RONA "Doing it Right" for Ontario Children and Youth

Teddy bear sales add thousands to scholarship funds at Children's Aid Foundation 

TORONTO, March 1, 2012 /CNW/ - The Children's Aid Foundation is delighted to announce a donation of nearly $30,000 from hardware and home renovation giant RONA, which sold hundreds of cuddly JJ Bears during the 2011 holiday season in support of scholarships to keep Ontario's at-risk kids in school.

Doug Newstead, RONA Director of Market Development GTA Ontario will present a cheque to the Children's Aid Foundation at a ceremony at 25 Spadina Road on Thursday, March 8 at 2:00PM.

RONA stores across Ontario collected $1 donations throughout the two week campaign period, with select store locations offering the purchase of the official JJ Bear Teddy Bear for $10. All the proceeds directly benefitted an established RONA scholarship program that is managed by the Children's Aid Foundation.

"Proceeds from the JJ Bear Campaign help Ontario youth who have been in foster care get an education and find a career," said Len Gamache, president of the Children's Aid Foundation. "We are privileged to partner with a great company like RONA to help give Ontario youth the support they need and deserve."

"The RONA scholarships really make a difference in reducing the education gap experienced by youth in the child welfare system," Gamache continued. "One out of every 25 children and youth - almost 300,000 young Canadians - are in care or under the watch of a child welfare service. Without these educational supports, many of these kids would be unable to stay in school."

"RONA is dedicated to helping youth who are experiencing difficulties or those who come from underprivileged backgrounds to believe in themselves and their futures," commented Newstead. "In participating in the JJ Bear campaign, we are able to help these youth enhance their futures through providing the funds they need to be able to pursue their educational goals."

With today's announcement, RONA has donated over $250,000 to the Children's Aid Foundation since the launch of the JJ Bear campaign.

"We thank those big-hearted community members who purchased JJ Bears or made donations during the holiday campaign," concluded Gamache. Donations are welcomed all year online at www.jjbear.ca.

About RONA
RONA is the largest Canadian distributor and retailer of hardware, home renovation and gardening products and operates a network of more than 950 corporate, franchise and affiliate stores of various sizes and formats. With close to 6,300 employees working under its family of banners within the Ontario region and more than 3.7 million square feet of retail space in Ontario, the RONA Ontario store network helps to generate over $6 billion in annual retail sales in Canada. Visit rona.ca.

About the Children's Aid Foundation
One in every 25 children in Canada are at risk and need our help. Many suffer in poverty, while others have been victims of abuse and neglect. A staggering 76,000 of them live in foster homes or a residential facility. The mission of the Children's Aid Foundation is to fund programs that give them skills and hope for a promising future.

For further information, the media should contact:
Jeff Ball, Children's Aid Foundation, 416-923-0924 x230/ [email protected]