Celebrating our YMCA City Builders: The Barrett Family Foundation
YMCA City Builders are philanthropic leaders who have generously given 1 million dollars or more to date to the YMCA of Greater Toronto. On June 5,2024, we proudly honoured The Barrett Family Foundation as they were inducted into our growing circle of esteemed YMCA City Builders. Read their 2024 induction citation here to learn about the incredible impact they are making possible.
Since it was founded in 2013, The Barrett Family Foundation has developed a reputation for catalyzing significant societal impact by supporting a small number of carefully selected charitable and education sector partners. In 2024, the Foundation has included our YMCA among them, with a multi-year gift that is both humbling and monumental. Over the next few years, the Foundation will offer transformative support to five evidence-based, high-demand YMCA of Greater Toronto youth programs, not only across the GTA, but also provincially and nationally, benefitting tens of thousands of young people.
Their commitment will build equity for Black youth in the GTA facing systemic barriers through the Black Achievers Mentorship Program, and transform offerings and fill crucial gaps in our newcomer and refugee youth group and internship programs. It will broaden our Youth for Entrepreneurship program to reach more diverse youth nationally. It will accelerate the development of an innovative, online career exploration game for a wide demographic of education-disconnected youth across Canada. Finally, it will expand our financial literacy programming across the GTA and nationally, including for youth in our GTA shelter and transitional housing programs.
It is our distinct pleasure to thank Bob Barrett, Francine Rouleau-Barrett, and the rest of the Barrett board for this extraordinary investment, and to recognize the Barrett Family Foundation as a YMCA City Builder.
Thank you to our YMCA City Builders and all of our donors for your spirit of giving. Together, you are building vibrant communities where everyone can shine! To read about some of our other donors and their impact, visit ymcagta.org/Donors.
