Canada's largest financial institution continues its focus on the mental
health and wellness of children and families
TORONTO, July 24, 2013 /CNW/ - RBC Foundation today announced a $500,000
two-year commitment to Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Canada,
the official charity partner for the 2013 RBC Canadian Open.
"We are proud to partner with Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada to
support the mental health and well-being of the families of seriously
ill children," said Dave McKay, Group Head, Personal and Commercial
Banking, RBC. "For more than 20 years, we have worked with Ronald
McDonald Houses across the country and today's announcement will help
provide the resources and support families need physically, emotionally
and mentally when they are facing the most challenging time in their
lives."
The donation will be used to advance the support, resources and
knowledge around the mental health and well-being of the thousands of
families with seriously ill children that stay at the 14 Ronald
McDonald Houses across Canada each year.
"We are truly grateful for the support this grant provides to Ronald
McDonald Houses and the families we serve across the country," said
Cathy Loblaw, President and CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities
Canada. "The Houses support the well-being of the families of sick
children simply by being there for them at this most challenging time
in their lives. As pioneers of family-centred care, this grant will
allow Ronald McDonald Houses to continue to advance and evolve their
knowledge, support and expertise in the care of families, with an
enhanced understanding of their mental health and well-being."
Research shows that the families go through intense stress and anxiety
when their child is hospitalized for a serious illness. Often, the
siblings of the sick child also experience stress and feelings of
neglect due to the parent's increased focus on the sick child, which
can result in symptoms of depression. By providing a home away from
home for these families, Ronald McDonald Houses help ease their
emotional burden during these difficult times.
RBC Foundation has been a longstanding supporter of Ronald McDonald
Houses across Canada for more than 20 years, having committed over $1.3
million to help children and families of sick kids. This donation is a
further demonstration of RBC's commitment and leadership role in the
advancement of children's health and well-being. The RBC Children's
Mental Health Project has provided more than $16 million to hundreds of
organizations dedicated to providing early intervention, increasing
public awareness and reducing the stigma of mental illness.
The first Canadian Ronald McDonald House opened in Toronto in 1981 to
help families of seriously ill children stay close to their child while
undergoing treatment at the hospital. The Ronald McDonald House network
has now grown to 14 Houses and will serve approximately 20,000 families
annually by 2014. The Houses allow families to stay together and lean
on each other for emotional support during this difficult time, as well
as providing family essentials such as a temporary home away from home,
meals, laundry facilities and even school support.
ABOUT RONALD MCDONALD CHARITIES® (RMHC®) CANADA
In 1982, Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada was founded to be the
everlasting organization of support for Ronald McDonald Houses and
their programs in Canada. Ronald McDonald Houses provide a home away
from home for out of town families with sick children being treated at
a nearby hospital. Today, 14 Ronald McDonald Houses serve more than
10,000 families each year, and will be serving 20,000 families across
Canada by 2014. Completing our circle of support for Canadians is the
Ronald McDonald Family Room® program providing an oasis of calm and
support right inside the walls of the Hospital. Today there are nine
Family Rooms across Canada as well as the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile™
program. For more information, visit www.rmhc.ca.
RBC GOLF
RBC proudly supports golf around the world through high profile
relationships with the PGA TOUR and Golf Canada. RBC is the Official
Banking and Financial Services partner of touring professionals Luke
Donald, Brandt Snedeker, Graeme McDowell, Hunter Mahan, Matt Kuchar,
Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Mike Weir, Stephen Ames, and Morgan Pressel. As
the title sponsor of both the RBC Heritage and the RBC Canadian Open,
RBC also supports emerging Canadian golfers through Golf Canada's
grassroots developmental programming, their Canadian Amateur Golf
Championships and high performance national team. RBC is one of North
America's leading diversified financial services companies and among
the largest banks in the world, as measured by market capitalization.
SOURCE: RBC
