Rossy Family Foundation
The Rossy Family Foundation has taken a leadership role in supporting health and wellness for post-secondary students at U of T and across Canada.
The Rossy Family Foundation is a Montréal-based philanthropic foundation that funds initiatives in health care, mental health, education, the arts and Canadian civil society. Established by Larry Rossy, the Chairman Emeritus of Dollarama Inc., the Foundation has made major donations to a variety of health-care and cultural institutions in Québec and nationally. Notably, the Foundation established the Rossy Cancer Network in Montreal in 2012.
The Foundation is also a significant contributor to mental health initiatives in post-secondary settings, including a collaborative investment with Bell Let’s Talk to create a national standard for post-secondary student mental health to support student success on college and university campuses across Canada.
At the University of Toronto, the Foundation has made two significant grants to support the health and wellness of U of T’s students. The Foundation’s sustained support has helped realize a wholesale change in the way U of T addresses mental health challenges among students. It now follows a proactive public health approach in which faculty, staff and students are educated, trained and empowered to promote health and wellness throughout the University. The Foundation’s support has also helped U of T offer more timely access to mental health supports that are the best fit for each student’s needs. Previous grants from the Foundation have included support for University College, Massey College and the Rotman School of Management.
Support from the Rossy Family Foundation has also enabled the launch of the Best Practices Network in Higher Education, together with national partners University of Toronto, Queen’s University and McGill University. The network has emerged as an important hub for post-secondary mental health professionals across Canada.
Set against a backdrop of growing rates of mental health issues among post-secondary students, the Foundation’s support is having tremendous impact on vulnerable students at U of T and across the country.