Philanthropy has always been an exceedingly big part of Baker Tilly's brand philosophy, but recently they have revised their outreach to concentrate on contributing funding and employee engagement opportunities with two registered charities; their past commitments have included more than 40.
In a step underscoring its dedication to social impact and streamline its charitable contributions, Baker Tilly Toronto and Vancouver has recently committed to five-year partnerships with BC Children’s Hospital Foundation (BCCHF) British Columbia and SickKids Foundation in support of The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto, Canada’s most research-intensive medical facility and the country’s largest centre dedicated to improving children's health.
"Baker Tilly is delighted to partner with BCCHF and SickKids Foundation and support its ground-breaking work with children across Canada," says Paul Websdale, managing partner at Baker Tilly Toronto and Vancouver. "This is an important cause that touches all of us. Children are our future."
For Baker Tilly, these collaborations represent more than philanthropy — they're an investment in the next generation's future, with a dedication to giving back to the communities it serves.
These partnerships reflect Baker Tilly's long-standing dedicated efforts to meaningful community involvement, as the firm operates under Baker Tilly Canada — a coast-to-coast network of member firms and one of Canada’s largest associations of chartered professional accounting firms.
"Supporting BCCHF and SickKids aligns with our values of building strong, healthy communities," says Websdale. "These partnerships are a meaningful way for us to help shape the future of our regions and invest in the lives of its youngest members."
The key to ensure funds are allocated to address the needs of greatest urgency, Baker Tilly's gifts are unrestricted, rather than tied to any specific programs, which gives both BCCHF and SickKids the flexibility to direct resources toward areas such as acute care, equipment purchases, innovative research, education and vital support services that assist patients and families during their most challenging times.
As B.C.'s only hospital devoted exclusively to the care of children and youth, BCCHF offers help and support to one million kids – including some of the sickest and most seriously injured children in the province – who rely on the hospital for specialized care they would struggle to find anywhere else.
Precision Child Health is a movement at SickKids that aims to understand each child’s health by integrating all the information they share about themselves – from their genetic code to their postal code – to provide individualized care that attends to their unique characteristics. Its ultimate goal is to diagnose faster, treat smarter and predict better.
Websdale adds, "We are excited for our organizations to work together, building a brighter future for the communities where we live, work and play."
Further to their philanthropic endeavours with children's health care, near and dear to the firm is their volunteer contributions with The Dugout, a nondenominational charitable organization serving residents of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.
Each day, about 200 people enjoy their first hot meal of the day, seven days a week, provided and served by the Dugout staff. In addition to those breakfasts, several times a year, 15 Baker Tilly members lend their services on-site to prepare and distribute the food for 180 lunches.
"It's something we're very much involved with, and provides our team an opportunity to make a local impact and contribute to the well-being of the Downtown Eastside community."
For more information, visit bakertilly.ca.
