George Lamparski – Treasurer
  • Erik Ferrara – Director
  • Andrea Gordon – Director
  • Julie Lamparski – Director
  • Michael Macaluso – Director
  • Lisa Mercanti-Ladd – Director
  • PJ Mercanti – Director
  • Francesca Rollo – Director
  • Sid Tracy – Director

Hamilton Events Committee

  • Daniele Dagenais – Executive Director
  • George Lamparski – Chair
  • Charlie Agro – Vice Chair
  • Dennis Concordia
  • Sue Depaulo
  • Theresa Haworth
  • Jessica Lamrparski
  • Julia Lamparski
  • John Madalena
  • Michelle Mans
  • Lisa Mercanti Ladd
  • Marco Tofano
  • Julie Walters