Written by Lisa Browning
It all began with a man and his dog.
I first met Malcolm Bernstein, founder of The Benjamin Project, back in 2013, shortly after I published a children’s book entitled Angel Has Her Wings, for Guelph author Peter Watson. The book was in support of the Guelph Humane Society, and a launch was held there. Malcolm, a supporter of the GHS, heard about my company as a result of that book launch, and contacted me about publishing a children’s book of his own. Benjamin: a loving story about a dog, and his lasting impact on the animal kingdom … was published in 2018, and was the start of a working relationship that continues to this day.
Since 2018, I have worked with Malcolm on For The Love of Animals, a collaborative project that involves elementary school students writing and illustrating books about animals, in support of a shelter or rescue of their choice. To date, books have been published in support of the following organizations:
- Burlington Humane Society
- Georgian Triangle Humane Society
- Guelph Humane Society
- Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Lennox and Addington Animal Centre
- Peterborough Humane Society
- Toronto Humane Society
The look of pride on the children’s faces, when they are given a copy of the book that they contributed to, is something I will never tire of seeing. This project has provided both Malcolm and me with the opportunity to inspire and empower children to make a difference in this world, by caring for and helping the animals around them.
The project aligns perfectly with Saplings, the children’s book publishing branch of One Thousand Trees. Through Saplings, I am honoured to have published (pro bono) the following children’s books:
- The Ambassadors, in support of The Donkey Sanctuary of Canada
- Bearly a Hare, in support of Running Rabbit Farm – Rabbit Rescue and Sanctuary
- Carlisle Creek Chronicles, According to Binks, in support of Carlisle Creek Farm
- Whose Paws Are These? in support Autism Service Dogs (among others)
- Willow & Douglas: The Unlikeliest of Friends, in support of Brae Ridge Farm & Sanctuary
These books have become a passion of mine, as have my monthly Saplings Kids Club and Our Sentient Friends, a quarterly magazine honouring all animals everywhere (which I wrote about in my December 2025 article).
Another passion has been a fundraising calendar that I started producing for The Benjamin Project several years ago, with all proceeds being donated to animal-related charities. Since 2014, when The Benjamin Project was founded, the calendars have been promoted and sold only locally. Until this year, that is.
Starting in 2027, the calendar will have a new name … and an expanded reach. Now entitled The Art of Animal Advocacy, each calendar will feature animal paintings or drawings by 13 artists, and 100% of net proceeds will go towards the initiatives outlined above. The benefits are three-fold:
- To help promote both new and established artists.
- To increase awareness of animal welfare issues.
- To raise funds to allow the continuation of projects and programs under the auspices of One Thousand Trees/Saplings and The Benjamin Project.
Recently, I watched a hilarious and heartwarming documentary entitled Billy and Molly: An Otter Love Story, the true story of the connection between Billy, a man living in the UK, and Molly, a sea otter. The following quote from the film had a life-changing impact on me:
“That line that separates us from nature … Molly’s world from mine …
If she showed me anything, it’s that there is no line.”
I am more passionate than ever before, about doing what I can to improve the lives of the animals around us, and empowering our children to do the same. If you are interested in helping spread the word (and increasing the sales!) of the fundraising calendars, or getting involved in any of the other projects mentioned here, please email me at [email protected]. Although the calendar will not be printed until July or August, it is currently available for purchase on my website. (See QR code.) For bulk orders, please contact me directly.
