The TD Ready Challenge supports organizations taking steps to mitigate the effects of climate change on Canadian communities

In an ever-changing world, TD Bank Group (TD) is committed to helping create the conditions for everyone to have the chance to succeed.

Through the TD Ready Commitment, the bank's corporate citizenship platform, TD has pledged to spend $1 billion in community giving by 2030.

A key component to delivering on that promise is the TD Ready Challenge, an annual initiative that awards $1-million grants to Canadian and American organizations offering innovative, impactful and measurable solutions to a different problem statement each year that is connected to one of the four drivers of the TD Ready Commitment: Financial Security, Vibrant Planet, Connected Communities and Better Health.

The 2022 TD Ready Challenge asked for applications from not-for-profits and charitable organizations focused on supporting solutions designed to help people and communities who may be disproportionately affected by climate change -- to prepare for, adapt to, and help mitigate the potential impacts of climate change and to work towards a transition to a low-carbon economy.

"Promoting a more inclusive and sustainable future is core to our purpose as an organization and we are focused on helping our customers, colleagues and communities thrive in a rapidly changing world, " said Janice Farrell Jones, Senior Vice President, Sustainability and Corporate Citizenship, TD Bank Group. "Through the 2022 TD Ready Challenge, we are helping to enable organizations with promising new ideas to address the transition to a low-carbon economy and help support communities that are most affected by climate change."

From the hundreds of not-for-profit and charitable organizations that applied to address the 2022 TD Ready Challenge problem statement, ten were selected for a grant, including Skills for Change of Metro Toronto, a registered charity that provides services and programs to immigrants and refugees.  

“We are so elated to be a grant recipient because we will be able to make an impact across five communities in the Greater Toronto Area, so we are just overwhelmed with joy,” admits Surranna Sandy, CEO of Skills for Change.

Sandy says the grant money will help the organization to expand their current youth climate awareness program, allowing Skills for Change to reach even more youth in underserved communities.

“We have a pilot project in one of the lower income areas in Toronto -- Jane and Finch -- for youth reading. We are teaching young people about climate change, climate action, and how they can build stronger communities,” she explains.

“This grant allows us to scale up the work that we we're doing in that community. In particular, we have been able to mobilize a lot more youth to understand how climate change impacts the community, how they can take action, develop their leadership skills, and really bring broader awareness of the impact of climate around health and well-being and sustainability. The grant from TD will allow us to do that. We will be able to support 200 youth across the Greater Toronto Region.”

Sandy says the funds will go towards supporting youth-led initiatives, including planting trees, creating urban gardens and green spaces, educational tours and the development of a magazine and newsletter on climate issues.

“This grant from TD is so valuable in building community capacity and providing support for projects that we are working on to help make real, measurable change in communities and sustainable community developments,” Sandy says.

To learn more about the TD Ready Challenge and see a list of the 2022 grant recipients, visit td.com/readychallenge.