RBC $20,000 Grant Recognizes Lutherwood’s Work

Waterloo, September 30, 2011 — RBC today announced that Lutherwood is one of 108 organizations from across the country to receive an RBC Children’s Mental Health Grant. Lutherwood will receive $20,000 to help expand their Children’s Mental Health Centre to accommodate specialized treatment programs. RBC’s donation is part of a larger $1.5 million commitment to Children’s Mental Health programs across Ontario South West.

The RBC Children’s Mental Heath Project is a multi-year philanthropic commitment to programs that reduce stigma, provide early intervention and increase public awareness about children’s mental health issues. One in five Canadians will experience mental illness during their lifetime and many of these disorders begin in childhood or adolescence.

“At RBC, we are passionate about helping our communities and one of our key focuses is supporting mental health related causes. We want to give youngsters a great start so that they are able to cope and live productive lives” said Jane Black, RBC’s Regional Vice President for Greater Waterloo. “We are thrilled to be partnering with organizations that do so much for our youth in the Windsor Region and this donation will help us achieve that goal.”

“Every year, children in our community struggle to cope with mental health challenges,” said Donna Buchan, Director of Development for Lutherwood Child and Family Foundation. “Last year, we began an exciting $6 million transformation of our Children’s Mental Health Centre to ensure we had a building that supports modern treatment approaches. RBC Foundation’s generous support of this project is greatly appreciated and will help us help troubled children who turn to us in need of our support.”

About RBC Children’s Mental Health

The RBC Children’s Mental Health Project is the cornerstone of RBC’s ‘health and wellness” donations program. Since 2009, RBC has donated more than $5.7 million to over 100 community-based and hospital programs across Canada. Grant applications will be accepted year-round from eligible organizations. For more information, visit www.rbc.com/childrensmentalhealth.

Recognized among the world's financial, social and environmental leaders, RBC is one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers, one of Canada's 50 Most Socially Responsible Corporations and one of the Best Workplaces in Canada. In 2010, RBC contributed more than $105 million to community causes worldwide, through donations of more than $52.6 million, and an additional $52.5 million in sponsorship of community events and national organizations.

About Lutherwood

Lutherwood is a not-for-profit organization that provides a wide range of children’s mental health, employment, housing and family counselling services to more than 20,000 people annually in Waterloo Region and Wellington County.