The Joe Carter Classic deepens commitment to helping disadvantaged children with a $500,000 gift to the Children's Aid Foundation's National Campaign for Child Welfare

Donation will support youth in care transitioning to post-secondary education and prevention programs that aim to strengthen families

TORONTO, Oct. 7, 2015 /CNW/ - The Joe Carter Classic Golf Tournament continues its ongoing commitment to children and youth with the announcement today of a $500,000 donation, making it one of the first gifts to the Children's Aid Foundation's $60 million National Campaign for Child Welfare.

"We are extremely grateful to the Joe Carter Classic team for hosting this incredible annual event and their continued investment in the success and happiness of Canada's most vulnerable children and youth," said Valerie McMurtry, President and CEO of the Children's Aid Foundation. "Proceeds raised by the tournament have made a huge impact by helping to reintegrate local at-risk youth back into their families and communities, and assisting them in reaching their full potential through post-secondary education."

Since 2010, the Joe Carter Classic's annual celebrity golf tournament has raised over $1 million for the Children's Aid Foundation.

"We are very fortunate to have many dedicated volunteers, sponsors, celebrities and participants who take part in the tournament year after year and are committed to giving children in need an opportunity for a better life ahead," says James Dodds, co-founder of the Joe Carter Classic. "On behalf of vice-chairmen Dean Baxendale, Hersh Borenstein, and our entire crew, we hope that the success of future events will transform lives for many generations to come."

The $500,000 gift made by the Joe Carter Classic will go to two established endowment funds in Joe Carter's name that will continue to have a transformative effect on the children and young people assisted.

The Joe Carter Scholarship Endowment Fund provides urgently needed financial assistance to young people transitioning out the child welfare system who are pursuing post-secondary education. Each year across Canada, only 30 per cent of kids involved with the care system will graduate high school compared to 88 per cent of their peers. For many of these young people, attending university or college may seem unobtainable. By receiving a post-secondary education scholarship through the Children's Aid Foundation, they not only receive financial assistance but also encouragement that someone believes in them and knows they have the ability to succeed.

The Joe Carter Family Support Fund supports prevention programs that aim to develop healthy and happy families and strengthen communities in the Toronto area, decreasing the number of children and youth served by child welfare agencies.

About the Children's Aid Foundation
The Children's Aid Foundation's National Campaign for Child Welfare aims to raise $60 million over five years to change the lives of thousands of children and youth for the better. The Children's Aid Foundation is Canada's leading national charity dedicated to improving the lives of children and youth in the child welfare system. With the support of generous corporate, foundation and individual donors, we have been helping children reach their potential against all odds since 1979. Join us and help some of the most vulnerable kids in Canada overcome traumas of the past and rebuild stability, self-worth and a sense of life's possibilities. Learn more at www.cafdn.org  Twitter: @cafdn

About the Joe Carter Classic
The annual Joe Carter Classic charity golf tournament pairs avid golfers with top name celebrities from the worlds of sport and entertainment. Proceeds from the event go towards supporting the education and development of Canadian youth through the Joe Carter Scholarship Fund and the Joe Carter Family Support Fund. Since 2010, the Joe Carter Classic has raised and pledged over $1 million to benefit the Children's Aid Foundation. More information at www.joecarterclassic.com Twitter: @joecarterclassic

SOURCE Children's Aid Foundation

Contact info:
Lisa Lipkin
Lisa Lipkin Communications for the Children's Aid Foundation
[email protected]
Tel: [phone]