In the community

International Women's Day - Optimism Place

 

DS branches and RBC PH&N IC offices across Canada are proud to celebrate a milestone in community-level impact giving thanks to its annual International Women’s Day (IWD) branch/office donation program. As of 2023, over $1 million has been given to dozens of local charities across Canadian communities.

Since 2017, WM Canada has empowered local branches through RBC Foundation funds to gift up to $2,500 annually towards nonprofit organizations that aim to highlight and champion women’s causes that will have the biggest impact in their community and help break down or address barriers they may face.

The Humane Society of KW and Stratford Perth

The Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo and Stratford Perth is self-funded and self-governed. Outside of contracts for animal control services, they receive no government funding. They rely on the generosity of donors to help animals within our communities and to provide animal welfare focused community education and outreach.  When it comes to the percentage of animals that are returned, the following numbers are from 2019-2021: 

6100 animals rescued, 3967 animals adopted, 1539 animals returned home

Remaining animals include wildlife and animals that would have been sent to rehabilitation centres and rescues.

As a branch we recently donated $2,500 and in total $12,000 for the last 10 years to help their efforts.

Stratford Summer Music 21

I was thrilled to sponsor a young emerging artist, right here from our own backyard – local cellist Vanny Hu, a Grade 12 student from Stratford District Secondary School!

 

SSM Young Artist showcase puts stars-in-the-making with established professionals, side by side in intimate performance settings. This summer, we celebrate the accomplishments of local cellist Vanny Hu!

 

 

HPHA Healthcare Heroes Stand By Me for RBC

Now more than ever RBC Dominion Securities, RBC Foundation and RBC Royal Bank’s support has a great impact. The recent generous donation of $50,000 to the HPHA Healthcare Heroes COVID-19 fund ensures our hospitals’ clinical teams have the tools and resources they need in their fight against COVID-19.

The funds will be used for both short-term essentials like PPE and staff resources; and long-term strategic impact like microbiology molecular testing equipment where SGH acts as the laboratory hub for a dozen hospitals in south west Ontario.

Left to right:

Robert Bryan Vice President, Branch Manager & Portfolio Manager, RBC Dominion Securities Inc., Dan Woods Regional Vice President, Central Shores Market, RBC Royal Bank, Lincoln Simmons Vice President Commercial Financial Services, RBC Royal Bank, and Laura Hilton Perth Community Manager, RBC Royal Bank

 

Meals on Wheels

1 in 8 Canadian households struggle to feed their families – a number that is on the rise due to COVID-19. As part of our commitment to helping our communities prosper, we’ve partnered with Meals on Wheels to help ensure fresh food delivery is available to vulnerable and self-isolating individuals. We’re proud to support Meals on Wheels’ important work, now more than ever.

As Canada’s leading wealth management firm, RBC Wealth Management Canada is dedicated to helping our communities prosper and will be providing Canada Food Banks with a $150,000 donation in addition to the RBC Foundation gift of $500,000. Our Stratford Dominion Securities branch as donated $2000 to our local Meals on Wheels. This donation will help feed local residents facing financial struggles by providing fresh and perishable food.

 

Stratford General Hospital 

We’ve played a critical role in insuring the Stratford General Hospital has the equipment it needs when it needs it most! The 2018 Charity Golf Classic raised a whopping $20,000 and will go towards our new CT Scanner. Only $100,000 is left to raise towards this tremendous piece of equipment. This new scanner allows hospital staff to conduct more detailed, accurate exams at a much greater pace with 40-70% less radiation. Each year the hospital performs some 12,000 CT scans.

House of Blessing 

Rob and colleague Tyler Graham volunteering at the Stratford House of Blessing. They packed lunches for the Kids Zone Healthy Snack Packs program. With the $5000 donation from the Stratford office, the House of Blessing was able to carry on the program through 2018. The House of Blessing is an independent, non-profit charitable organization that is supported by caring individuals and businesses. It has been a fixture in the Stratford community for over 30 years and they provide the resources needed by those who struggle to make ends meet. Their primary focus is on food, children and clothing. 

Local Community Food Centre

Staff from our Stratford branch recently volunteered at the The Local Community Food Centre. The Local’s mantra is that everyone can benefit from learning how to cook healthy food from scratch on a tight budget, and how community gardening, low cost markets, and community meals can help promoting health and social inclusion. Their programs, staff, volunteers and community members reflect the belief that dignified access to healthy food is a right that should be fulfilled for everyone in Canada.

RBC Blue Water Project

10 years • $50 million • 773 partners.

Clean water is the foundation of a prosperous community.

The RBC Blue Water Project was an innovative 10-year global commitment to help provide access to drinkable, swimmable, fishable water now and for future generations. In 10 short years, RBC invested in organizations and programs that brought 2 million people to the water’s edge and made them realize that they were connected to water.

Most of the worlds population now lives in towns and cities, and this has significantly increased the strain on water resources in these areas. RBC will work to protect water in urbanized areas by funding projects that improve control and management of storm or rain water, raise awareness about or use low-impact design or natural systems to control storm or rain water, encourage more efficient use of water, and protect or restore urban waterways. To learn more about the RBC Blue Water project and to find many additional links please click here to enter.  Among the additional links there are pages on the Economics of Water, Taking Action and Supporting the Cause.

RBC Kids Pledge

Last year, RBC announced an historic, five-year, $100 million commitment to improve the well-being of one million kids and youth. The RBC Kids Pledge was not only the largest social commitment in our history, but also in the history of corporate Canada.

RBC has a longstanding history of supporting a wide-range of programs education, health, sports, career development, and financial literacy to help kids develop the skills to succeed. Events like our RBC Run/Race for the Kids are growing in popularity, raising more than $13 million for childrens charities around the world. Please click on the above link to learn more about RBC Kids Pledge, including the RBC programs Children's Mental Health Project, After School Program and Learn to Play
 

Stratford Community Food Centre

Recently my colleagues and I were fortunate enough to lend a hand at the Stratford Community Food Centre. We assisted with the after school program and got a first-hand look at what a great program they offer for the community.

RBC announces five-year, $100 million commitment to improve the well-being of one million kids and youth.

RBC Believe in Kids Pledge is largest single social commitment in RBC history; kicks off with $7.4 million in grants to 231 after school and children's mental health programs in Canada .