The Mastercard Foundation Celebrates Its 10th Anniversary By Donating Close To $700,000 To Canadian Charitable Organizations

TORONTO, June 27, 2016 /CNW/ -- The MasterCard Foundation announced today that it would be committing nearly CDN $700,000 in funding to non-profit Canadian organizations. Ranging from War Child and Covenant House Toronto to the Aspire Change Foundation, it's marking its 10^th anniversary by addressing needs that exist here at home and abroad through a special Giving Campaign. Each of its 68 full-time, permanent employees has been invited to direct CDN$10,000 from the Foundation to a registered Canadian charity or qualified donee of their choice. 

"Our Foundation's achievements to date are due to our employees, whose passion and expertise have enabled the Foundation to get behind new ideas or scale effective ones to improve the lives of people living in poverty in Africa," says Foundation President and CEO Reeta Roy. "As a proudly Canadian organization, we recognize that many of our staff members are also personally engaged in addressing needs in our own communities and this Giving Campaign enables them to further our mission to advance education and financial inclusion."

Achieving a 100 percent participation rate, staff donated to Canadian organizations with operations at home in Toronto, across Canada and around the globe. Employees had the option of making one $10,000 gift or to share the gift between two organizations. The MasterCard Foundation partnered with Toronto Foundation, a leading organization that connects philanthropy to community needs, to ensure that all recipient organizations are working to advance the Foundation's charitable goals to improve access to education, learning and financial inclusion.

"Canada is a land of opportunity, that's why I have so much hope and dreams for young women in my community who are visible minority Francophone immigrants like me," says Dina Randrianasolo, a MasterCard Foundation employee who gave to Charité LEO (Leadership-Espoir-Opportunité). "Young women in particular face multiple systemic barriers that hinder their social and professional integration. This donation will give them a chance to build their leadership skills, have mentors and become transformative leaders in their communities."

Inspired by engagement in Indigenous communities across the country, MasterCard Foundation staff gave generously to these organizations. Nearly $120,000 was donated to Shannen's Dream, Indspire and the Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre, among other organizations. These organizations provide opportunities and access to education and leadership development skills to Indigenous youth across the country. 

"With this generous donation from The MasterCard Foundation, we are able to continue our efforts in supporting the education and leadership development of Indigenous youth, as they strive towards a better quality of life for themselves, their families, their communities and Canada," said Roberta L. Jamieson, President and CEO of Indspire. 

The MasterCard Foundation staff also focused on its roots in Toronto, where it invested $215,000 of its donations, giving to noteworthy causes such as Supporting our Youth (SOY) at Sherbourne Health Centre Corporation, the Nahom Berhane Scholarship for Leadership and Inclusion at Access Alliance Multicultural Health and Community Services, as well as special initiatives designed to support at risk youth such as the MLSE Foundation and Eva's Initiatives for Homeless Youth.

"The Mastercard Foundation is leading by example by empowering their staff to invest in the lives of young people in the Greater Toronto Area and beyond," said Orlando Bowen, Executive Director, One Voice One Team Youth Leadership Organization. "This contribution to One Voice One Team's youth empowerment work will have a significant, long-term, transformative impact. The donation will facilitate the delivery of programming that brings hope, ignites dreams and equips youth with tools that will catalyze them towards achieving success and towards excelling as leaders in their communities."

For the full list of recipient organizations, click here.

About The MasterCard Foundation

The MasterCard Foundation works with visionary organizations to provide greater access to education, skills training and financial services for people living in poverty, primarily in Africa. As one of the largest, private foundations, its work is guided by its mission to advance learning and promote financial inclusion to create an inclusive and equitable world. Based in Toronto, Canada, its independence was established by MasterCard when the Foundation was created in 2006. For more information and to sign up for the Foundation's newsletter, please visit www.mastercardfdn.org. Follow the Foundation at @MCFoundation on Twitter.

SOURCE The MasterCard Foundation

Isabelle Bourgeault-Tassé, Manager, Media Relations, Mobile [phone], http://www.mastercardfdn.org