Our Story
One Plane Away began in 2015 when Caris Madsen, who was 15 years old at the time, saw the need to help young mothers in Nunavut access clothes and supplies for their babies. One Plane Away was officially registered with the Government of Nunavut as a non-profit organization in 2018 and became registered as a charity in 2022.
Founder Caris Madsen speaks about the work of One Plane Away in a CBC television interview on December 7, 2023.
Background
Caris Madsen is the founder of One Plane Away. When she was 15 years old, while in high school, she saw the need to support girls in Iqaluit requiring clothing and other supplies for their babies. When Caris traveled to visit her grandmother in Ontario, she would buy baby clothing at secondhand stores and then distribute them to the Nunavut mothers when she returned. Over time, Caris became more aware of the lack of baby supplies throughout Nunavut, due to the expense of getting supplies to the territory. Many communities do not have diapers, baby clothes and formula consistently in their store – not to mention the high costs.
After a few years of giving out clothing in this manner, Caris registered One Plane Away as a non-profit and the organization has continued to grow.