Over 200 Canadian hedge fund and financial services professionals and supporters gathered at the Spoke Club in Toronto on 4 November for the 11th annual "Open Your Hearts to the Children Gala".
The special fundraising evening organised by Hedge Funds Care/Help for Children Canada (HFCC) raised nearly CAD200,000 for the prevention and treatment of child abuse. This brings the amount the annual event has raised to date to more than CAD1.7 million. The funds raised are allocated to local charities and organisations that focus on child abuse prevention and treatment.
"Once again the hedge fund and broader financial services industry in Canada showed its true philanthropic colours – raising both money and awareness for this very important and unfortunately often-overlooked cause," says HFCC president and director Corey Goldman. "The dollars raised continue to allow us to fund programs and research that otherwise wouldn't be able to operate."
All of the funds raised through the Hedge Funds Care Gala are distributed through grants to local, community-based organisations devoted to preventing child abuse. This is accomplished through education, prevention, intervention, research, advocacy and training programmes.
Attendees were treated to premium Italian beer courtesy of sponsor Peroni, as well as customised culinary creations from renowned Spoke Club in-house Chef Ren Mercer. Polar Securities, one of the gala sponsors, was presented with the annual "Award for Caring" for its consistent support to HFCC over the years.
The 2013 grant recipients were Native Family and Child Service, Child Development Institute, Kids Help Phone and Boost. To date more than 44 grants have been awarded to organisations across the country.
Sara Yarmand of Canada Pension Plan Investment Board who, along with Michelle Peng of Front Street Capital and Laura Reid of KPMG served as this year's event co-chairs, acknowledged the hedge fund community's "overwhelming response to the gala and the cause it supports."
They also expressed gratitude for the generous support of the Committee of Hearts as well as the Gala sponsors, including Arrow Capital Management, CIBC, Citco Canada, Deloitte Canada, Picton Mahoney Asset Management, Scotia Capital, Sprott Asset Management, TD Securities, and many others.
