Ukrainian Canadian Care Centre Receives Largest-ever Donation

By John Pidkowich

In Toronto’s west district of Etobicoke, on Saturday, June 16, over 400 patrons, guests and members of the community gathered at the Ukrainian Canadian Care Centre with its residents, families, volunteers, staff and management for a ceremonial groundbreaking and blessing. The “Home with a Heart Campaign” was jump started by a $1.5 million gift from philanthropists Ian Ihnatowycz, President and CEO of Acuity Investments Management Inc. and his wife, optometrist Dr. Marta Witer. To date, this gift is the largest known single donation to a Ukrainian Canadian organization.

In a press release issued by the Ukrainian Canadian Care Centre... “Marta’s and Ian’s leadership and generosity towards philanthropic causes, including the Home with Heart Campaign, are exemplary. Their donation allows us to begin construction to enhance the Centre to expand our high quality care for seniors,” said James Temerty, Co-Chair, Home with a Heart Campaign and Chairman of Northland Power. “Ian and Marta are great philanthropists in our community and in Canada. We are honoured to have them as our top donors, community leaders and friends.”

The Ihnatowycz's transformational gift will be celebrated by naming the Welcome Pavilion in recognition of their parents Theodosi and  Luba Ihnatowycz who had a great influence on their lives.

The Ihanatowycz Witer donation brings the Home with a Heart Campaign to $5 million. This milestone attains the 60% mark of the capital campaign target of $8 million, justifying the breaking of new ground.

Home with a Heart Campaign Patron Eugene N. Melnyk has provided for the Care Centre’s on-site Melnyk Family Memorial Chapel which is now operational and hosts Ukrainian Catholic and Ukrainian Orthodox pastoral services.

The first phase of the $15 million “Home with a Heart Campaign” will raise $8 million to complete the fourth floor leading edge secure home for seniors with behaviour management care needs due to cognitive disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer’s. Ontario Ministers Donna Cansfield (MPP – Etobicoke Centre) and George Smitherman (Minister of Health) 18 months ago announced $1.5 million in funding for the 32 bed secure care unit which was the “shot-in-the-arm” to propel the community into fundraising activities and to expand and upgrade the existing facility including increased elevator capacity and on-floor dining rooms in a new four story tower. James Temerty stated that since the announcement, “significant and most kind donations have been made which inspired us (as campaign organizers) to re-double our efforts in pursuit of our campaign goals.” The following were publicly recognized and thanked by Temerty: The Wrzesnewskyj Family and the Dopomoha Ukraina Foundation with the Buduchnist Credit Union Foundation for their gift of $1.5 million; the CIBC and Senior VP Victor Dovgyj for $75,000; George Myhal and Nadia Jacyk for their pledges of $50,000 each, Zenon Potichnyj and his wife, Sonia Iwasykiw for $50,000 and; Eugene and Luba Zaraska for their $50,000 pledge. Temerty also shared with the audience that under the leadership of the Care Centre’s Board Past President, Irene Holubiec and new Board President, Victor Lishchyna, the Board members have been canvassed and opened their hearts and wallets to collect an aggregate sum well into six digits and still climbing. Temerty remains confident that the Campaign, which he co-chairs with Ihnatowycz, is going forward to secure the remaining $3 million for the capital component. Other pledges will be announced at an appropriate time in the future.

The second phase of the “Home with a Heart” Campaign is to raise $7 million, $3 million of which is an endowment fund, another $3 million for debt reduction and $1 million for on-site supervision of fundraising and furnishing expenses. “The endowment fund is to support ongoing staff training and education to ensure the residents get the very best and most professional care available”, stated Temerty. In addition, he said that with respect to the Care Centre’s annual operating needs, the most useful measure in place would be to retire its debt load.

In praise of the “campaign cabinet” of honourary and hard working members from the community including Roman Dubczak, Richard Taylor, Victor Lishchyna and Sandy Lomaszewycz and in the “wonderful trust” held in the Building Committee, chaired by Roman Wynnyckyj, Temerty stated that he was very pleased and honoured to be associated with Ihor (Ihnatowycz). “Make no mistake about it … the success we enjoy today is attributed to the individual who serves as co-chair. Ihor Ihnatowycz takes the campaign and the Ukrainian Canadian Care Centre to the forefront: at all levels of government and to gain their trust and support; to secure funding from corporations. He has been tireless in meeting with individuals in the community.” Temerty believes that “there is not one significant campaign contribution without Ihor’s name associated with it.”

In recognition of Ihnatowycz’s campaign involvement and further add to that the contribution made to the campaign, he and his wife, Dr. Marta Witer are demonstrating outstanding leadership and generosity, concluded Temerty. Ihnatowycz delivered a stirring, humbling and very personal response of gratitude, particularly to his parents and their commitment to rearing, in the presence of his mother, Luba, and in the memory of his father Teodosii, deceased in 1990. The “Breaking New Ground for Care” event’s festive atmosphere heightened when Ihnatowycz and Witer not only publicly signed a photogenic “super cheque” but sealed their commitment to the Ukrainian Canadian Care Centre with a celebratory kiss.

“The Ukrainian Canadian Care Centre is known for the outstanding care it provides its seniors as well as its rich cultural program in a warm community setting” said Campaign member Sandy Lomaszewycz. She added “The expansion will help us meet the changing needs of seniors in our community.”