The Slaight Family Foundation commits $13 million to Canadian charities filling gaps left by USAID cuts Français
TORONTO, July 30, 2025 /CNW/ - The Slaight Family Foundation is donating $13 million over two years to 13 Canadian humanitarian organizations to help fill urgent gaps in global aid caused by major funding reductions from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The fallout has been immediate and devastating: child protection services have been shuttered, recruitment of children by armed groups is on the rise and food and health aid has been severely reduced.
According to UNICEF, USAID supplied 90 per cent of all ready-to-use therapeutic food, a critical tool in saving children's lives from malnutrition, that was distributed for treatment in Ethiopia in 2024. Save the Children has seen a 25 per cent decline in global funding, threatening access to clean water, reproductive health care, education and gender-based violence prevention.
"Several Canadian organizations are delivering lifesaving international aid in crisis zones like Bangladesh, Yemen and South Sudan, and they need support now more than ever," said Gary Slaight, President and CEO of The Slaight Family Foundation. "We hope this funding will help sustain access to health care, food, education and protection for the world's most vulnerable."
All 13 recipient organizations are Canadian-led or Canadian-supported, reinforcing Canada's leadership in global humanitarian response and international cooperation.
"These cuts are happening at a time when global needs have never been greater," said Dr. Samantha Nutt, Founder and President of War Child Canada. "Without swift action, we risk losing an entire generation to violence, displacement and preventable suffering. This support from The Slaight Family Foundation is a powerful reminder that Canadian philanthropy can lead where others have stepped back."
The Slaight Family Foundation's NGO Initiative Recipients:
Please see summary descriptions of the various projects here and join the conversation and help amplify this important initiative on social media using #SlaightInitiative and #SupportCanadianNGOs.
About The Slaight Family Foundation
The Slaight Family Foundation was established in 2008 by John Allan Slaight. Allan Slaight (1931-2021), known as Canada's broadcast pioneer, was a leader in the music industry and a prominent Canadian philanthropist. The Foundation proactively supports charitable initiatives in the areas of healthcare, at-risk youth, international development, social services and culture. Allan's son, Gary Slaight, oversees the foundation as President & CEO, The Slaight Family Foundation.
Including this gift, the Foundation has committed over $293M to 14 unique strategic initiatives since its inception. These initiatives include $50 million to five downtown Toronto hospitals to improve health services; $22 million for two initiatives with international NGOs to increase their capacity to address global poverty, the human rights of women and girls, and major diseases and disasters; $11 million to support the healthy development of Canadian children; $12 million to improve the physical, mental and social well-being of Canada's Indigenous youth; $40 million for emergency food security, mental health supports and research related to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; $15 million to support Canadian women and girls; $30 million for community-based seniors initiatives; $15 million to support the revitalization of Toronto's theatre community; $26.5 million to support youth experiencing mental health issues; $30 million for those suffering from dementia; $30 million to support people living with disabilities; and $13 million to provide emergency support to Canadian NGOs serving the world's most vulnerable countries.
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