May 07 2015
Pacific Autism Family Foundation’s Founder Wendy Lisogar-Cocchia displays a $75,000 presentation cheque from TD Bank Group’s Stephen Vermette.
April 22, 2015 http://www.pacificautismfamily.com/newsblog/
Left to Right: David Sam, Bill Cunningham, Silken Laumann, David ‘Patch’ Patchell-Evans, Tygre Patchell-Evans, Chris Appleby, Wendy Lisogar-Cocchia, Stephen Vermette, Leah Iverson
RICHMOND, BC – The Pacific Autism Family Foundation today announced that TD Bank Group made a $75,000 donation to its capital campaign for its new “Hub and Spoke” Modeled Centre that will be located in Richmond.
“I am so excited to accept this donation from TD Bank Group” says Pacific Autism Family Foundation Founder Wendy Lisogar-Cocchia. “This is an especially meaningful day because we have just been told that construction on the GoodLife Fitness Autism Family Hub is slated to begin next week, with a June 2016 completion date. After six years of planning, families on the autism spectrum and related disorders can finally see their hope become reality. This would never have been possible without our government, community and corporate partners such as GoodLife Fitness, and now TD Bank Group. Sergio and I and the entire autism community offer our heartfelt thanks”.
“TD is proud to be one of the partners who will be working to make the Goodlife Fitness Autism Family Hub a reality,” said Stephen Vermette, Vice President, TD Bank Group. “TD and its employees provide support to numerous charities and non-profit organizations across BC including the Pacific Autism Family Foundation, which is close to our hearts and is enhancing the wellbeing of the community.”
Also on hand to commemorate the occasion were naming Donors, David ‘Patch’ Patchell- Evans, Founder & CEO of GoodLife Fitness, and his wife Silken Laumann who are parents with a child on the autism spectrum. Patch says, “Having a child on the spectrum can be incredibly challenging, especially if you don’t know where to turn to for care and support. Having a network in place that will be a one-stop shop for knowledge and information will be extremely beneficial and is long overdue, to help those in need. British Columbia is a leader and innovator in this area and we are a glad to be a passionate supporter of this vision. Silken and I are also extremely grateful that TD Bank Group has joined us in this very important and hopeful journey.”
About Pacific Autism Family Foundation
With Pacific Autism Family Foundation, we are creating a hub and spoke network where children and families facing the challenges of autism can access information, treatment, research and support. GoodLife Fitness recently committed $5 million and is the naming donor of the hub. The GoodLife Fitness Autism Family Hub and Pacific Autism Family Foundation will serve Autism and related disorders, including developmental disabilities, and learning challenges. It will also provide lifespan support; Autism affects 1 in 68 children, and 1 in 42 boys. With 69,000 people on Autism spectrum living in BC, and 80 children diagnosed every month in the province, this is a much-needed initiative for BC families. The project will focus on serving families across BC with a navigator program and collaboration with other organizations
About TD Community Giving
TD Bank Group invests in communities in order to effect positive change in the places where it operates and where its customers and employees live and work. In 2014, TD donated more than $82 million to community organizations in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In Canada, TD focuses on education and financial literacy, creating opportunities for young people and the environment. For further information, please visit www.td.com/corporate-responsibility