– Inaugural JDRF-led initiative provides grants of $5,000 each for a total of $105,000 to cover tuition and book costs –
TORONTO, Ontario, September 12, 2019 – JDRF today released the names of the grant recipients awarded $5,000 each as part of the inaugural Boston Pizza Foundation Future Prospects Award Program for JDRF. Through the generous support of Boston Pizza Foundation Future Prospects, the national program will help students living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and their families with tuition and book costs as they pursue post-secondary education in a university, college, or trade school.
The Award Program is designed to recognize and instill confidence in young leaders, role models and mentors in the type 1 diabetes community as they further their education in their various fields of interest.
“On behalf of everyone at Boston Pizza I would like to congratulate this year’s grant recipients on their successful submissions for the Boston Pizza Foundation Future Prospects Award Program for JDRF to help further their educational pursuits,” adds Michelle Schepel, Executive Director at Boston Pizza Foundation Future Prospects. “Future Prospects believes in helping build leaders and mentors. We are proud to support each of these young leaders in the JDRF community with a $5,000 award to help alleviate some of the financial burden associated with their schooling so they can in turn focus on their studies while they continue to manage their T1D. My sincere congratulations to all the award winners”.
“We would like to congratulate this year’s grant recipients of the Boston Pizza Foundation Future Prospects Award Program for JDRF,” said Dave Prowten, President and CEO of JDRF Canada. “JDRF and Boston Pizza Foundation Future Prospects are thrilled to help young leaders of tomorrow get a financial head start by rewarding those who take that extra step as role models, leaders, and mentors to empower others while managing this challenging disease. We want to thank all of this year’s applicants for their interest in the program as we continue to find new, innovative, and meaningful ways to support Canada’s T1D community.”
Since the program launched earlier this year, JDRF received more than 120 applications from across Canada, demonstrating the incredible work young people are doing in the T1D community. Submissions were reviewed by a cross-functional volunteer selection committee who scored the applications using the rubric based on their contributions and impact on the T1D community.
The winners of the 2019 Award Program are:
Aleksandar Ivovic (Ontario)
Alexandre Machado-Gédéon (Quebec)
Audrey-Eve Bourdon Pépin (Quebec)
Austin Shawaga (Alberta)
Benjamin Robert Thorne (New Brunswick)
Brittany Vogt-Epp (Saskatchewan)
Brooks Roche (Prince Edward Island)
Evelyn Riddell (Ontario)
Josée Daigneault (Quebec)
Justin Vezina (Quebec)
Kaleb Dahlgren (Saskatchewan)
Kristen Eng (British Columbia)
Lianne Adair (Manitoba)
Madelyn Wells (Ontario)
Marley Greenberg (Ontario)
Maryna Ell (British Columbia)
Michael Thornton (Ontario)
Mitchell Aguinaga (Nova Scotia)
Nick Wall (British Columbia)
Oria Megan Chen James (Ontario)
Tyson Fiveland (Alberta)
The Award Program is designed to recognize and instill confidence in young leaders, role models, and mentors in the type 1 diabetes community as they further their education in their various fields of interest. The Program reflects JDRF’s comprehensive community engagement strategy committed to helping those living with T1D live healthier, easier, and safer lives until a cure is found.
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About JDRF Canada:
JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Our goal is to raise funds to support the most advanced international T1D research and progressively remove the impact of this disease from people’s lives – until we achieve a world without T1D. JDRF collaborates with a wide spectrum of partners and is the only organization with the scientific resources, regulatory influence, and a working plan to better treat, prevent, and eventually cure T1D. JDRF is the largest charitable supporter of T1D research. For more information, please visit jdrf.ca.
For more information:
Arielle Nkongmeneck
National Bilingual Marketing and Communications Specialist
JDRF Canada
Phone: 647-789-2000 ext. 2046
Email: ankongmeneck@jdrf.ca
About Boston Pizza:
Boston Pizza International Inc. is Canada’s No. 1 casual dining brand with more than 390 restaurants in Canada and more than $1 billion in sales. Annually, Boston Pizza serves more than 40 million guests. The company has been recognized as a Platinum Member of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies. Boston Pizza believes that strong role models inspire kids to be great, and in 2014, the Boston Pizza Foundation created Future Prospects to help support organizations that mentor kids to reach their full potential. Boston Pizza International Inc. is located in Richmond, B.C., and has regional offices in Mississauga, Ontario and Laval, Quebec. For more information, visit www.bostonpizza.com.
About Boston Pizza Foundation Future Prospects:
Boston Pizza Foundation Future Prospects was established in 2014 to raise funds and awareness for organizations that provide kids in Canada with role models and mentoring programs. Boston Pizza Foundation Future Prospects is proud to partner with Big Brothers Big Sisters, JDRF, Kids Help Phone, Live Different and the Rick Hansen Foundation. Since its inception in 1990, the Boston Pizza Foundation has raised and donated more than $29 million to directly improve the health and well-being of children and families.
For more information:
Michelle Schepel
Executive Director
Boston Pizza Foundation Future Prospects
Phone: 604-303-6375
Email: SchepelM@bostonpizza.com
