2021 Ted Rogers Community Grants help empower hundreds of youth in Southwestern Ontario, supporting our next generation of leaders and innovators

Grants provided to community organizations in London, Waterloo, Kitchener, Hamilton, Guelph, and Niagara Region who engage youth through innovation, entrepreneurship, STEM, mentorship and community leadership

More than $170,000 in community grants awarded to organizations in Southwestern Ontario since 2017

LONDON, Ontario, Feb. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Rogers Communications announced it has awarded Ted Rogers Community Grants to five organizations in Southwestern Ontario who are making a difference in the lives of hundreds of local youth in grades 7-12. Through programs in innovation, entrepreneurship, STEM, mentorship and community leadership, these organizations are providing critical supports to youth across the region by building confidence and pride, while helping them achieve their highest potential. Rogers is proud to have provided more than $170,000 in grants to organizations in Southwestern Ontario since the program launched in 2017.

“As organizations across Southwestern Ontario continue to face challenges due to the pandemic, support from Ted Rogers Community Grants are helping them provide critical programs for youth in our communities,” said Philippe Oille, President of Southwestern Ontario Region, Rogers Communications. “This year, that support is more important than ever before, and we are proud to lean in to help the next generation of youth achieve their dreams through the pandemic and beyond.”

Organizations in Southwestern Ontario receiving Ted Rogers Community grants this year include:

• YMCA of Southwestern Ontario – London, Windsor, and Sarnia - $10,000
• Community of Hearts Lifelong Learning Centre – Guelph - $7,500
• Start2Finish – Guelph, Waterloo, London and Hamilton - $2,500
• The RAFT – Niagara Resource Service for Youth – Niagara Region - $10,000
• KW Counselling Services – Kitchener-Waterloo - $10,000
  

“Newcomer youth are disproportionately isolated during the current global pandemic. By running engaging, educational, and thoughtful weekly sessions online using the Rogers grant, we can not only address immediate needs in the daily lives of youth, but also equip them with tools to impact their communities for the better,” said Andrew Lockie, CEO, YMCA of Southwestern Ontario. “Thanks to this Ted Rogers Community Grant we are able to continue to create innovative virtual interactions introducing music, fitness, educational, and meaningful opportunities for youth to connect with their peers.”

“The OK2BME program at KW Counselling Services supports LGBTQ2S+ youth in Waterloo Region with counselling services and youth groups,” said Rebecca Webb, Executive Director, KW Counselling Services. “We are grateful to have received a Ted Rogers Community Grant that will support this program and help more youth with counselling during these exceptionally challenging times.”

Since 2017, Rogers has also provided more than $6.5 million in Ted Rogers Scholarships to Canadian youth attending post-secondary education – many from our community grants partners - with 75% of community recipients from the Class of 2020 nationally from BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) communities.

Supporting youth through grants, together with Ted Rogers Scholarships, is one of the key ways Rogers is committed to working in partnership with communities to help meet critical needs of our residents and neighbours. Other community programs include Connected for Success, which offers affordable Internet to bridge the digital divide.  During the pandemic, Rogers has provided thousands of devices and plans as digital lifelines to women’s shelters, and to youth organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters Canada to keep youth connected to mentors.  In partnership with the Jays Care Foundation and Food Banks Canada, the company also provided 9 million meals through donations and food hampers for food banks across the country as part of Step Up to the Plate. This year, in honour of its 60^th birthday and as part of The 60 Project, the Rogers team stepped up with a record number of volunteer hours to help make Canada stronger, together.

About Rogers
Rogers is a proud Canadian company dedicated to making more possible for Canadians each and every day. Our founder, Ted Rogers, purchased his first radio station, CHFI, in 1960. We have grown to become a leading technology and media company that strives to provide the very best in wireless, residential, sports, and media to Canadians and Canadian businesses. Our shares are publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RCI.A and RCI.B) and on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: RCI). If you want to find out more about us, visit about.rogers.com.

For more information:
Rogers Communications, [e-mail], 1-844-226-1338