EY to honour Canadian social entrepreneurs with EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Special Citation awards

Award winners are disrupting business with impact in mind

TORONTO, Sept. 15, 2016 /CNW/ - EY is recognizing entrepreneurs who positively disrupt the way we do business. Alberta's Robyn Henderson (The Uncomplicated Family), Ontario's Marina Glogovac, Aaron Pereira, Matthew Choi and Ryan Little (CanadaHelps.org), and Nova Scotia's Jessie Jollymore (Hope Blooms) are this year's EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Special Citation award recipients. EY will honour their efforts at its upcoming regional Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards galas, starting in September.

"Social entrepreneurs put purpose ahead of profits," says François Tellier, EY Partner and Entrepreneur Of The Year national program director. "Organizations like The Uncomplicated Family, Hope Blooms and CanadaHelps.org, are driving growth and making a big impact in our communities by providing creative solutions to some pressing social and cultural challenges."

Let's be clear: social enterprises are not charities. By investing in social ventures, these businesses are focused on building public programs that are self-sustaining and create long-term value in the communities they support.

"The social entrepreneurs we're honouring are building a better world," adds Tellier. "They're investing in social programs and providing the communal resources needed to empower youth. They're enhancing people's quality of life. And they're helping to fuel sustainable economic growth."

Here's what the entrepreneurs have to say about how they're building a better world:

Robyn Henderson, The Uncomplicated Family, Edmonton
"Our vision of a better world is one where each individual is afforded the access and supports required to meet their potential, and experience the best quality of life possible. A place in which poverty, geographic barriers and staff shortages are no longer obstacles to excellent health care service. The Uncomplicated Family is providing families and communities access to timely, coordinated, individualized supports and expertise so they can become healthier faster."

Marina Glogovac, Aaron Pereira, Matthew Choi and Ryan Little, CanadaHelps.org, Toronto
"We envision a society where all Canadians are committed to giving and participating in the charitable sector; and one where all charities have the capacity to increase their impact. We're motivated by knowing that even the smallest charity can grow their capacity when they have access to good technology and education. By connecting Canadian charities to millions of Canadians through our online platform, we're offering them the tools and resources that will enable them to be more effective in their own communities, in fulfilling their missions."

Jessie Jollymore, Hope Blooms, Halifax
"Our motto is 'when you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change'. We believe that every youth, regardless of race, economic or social circumstance should have the opportunity and support to achieve their dreams. Hope Blooms mentors youth and teaches them the skills to create, build and sustain a social business – including research, planning, development, ethics and engagement practices. Together, we use these skills to grow and distribute over 3,000 pounds of organic fruits and vegetables to families in our community, addressing issues around food security and social inclusion."

"These entrepreneurs have identified opportunities in their communities to maximize people's potential and create lasting social value," says Tellier. "We're honoured to recognize their impact at our upcoming Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards gala."

Special Citation winners will be honoured at the following regional EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards galas:

Marina, Aaron, Matthew and Ryan will be honoured at the Ontario Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards gala in Toronto on 27 October 2016. For more information, please contact [email protected].

Robyn will be honoured at the Prairies Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards gala in Calgary on 13 October 2016. For more information please contact [email protected].

Jessie will be honoured at the Atlantic Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards gala in Halifax on 6 October 2016. For more information please contact [email protected].

More information
For event updates, visit us at ey.com/ca/eoy or follow us on Twitter @EYCanada and use #EOY to join the conversation.

About EY Entrepreneur Of The Year
EY Entrepreneur Of The Year is the world's most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The unique award makes a difference through the way it encourages entrepreneurial activity among those with potential, and recognizes the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. As the first and only truly global award of its kind, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 140 cities in 50 countries.

The 2016 social entrepreneurship independent judging panel consists of Allyson Hewitt, Social Fellow, Social Innovations at MaRS Discovery District; Greg Overholt, Founder, Students Offering Support and 2011 EOY Ontario Special Citation Recipient, Social Entrepreneur; John Mighton, Founder, JUMP Math and 2014 EOY National Special Citation Recipient, Social Entrepreneur; Jeff Schnurr, Executive Director, Community Forests International and 2015 Atlantic Special Citation Recipient, Social Entrepreneur; and Alfred Nikolai, President & CEO, Habitat for Humanity Edmonton and 2015 Prairies Special Citation Recipient, Social Entrepreneur.

This year's national program sponsors are TEC Canada, La Presse, RDI, The TMX Group, The Globe and Mail Inc., Merrill Corporation, Kira Talent, Air Canada and The Printing House Limited. Atlantic regional sponsors are Progress Media, Royal Bank of Canada and McInnes Cooper. Ontario regional sponsors are Captivate Network and RBC Royal Bank.

About EY
EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

For more information, please visit ey.com/ca. Follow us on Twitter @EYCanada.

EY refers to the global organization and may refer to one or more of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

SOURCE EY (Ernst & Young)

Sasha Anopina, [email protected], 416 943 2637; Julie Fournier, [email protected], 514 874 4308; Leigh Kjekstad, [email protected], 604 648 3807