Thousands of children to benefit from Joyce Family Foundation gift to McMaster

Thousands of Hamilton’s young people will get to experience what university is all about thanks to a generous $1.25 million gift and matching program from the Joyce Family Foundation to McMaster Children & Youth University.

The gift, announced during this month’s Children & Youth University weekend lecture, will help support and expand the program that attracts hundreds of children and families to campus for youth-oriented lectures and events. It seeds a unique matching program that doubles any commitment of support to the Children & Youth University.

“This wonderful gift from the Joyce Family Foundation continues its impactful philanthropic legacy at McMaster, and once again directly benefits the young people in our community,” says President Patrick Deane. “We are deeply appreciative of this generous support.”

“With this exceptional gift, more young people are going to be able to see first-hand that there’s a place for them in university,” says Sandeep Raha, then creator and director of McMaster Children & Youth University and an associate professor in the department of paediatrics. “This will open the door for kids who may not think post secondary education is an option, and who knows, the next ground breaking researcher or awe-inspiring teacher might first learn about university, thanks to the Joyce Family Foundation.”

The McMaster Children & Youth University was launched in 2011 and is the first children’s university in Canada with programming for interactive, family-based discovery. It offers on-campus, family-oriented lectures on a Saturday each month. It also operates a McMaster Children & Youth in the City program that brings McMaster to Hamilton’s neighbourhoods.

“Anyone who has the good fortune of attending one of the McMaster Children & Youth University events will understand that the passion and enthusiasm of its participants and its faculty need to be nurtured,” says Ronald V. Joyce, CM of the Joyce Family Foundation. “The Foundation is pleased to be able to support this wonderfully important and meaningful education program that benefits our children and families and we invite others to take advantage of the matching program to double their gifts to this important initiative.”

For more information and to make a donation that is matched by the Foundation, click here.

The next lecture in the McMaster Children & Youth University is Nov. 26 when Raha and Professor Marshall Beier will lead a presentation entitled “How many experts does it take…” on how many people and different skills are required to make big research discoveries and how youth and communities are involved in this process.

You can reserve a spot for your family at mcyu.ca