Well over 150 Canadian hedge fund and financial services industry professionals and supporters gathered at The Storys Building in Toronto on October 29 for the 12th annual “Open Your Hearts to the Children” gala.
The special fundraising evening organised by Hedge Funds Care/Help for Children Canada (HFCC) raised nearly CAD250,000 for the prevention and treatment of child abuse. To date, this annual event has now raised more than CAD2.3 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 programs.
Attendees were treated to an evening of fine food, premium Italian beer courtesy of sponsor Peroni, and a wonderful silent auction. Sprott Asset Management, lead sponsor of the gala, was presented with a special award recognising the firm's support of HFCC for more than 10 years.
The 2014 grant recipients were Native Family and Child Service, Child Development Institute, East Metro Youth Services, Kids Help Phone and Boost. To date more than 49 grants have been awarded to organisations across the country.
Laura Reid of KPMG who, along with Lindsay Artkin of Aston Hill Financial and Kim Yeung of Kensington Capital Partners, served as co-chair of this year’s event and acknowledged the hedge fund community’s “overwhelming response to the gala and the cause it supports.”
“Our efforts would not be possible without the incredible support and generosity of our sponsors, including lead sponsor Sprott Asset Management as well as Scotiabank, Citco Canada, Arrow Capital Management, Deloitte Canada, Picton Mahoney Asset Management, Polar Securities, TD Securities, and many others,” says Reid.
