Robert and Linda Krembil

Robert and Linda Krembil have demonstrated outstanding leadership and dedication to a broad array of charities in health care, education and the arts at the local, provincial and national levels. In 1997, they established the Krembil Foundation with a mandate to help people through medical research, education and social services. The Krembil Foundation’s primary focus is to support new and exciting research projects in medicine; particularly those that have difficulty obtaining funding yet have the potential to produce life-altering results.

The Krembil’s are great believers in the power of basic research, and understand that innovative research projects must demonstrate “proof of principle” before any government granting agency will agree to fund it. This can be a significant barrier to scientists who are trying to break ground with basic research. To address this obstacle, the Krembil Foundation often grants “seed funding” to these scientists. Obtaining the funding for basic research can be more challenging than finding funding for hospital equipment or facilities.

Their Foundation also supports a number of charities and causes to make life better for those in the Toronto area, in Canada and beyond. In 1998, Robert and Linda Krembil established the Krembil Family Chair in Neurology, which was the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship with Toronto Western Hospital. They have committed in excess of $50 million in support of various research, patient care and capital projects. Today, the Krembil Neuroscience Centre is Canada’s leading clinical, research and teaching facility for disorders of the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves and eyes. It is world renowned for programs and research in spinal cord injury, complex spinal surgery, stroke and neurovascular disorders, neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, neuro-oncology and epilepsy.

In addition to their support of Toronto Western Hospital, Robert and Linda Krembil  have also been strong supporters of the community. The Krembil Foundation  has granted over $ 30 million to organizations that include: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Robarts Research Institute, St. Michael’s Hospital, York University Foundation, Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Saskatchewan, Earth Rangers and The Art Gallery of Ontario.  Their greatest hope is that their personal support will encourage excellence and innovation in health care, education and social services.

With a modest, low-key approach, Robert and Linda lead by example. They have involved their son Mark and daughter-in-law Stacey in the leadership and administration of the Krembil Foundation and have even involved their grandchildren in their philanthropic relationships. Their commitment to give back to society is perhaps their greatest gift as it will continue to encourage future generations of their family to continue this outstanding legacy.

Mrs. Kelly Meighen and Senator Michael Meighen

Kelly and Michael Meighen make their home in Toronto, Ontario but the reach of their personal contributions to philanthropy and those of the T.R. Meighen Family Foundation is national in scope. The T.R. Meighen Family Foundation is a private charitable foundation that was established in April 1969 with a gift from its founder, Mr. Theodore Roosevelt Meighen. Kelly Meighen is President of the Foundation, while Michael Meighen is Chairman. The Foundation plays an integral role in fulfilling the Meighens’ personal philanthropic goals.

Over the past 39 years, the Foundation has granted more than $31 million to a variety of projects in New Brunswick, Southern Ontario and the Montreal area. Support has been directed to community-based activities in the fields of education, health, culture, social welfare, and environmental conservation. The Foundation has also supported numerous scholarships at universities in New Brunswick and at McGill University as well as Engineering Scholarships, a President’s Entrance Scholarship and scholarships for students from Atlantic Canada attending The University of Western Ontario.

As individual donors, the Meighens are also very generous supporters of a number of organizations including the Nature Conservancy and Princess Margaret Hospital. In 2000, Kelly and Michael set a new Canadian record for the largest-ever single donation to a Canadian not-for-profit theatre: $5 million that was directed to the Stratford Festival’s For All Time endowment campaign.

Both Kelly and Michael Meighen devote their time to a number of charitable projects. Their willingness to volunteer sets an example for other philanthropists and has also been beneficial to many of the organizations that they support. Currently, Michael is involved with McGill University as the Chair of both Campaign McGill and the McGill Fund Council, as well as sitting as a member of McGill’s Board of Governors. Meanwhile, Kelly serves as Chair of The University of Western Ontario’s Development and Fundraising Committee and The 1878 Societies as well as sitting on Western’s Board of Governors. In support of these endeavours  the Meighens committed $5 million to McGill University and in recent years have donated $2 million to The University of Western Ontario.

In 2004, the T.R. Meighen Family Foundation established its current mission to encourage strategic and creative initiatives benefitting youth at risk in New Brunswick, Southern Ontario and the Montreal area. The Foundation aims to be imaginative and innovative and to find and fund projects that governments have not yet heard about. To help achieve its goals, the Foundation has recently partnered with several large, well-established organizations to support projects that benefit large numbers of youth. In 2004-2005 the Foundation partnered with the United Way of Greater Toronto to establish programs that were made possible by the Community Use of Schools initiative that aimed to keep schools open after hours and on weekends for community use. The T.R. Meighen Foundation also made an early and significant campaign gift of $1 million to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health’s Youth and Family Program, in support of the site redevelopment project.

These generous gifts, in support of some of Canada’s most vulnerable citizens, provide hope for the future and set an example for other philanthropists and government agencies. The Meighens’ personal support has contributed to the fundraising success of several organizations and their leadership as volunteers inspires others to give of their time and expertise. By finding innovative ways to support organizations by partnering with others and looking beyond financial contributions, Kelly and Michael Meighen are truly examples of Outstanding Philanthropists.