Toyota Canada Foundation Announces Funding for Actua at Home
Media Release
Ottawa, ON, July 9, 2020
Today, the Toyota Canada Foundation announced a $150,000 grant in support of Actua’s COVID19-response program, Actua at Home.
This additional investment will contribute to remote (online and offline) science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programming for youth, especially underserved youth, across Canada.
“This additional support from the Toyota Canada Foundation has come at a critical time for Actua,” said Jennifer Flanagan, CEO, Actua. “We are incredibly grateful to have extra support for the delivery of remote STEM programming and materials to underserved youth in a time while we are unable to deliver programs in person.”
Launched in April in response to COVID-19, Actua at Home is a compilation of remote STEM learning initiatives by Actua and its network of 40 university and college based members. These include, but are not limited to, the delivery of hands-on STEM kits for approximately 1,000 Indigenous youth, as well as online STEM camps and workshops reaching 5,500 youth across Canada.
“As learning has shifted from the classroom to the household, children and youth without the proper digital tools and educational resources are being left behind and it’s becoming more difficult for the marginalized in our communities to get ahead in STEM as these groups are already underrepresented,” said Toyota Canada Foundation Board Member, Leslie Miller. “Toyota Canada Foundation is focused on programs that reach out to and support these kids, and we commend Actua for pivoting so quickly to continue to reach and engage them in STEM education experiences as they adapt to this new reality.” Actua at Home also includes a weekly publication on Actua’s website that features a curation of STEM learning resources for parents and their kids to do at home.
About Actua
Actua is Canada’s largest science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) youth outreach network representing 40 university and college based members. Each year, Actua’s growing network of member organizations reach over 300,000 young Canadians in 500 communities nationwide. Actua focuses on the engagement of underrepresented youth through specialized programs for Indigenous youth, girls and young women, at-risk youth and youth living in Northern and remote communities. Its national InSTEM program reaches over 35,000 Indigenous youth per year in over 200 Indigenous communities. Actua’s major funding partners include: Government of Canada, Google.org, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), RBC Foundation, Suncor Energy Foundation, TD Bank Group, Toyota Canada Foundation, Finning Canada, Microsoft Canada, Imperial, Lockheed Martin Canada.
Contact Information
Kaitlynn Carroll, Senior Manager, Partner Relations, Actua
111 Murray Street, Ottawa ON K1N 5M5
Tel: (613) 234 4137 Fax: 613 234 4779
E-mail: kaitlynn.carroll@actua.ca
Web: www.actua.ca
Sheri Helman, Corporate Communications Consultant, Toyota Canada Inc.
E-mail: sheri_helman@toyota.ca
Tel : (416) 438 6320 x 2086