s Erin O’Brien was preparing to make her way downtown to participate in her first 5K Charity Challenge at the Scotiabank Waterfront Toronto Marathon (STWM) with the Hope for Children Foundation (HFC) Team, she was excited and confident about doing well in the race. Months of training and fundraising led up to the event—a 12,000-person walk/run starting at the Toronto Exhibition Centre and finishing at City Hall in support of local charities. Erin did very well in the 5K race, finishing 12th out of approximately 300 runners in her age group, and she was the 3rd highest fundraiser on the HFC Team raising $2,685!

Christmas 2009 was another record-breaking year for our Adopt-a-Family program, with over 900 families served! More than 2,600 children saw their wishes come true with support from 500 family and corporate employee groups who participated in the program.

In August 2009, nearly 100 youth came one step closer to achieving their educational aspirations when they received scholarships valued at more than $195,000 from the Hope for Children Foundation.

When Mary Catherine O’Brien’s son died in a tragic accident, she and her family saw a chance to turn a sad loss into an opportunity to help others. The family decided to establish the Matthew O’Brien Memorial Scholarship through the Hope for Children Foundation (HFC) to honour their son’s memory.

Preston was admitted to foster care at the age of 13 after concerns about his care were reported to CCAS because of his mother’s schizophrenia. His mother would keep him out of school for days at a time because she feared for his safety. As a result, Preston began to feel isolated, frustrated and confused. But even through the toughest times in his life, he remained hopeful and determined to succeed. With the support of his foster family, CCAS worker and a scholarship from the Hope for Children Foundation, Preston was able to achieve his dream of becoming a graphic designer.

The Christmas season was fast approaching and Marg and Allan Skinner, owners of The Office Source Solutions Inc. were considering how to celebrate the holidays with their employees. In previous years, they hosted a formal dinner, but this year, more than ever, Marg and Allan wanted to provide their employees with a more meaningful celebration. The couple discussed it with their employees and all agreed to forego the traditional company Christmas dinner, and instead donate the money to children and families living with serious financial challenges.