Date of Birth: 
Place of Birth: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
About Can Man Dan
- Dan Johnstone (born July 31, 1987 in Edmonton, Alberta), also known as "Can Man Dan," is a Canadian anti-poverty activist, philanthropist, community organizer, and social activist.
- Alongside his non-profit organization, the Can Man Dan Foundation, Dan works to alleviate poverty, assist vulnerable populations, and strengthen communities in Alberta by working closely with local community members, various levels of the Canadian government, and other non-profit groups and charities.While Johnstone hosts many community events around Alberta, he is perhaps best known for his annual Christmas campaign, where every December, Dan camps out for weeks in the back of a tractor-trailer aiming to fill it with food and toy donations for children and families in need.
- Due to the severity of the winters commonly found in Alberta, and the freezing cold temperatures that go along with them, these campouts have become highly publicized and staple events for many charities and other grassroots programs.
- Can Man Dan's holiday campaign has proven to be very successful and has raised millions of dollars in funding and resources for various charities and people in need across Alberta.
- Johnstone has created and hosted many other events around Alberta aimed to help those less fortunate, including his annual "We're Here For Ya Day" event.
- Can Man Dan offers the community free high-quality hair services, a barbecue lunch and dinner, personal hygiene products, backpacks filled with school supplies, fresh bread, and food hampers to thousands of low-income men, women and children every year on this day.After growing up in a single-mother, low-income household, Johnstone was motivated to support the same services and community projects that his family had used while he was growing up and started the Can Man Dan initiative.
- Johnstone has stated that his ultimate goal is to raise vast awareness for a multitude of systemic issues and support local communities in distress, and ultimately assist in the ending of poverty and homelessness in Alberta by forming a united community. On top of the various community events that he hosts, Johnstone is also a motivational speaker that travels to many schools and high-profile events across western Canada to share his story and various adventures.
- Johnstone also leads an inner city help program, where he and his group of volunteers make and distribute meals, care packages, and backpacks filled with different supplies to Edmonton's homeless community every month.
- Johnstone has also been an outspoken supporter for many other social issues and programs such as adequate protection and resources for domestic abuse victims, supporting LGBTQ rights and freedoms, initiating a basic income for Canadians, and defending and investing in social housing projects.
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