Rio Tinto is donating $360,000 to 12 women’s shelters and local organizations across Canada to help support women and children experiencing domestic and family violence.
The chosen organizations are located in communities where Rio Tinto operates across B.C., Newfoundland and Labrador, the Northwest Territories, and Quebec.
The Tamitik Status of Women (TSW) in Kitimat in one of the chosen organizations, along with the Burns Lake Elizabeth Fry Society, and both will be receiving $25,000.
“On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, we are showing our support for women experiencing domestic and family abuse and for the dedicated professionals who help protect and empower them,” Rio Tinto country head for Canada Alf Barrios said. “Now more than ever, we must come together to end gender-based violence and make our communities safer for all.”
Michelle Martins, Executive Director of TSW, said that the COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult for them to run several of their programs, and has caused a decline in the number of donations they’ve been receiving, so they’re grateful for the funding to help with that.
“The money will go towards making our programs that are aimed at reducing the pressures of poverty more robust; this includes our Food Share, Hygiene, Baby Needs, Free Store, and Furniture Exchange programs,” Martins said in an email. “These programs rely almost exclusively on donations to redistribute goods to individuals and families in our community and often, we are not able to meet the demand in people’s time of need.”
These donations will come from the Rio Tinto Aluminum Canada Fund, which was established in 2008 and aims to deliver long-term social and economic benefits for the communities in which Rio Tinto operates, both First Nations and the broader society.
clare.rayment@northernsentinel.com
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