Royal Bank donates $10,000 to Ignite Foundation in Oshawa for students facing financial barriers

The Ignite Learning Durham Foundation and the students it supports are $10,000 richer after the Royal Bank chipped in with a donation to help support Durham District School Board (DDSB) students who face financial barriers.

Representatives from the foundation and the bank were on hand at the Village Union Make a Difference Depot in Oshawa to accept the donation.

“Every gift the IDLF receives makes a difference and provides children and youth with the opportunity to reach their full potential,” said Ignite Durham Learning Foundation Chair Neil Joshi. “I want to thank RBC for their generous support addressing equity challenges within our communities. This foundation has already provided tangible benefits to DDSB students in its first year, and we are looking forward to building on this close partnership to reach IDLF’s goals.”

Donations to the IDLF provide food; cover field trip and extra-curricular activity costs; purchase school supplies, clothing, and bus passes; support preschool success programs and graduating students applying to post-secondary education. RBC’s donation will help to remove financial barriers to create equitable opportunities for all students across the district.

Thirty-six of the 137 schools in the DDSB’s jurisdiction are considered ‘high priority’ and 16,000 students – more than 21 per cent of the entire student population – are living at or below the poverty line.

The IDLF received official charitable status in May 2021, and since then has been working to ensure that every student has nutritious food at lunch and snacks, is dressed for the weather, has access to life-changing programs, and can find success in post-secondary education.