100 Yellowknifers who give a Damn

The 100 ‘Knifers who Give a Damn group aspires to have a membership of at least 100 Yellowknifers who meet four times a year in Yellowknife, with each member donating $100 per meeting. During each meeting, members nominate and vote on a local charity or non-profit organization to support, and at each meeting one nominated group walks away with at least $10,000!

The group is entirely volunteer led, and every cent of every donation goes directly to the selected organizations.

Donate $100!

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History

100 Knifers started in 2016 as “100 Men Who Give a Damn,” followed by “100 Women Who Give a Damn” in 2017. The first 100 Men meeting was held in February 2016, and the first 100 Women gathering took place in July 2017. This giving model exists across Canada, bringing people together to support local causes.

Active members can nominate a Yellowknife-based organization to present at a meeting. After hearing from the nominees, members in attendance vote, and the organization with the most votes receives the collective donations. Members who can’t attend can still contribute their $100 online through the Yellowknife Community Foundation’s giving portal.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, meetings moved online. By fall 2020, the 100 Men group had already donated over $200,000 to local organizations. In June 2023, the group rebranded as 100 Knifers Who Give a Damn, removing the gender binary and welcoming all Yellowknifers aged 19 and older to participate.

Past Recipients
Wendy Bisaro with the Yellowknife Seniors Society and Landon Kowalzik, our organizer and the evening’s Emcee
Christine Martin from Camp Connections and Emcee, Steve Kirkham
YK Women's Society board member Katy shakes hands with meeting MC Peter Houweling.
Pictured: Nicole Spencer, SPCA; nominating member Marvin Robinson
Left to right: Meeting MC Glenn Tait, 100 Men founder Garrett Hinchey, Nominating Member Ken Hall
Pictured: SideDoor executive director Iris Notley, meeting MC Jim Taylor and 100 Men Co-Founder Garrett Hinchey.
Left to right: meeting MC Christopher Buchanan, Women’s Society board member Shawna Morgan, 100 Men co-founder Garrett Hinchey
Pictured: Organizer Andrew Goodwin, Michelle Tuma from the SPCA, meeting MC Glenn Tait, and nominating member Jack Bourassa.
Left to right: Nominating member Tom Hall, Ryan Silke of the Yellowknife Historical Society, meeting MC Patrick Wrigglesworth.
First 100 Men event
Left to right: 100 Men co-founder Paul Shearme, nominating member Gerald Enns, NWT Literacy Council rep Charlotte Upton, 100 Men co-founder Garrett Hinchey
Left to right: co-founder Paul Shearme, MC Landon Kowalzik, nominating member Jack Bourassa, and co-founder Garrett Hinchey.
Left to right: 100 Men Co-founder Paul Shearme, Women's Society presenter Lydia Bardak, 100 Men Co-founder Garrett Hinchey, meeting MC Julian Turi.
Left to right: 100 Men co-founder Garrett Hinchey, meeting MC Bob Brooks, Robert Charpentier and Dave Brothers from Habitat for Humanity NWT, 100 Men co-founder Paul Shearme.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is 100 'Knifers?

100 Knifers is a group of community members who come together to pool donations and make a significant impact by supporting local charities and non-profit organizations in Yellowknife.

Members each contribute $100 at quarterly meetings. The group hears presentations from local organizations, votes on which project to support, and then donates the pooled funds to the chosen initiative.

Anyone who wants to contribute to the Yellowknife community and is willing to commit to donating $100 per meeting (four times a year).

Attendance is encouraged, but if you can’t make a meeting, you can still contribute your $100 and have your vote counted in advance. You do not have to vote either, but you can still contribute $100 to the winning organization. Donations can be made online here. 

100% of your $100 donation goes directly to the selected organization. The group does not keep any portion for administration.

Yes, tax receipts are provided for all donations. They are issued by the Yellowknife Community Foundation, not 100 Knifers. The Yellowknife Community Foundation is set up to quickly accept donations and can instantly issue a tax receipt via email. The Yellowknife Community Foundation then provide a one lump sum grant to the selected organization. This reduces the administrative burden of the recipient organization to produce charitable tax receipts for 100 separate donors. This also allows the 100 ‘Knifers group to chose a local organization that is not necessarily a charity, and still receive a charitable tax receipt from the Yellowknife Community Foundation. 

Yes! While $100 is the standard contribution, members are welcome to give more if they wish.

100 Knifers meets four times a year. Meeting dates are announced in advance.

Organizations can apply or be nominated by a current member of the group. At each meeting, a maximum of three organizations are selected to present, and members vote on which one will receive that quarter’s donations.

Yes! Members can nominate local charities or organizations that they believe should be considered for funding.

In the case of a tie, a secondary vote may take place, or the funds may be split between the top two organizations. This will be determined at the meeting among the members. 

You can sign up by filling out this form, or attending a meeting and committing to the quarterly donations. 

Yes! Guests are welcome to attend a meeting to learn more before deciding to join.

There’s no long-term commitment. If you need to step away, just let the organizers know.

The organizers are volunteers and members of the group themselves. As of 2025, the current organizor is Landon Kowalzik. He can be reached at: 100menyellowknife@gmail.com.

Here is the 100 Knifers group (formerly the 100 Men & 100 Women groups) in the news:

100 Knifers partners with the Yellowknife Community Foundation to handle donation processing and provide tax receipts. When members contribute their $100 at each meeting, the funds are collected through the Foundation, which then distributes the total donation to the selected charity or initiative. This partnership ensures transparency, proper financial management, and allows members to receive tax receipts for their contributions almost instantly. 

The Yellowknife Community Foundation has a vision to be a catalyst for sharing. supportive, and connected communities. What better way to realize this vision than to support a group of Yellowknifers to make collective impact through the 100 Knifers group!?