North West launches foundation
Healthy Horizons aimed at youth
James McCarthy
Northern News Services
Friday, November 13, 2015
NUNAVUT
Retailer North West Company recently launched a new non-profit organization aimed at helping fund youth programs in communities located in Northern Canada.
A group of North West Walk and Run participants, ranging in age from two to 65 and many from Quluaq School, pose in front of one of the company's stores in Clyde River. The Northern retailer recently launched Healthy Horizons, a new foundation aimed at helping youth in Northern Canada. - photo courtesy of North West Company
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Business development director Derek Reimer said his company had been working on the creation of the Healthy Horizons Foundation for more than a year.
"We had identified it as something we wanted to launch for some time," he said.
Reimer said his organization wanted to expand its work in the North and picked this focus because of the significant need in many Northern communities.
"We're looking at developing programs and developing partnerships that will focus on preventative measures and have long-term benefits for the youth that we serve," he said. "We started participating in runs with Canadian Diabetes Foundation over 10 years ago and since that time we've moved going to focus on our support in much of Northern Canada where we serve our communities."
North West's president and CEO, Edward Kennedy, participated in his first marathon with Canadian Diabetes Association in 2002. Since then, Reimer said the company has sponsored more than 300 runners in the annual marathons, raising more than $4.2 million for Canadian Diabetes.
Three years ago, North West launched its own North West Run for Diabetes. Using funds raised by Northern and NorthMart staff and community members, the free event typically includes a 2.5 kilometre Kids Fun Run, a five kilometre walk and a five kilometre run for anyone wishing to participate. Since its launch, more than 26,000 people have participated in the fitness event.
In addition to diabetes, Reimer said the company wants to focus on promoting a healthy lifestyle through helping purchase fitness equipment, breakfast programs and community centres.
"Things that will get kids active," he said. "And start to foster important lifestyle choices that will make an impact on their long-term health."
Reimer said he expected a lot of interest in this newly available funding from the new foundation due to the company's current experience funding approximately 60 breakfast programs in the various communities it operates in.
"Many of them lack sustainable funding," he said. "A program like this may give them the opportunity to be able to have that funding available."
As for how it intends to finance Healthy Horizons, Reimer said North West has planned a marathon in Hilo, Hawaii.
"The plan right now is we have about 60 runners registered for that," he said. "Each runner will fundraise about $3,500 each. So that will generate approximately $200,000."
North West is also paying for all of the travel and related administrative costs.
"That way all of the funds raised through that marathon effort will be used to support programs in communities where we operate."
According to a news release, a community or organization must either be a registered charity in Canada or otherwise registered as a "qualified donee" as defined in the Income Tax Act in order to qualify for funding from the Healthy Horizons Foundation.
"The North West Company and Healthy Horizons have committed to assisting communities and organizations who currently do not qualify with the application process to become a qualified donee," the news release stated.
