TORONTO,
June 29, 2016 /CNW/ - Sun Life
Financial is making a $100,000
donation to Egale Centre - Canada's first and Toronto's only facility that will combine the
counselling of Egale Youth Outreach with transitional and emergency
housing exclusively dedicated to serving homeless LGBTIQ2S
(lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex, queer, two-spirit) youth.
This contribution will be directed to programming that will assist
in helping to build mental health resiliency. Today's announcement
comes during Toronto's month-long
Pride festivies and just days before the city's annual Pride
parade, an event that attracts over one million individuals.
Egale Centre, opening in the fall of 2017, will provide 30
resident rooms, each with a private bathroom and shower. The
facility will be located at the corner of Dundas and Sherbourne
Streets, near the Church-Wellesley Village, in the heart of
Toronto's LGBTIQ2S community. The
centre will offer a range of support services, including: crisis
intervention, housing support, mental health counselling and
employment and education support. In Toronto, approximately one in four homeless
youth identify as LGBTIQ2S 1.
"We are pleased to be working with Egale Centre to create an
inclusive and safe community for our LGBTIQ2S youth.
Together, we can help provide them with the tools and
resources to positively impact their physical and mental health,"
said Melissa Kennedy, Executive
Vice-President, Chief Legal Officer & Public Affairs, Sun Life
Financial. "Sun Life strongly believes in the importance of
diversity, encouraging people to embrace their authenticity in
order to lead a brighter life."
Egale Centre is operated by Egale Canada Human Rights Trust,
Canada's only national charity promoting lesbian, gay, bisexual and
trans human rights through research, education and community
engagement.
"This financial support will be directly helping to improve the
lives of the most marginalized and vulnerable groups within the
LGBTIQ2S community," said Helen
Kennedy, Executive Director, Egale
Canada Human Rights Trust. "We want to provide youth with
the opportunities they deserve, removing barriers and encouraging
everyone to reach their full potential."
Sun Life is a proud ally of the LGBTIQ2S community and fosters
an inclusive work environment that encourages and values employees
to express their true self. Sun Life is also a member of Pride at
Work Canada. As a national partner, we foster a workplace culture
that recognizes LGBTQ employees as an important part of our diverse
workforce.
Follow the conversation on social media using the hashtag
#SunLifePride and #EgaleCentre.
About Sun Life Financial
Sun Life Financial is a leading international financial services
organization providing a diverse range of protection and wealth
products and services to individuals and corporate customers. Sun
Life Financial has operations in a number of markets worldwide,
including Canada, the United
States, the United Kingdom,
Ireland, Hong Kong, the
Philippines, Japan,
Indonesia, India, China,
Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of March
31, 2016, the Sun Life Financial group of companies had
total assets under management of $861
billion. For more information please visit
www.sunlife.com.
Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New
York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the
ticker symbol SLF.
About Egale
Egale Canada Human Rights Trust is Canada's only national charity
promoting lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex, queer, and
two-spirit (LGBTIQ2S) human rights through research, education and
community engagement. Egale's vision is a Canada free from
homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and all other forms of
discrimination, where every person can achieve their potential
unencumbered by hatred and bias.
__________________________
1 Egale 2012, "Not Under My Roof"
SOURCE Sun Life Financial Canada