TORONTO, ON–Today, on International Day of Persons with Disabilities, a day to celebrate the vast contributions and achievements of people with disabilities, the CNIB Foundation received a gift of $700,000 from Scotiabank to help create a brighter future for youth with sight loss in the Greater Toronto Area.
For youth who are blind or partially sighted, moving through early adulthood can bring unique challenges on a practical, emotional and social level. Scotiabank’s support will help the CNIB Foundation develop and expand programming to ensure young people with sight loss reach their infinite potential through every stage of their education, fuel their ambitions and champion their equal participation in the world of work.
“Only 65 per cent of youth who are blind or partially sighted graduate from high school. We know that education drives employment outcomes, but youth with sight loss need the right support to thrive in school and prepare them for meaningful careers,” says Suzanne Decary-van den Broek, Executive Director, CNIB Foundation Ontario South (GTA). “With Scotiabank’s commitment, CNIB will be able to expand our programming and arm more youth who are blind or partially sighted with the skills, confidence and opportunities they need to become the leaders of tomorrow.”
In addition to this transformative gift, Scotiabank will also host a Youth and Money interactive workshop, which gives students an opportunity to visit the Scotiabank Digital Factory in Toronto, to hone their financial and digital literacy skills alongside leaders in digital accessibility. This workshop seeks to uncover insights about Scotiabank’s young customers with disabilities, hoping to plant the seed that developing financial literacy at an early age sets them up for success.
“Scotiabank is dedicated to supporting the success of young people for the long-term,” says Permpreet Sidhu, Vice President Performance & Inclusion, Scotiabank. “Young people are our future leaders and Scotiabank’s goal is to help ensure that they have the necessary skills and resources they need to support their success. Through this investment, young people will have the opportunity to test and directly impact the accessibility of our mobile banking app.”
Did you know? The unemployment rate for persons with sight loss is triple the Canadian general unemployment rate.
About the CNIB Foundation
Founded in 1918, the CNIB Foundation is a non-profit organization driven to change what it is to be blind today. We deliver innovative programs and powerful advocacy that empower people impacted by blindness to live their dreams and tear down barriers to inclusion. Our work as a blind foundation is powered by a network of volunteers, donors and partners from coast to coast to coast. To learn more or get involved, visit cnib.ca.
About Scotiabank
At Scotiabank, we aim to support organizations that are committed to helping young people reach their infinite potential. Young people are our future leaders and Scotiabank’s goal is to help ensure that they have the necessary skills and resources they need to support their success. Together with our employees, the Bank supports causes at a grassroots level. Recognized as a leader for our charitable donations and philanthropic activities, in 2018, Scotiabank contributed more than $80 million to help our communities around the world.
Scotiabank is a leading bank in Canada and a leading financial services provider in the Americas. We are here for every future. We help our customers, their families and their communities achieve success through a broad range of advice, products and services, including personal and commercial banking, wealth management and private banking, corporate and investment banking, and capital markets. With a team of more than 100,000 employees and assets of over $1 trillion (as at October 31, 2019), Scotiabank trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: BNS) and New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BNS). For more information, please visit http://www.scotiabank.com and follow us on Twitter @ScotiabankViews.
About International Day of Persons with Disabilities
International Day of Persons with Disabilities is a United Nations sanctioned day celebrated internationally on 3 December each year. For more information, visit the UN’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities website.
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