Recipients will assist people and communities who may be
disproportionately impacted by climate change and/or the transition
to a low-carbon economy
CHERRY
HILL, N.J., Feb. 28,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- TD Bank Group today named
winners of its 2022 TD Ready Challenge, an annual North American
initiative that seeks to support non-profit and charitable
organizations developing innovative, impactful, and measurable
solutions for a changing world. This year's recipients include four
U.S. non-profit organizations that work to develop or implement
community-based solutions that are addressing the challenges of
climate change and the transition to a low-carbon economy.
As both the private and public sectors take steps to help
mitigate the effects of climate change and transition toward a
low-carbon economy, communities may be impacted in different and
inequitable ways. This year's challenge focused on organizations
supporting those who may be disproportionately affected by climate
change - including people of color and indigenous communities,
seniors and youth, low-income communities, and people with
disabilities – by working to design solutions to help prepare for,
adapt to and mitigate the potential impacts of climate change,
and/or initiatives that support the transition to a low-carbon
economy.
"Climate change is a global issue that continues to have a
growing impact on communities, on businesses and on the economy –
but specifically on the economies of communities that are already
struggling," said Shelley Sylva,
Head of US Corporate Citizenship, TD Bank. "A healthy environment
is foundational to feeling confident about our economic future and
the world we are leaving to the next generation. Supporting
innovative programs and scalable solutions for our communities is a
meaningful way we can support progress."
This year's recipients will focus on making an impact in
communities across TD's footprint through initiatives that include
large-scale green infrastructure projects, the development of
renewable energy solutions, and workforce development/retraining
opportunities.
"Opening doors for a more inclusive and sustainable future is
core to our purpose as an organization," said Leo Salom, President and CEO, TD Bank. "Through
this year's TD Ready Challenge, we're standing behind organizations
with promising new ideas that support communities across our
footprint and address the challenges of transitioning
to a low-carbon economy."
Each year, the TD Ready Challenge invites eligible organizations
to submit applications that offer solutions for a problem statement
that is connected to the TD Ready Commitment and its four drivers
of change: Financial Security, Vibrant Planet, Connected
Communities and Better Health. Always themed around timely
issues, in previous years, the TD Ready Challenge has focused on
driving more equitable health outcomes, promoting income stability,
and addressing pandemic-related learning loss.
The four $1 million U.S. 2022 TD
Ready Challenge recipients describe their winning submissions in
their own words:
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): Bridges to
Green Jobs – US, Southern New England
"Bridges to Green Jobs provides a pathway to quality jobs in
green energy and climate resiliency for communities that have been
disproportionately affected by climate change and historically
excluded from and underrepresented in the green jobs sector and
adjacent industries (e.g. construction and related trades). We will
expand in Boston and scale to
Newark and Detroit over a 2-year period."
Maine Farmland Trust: Climate Resilience for Maine Farms:
supporting farm viability from the soil up – Northern New England,
U.S.
"Maine Farmland Trust is building upon our farmland conservation
efforts by fostering greater resilience to climate change on farms
in our 500-Farm Network. MFT will expand its Soil Health Network
initiative by addressing the need for funding and technical
assistance to support farms transitioning to climate-smart
practices on their agricultural land and field edges, and in farm
landscape planning."
New York City Energy Efficiency Corporation: Addressing the
Financial and Workforce Barriers for an Equitable Clean Energy
Transition in NYC Affordable
Housing and Low to Moderate Income (LMI) Communities – Metro New
York, U.S.
"An equitable clean energy transition requires large-scale green
capital deployment, a qualified workforce to implement projects,
and community participants that are engaged in an authentic way.
This program addresses barriers to capital deployment through green
finance while building a more inclusive technical workforce and
increasing community engagement through training and
education."
Rowan University Foundation:
Green Jobs Academy of Rowan University:
Educating the Workforce of Tomorrow and Building a Robust,
Sustainable Economy for Southern New
Jersey – PA, NJ, U.S
"Rowan University, Rowan College of South Jersey, and the SJ
Workforce Development Boards, seek to establish a Green Jobs
Academy to build pathways to required industry credentials in
offshore wind and solar power to meet the state's growing need to
respond to the climate crisis, by developing a home-grown, green
energy workforce, supporting those affected by carbon-based
industry closures."
The TD Ready Challenge is part of TD's longstanding commitment
to creating a more inclusive and sustainable future. The bank has
invested over $1 billion in clean
technology and renewable energy projects and has set a target to
become carbon neutral by 2050.
To learn more about the 2022 grant recipients and the TD Ready
Challenge, visit www.td.com/readychallenge.
About the TD Ready Commitment
TD has a long-standing commitment to enriching the lives of its
customers, colleagues and communities. As part of its corporate
citizenship platform, the TD Ready Commitment, TD is targeting CDN
$1 billion (U.S. $775 million) in total by 2030 towards community
giving in four areas critical to help open doors for a more
inclusive and sustainable tomorrow – Financial Security, Vibrant
Planet, Connected Communities and Better Health. Through the TD
Ready Commitment, TD aspires to link its business, philanthropy and
human capital to help people feel more confident - not just about
their finances, but also in their ability to achieve their personal
goals in a changing world. For further information, visit
td.com/tdreadycommitment.
About TD Bank Group
The Toronto-Dominion Bank and its subsidiaries are collectively
known as TD Bank Group ("TD" or the "Bank"). TD is the sixth
largest bank in North America by
assets and serves over 27 million customers in four key businesses
operating in a number of locations in financial centers around the
globe: Canadian Personal and Commercial Banking, including TD
Canada Trust and TD Auto Finance Canada; U.S. Retail, including TD
Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank®, TD Auto Finance
U.S., TD Wealth (U.S.), and an investment in The Charles Schwab
Corporation; Wealth Management and Insurance, including TD Wealth
(Canada), TD Direct Investing, and
TD Insurance; and Wholesale Banking, including TD Securities. TD
also ranks among the world's leading online financial services
firms, with more than 15 million active online and mobile
customers. TD had $1.9 trillion in
assets on October 31, 2022. The
Toronto-Dominion Bank trades under the symbol "TD" on the
Toronto and New York Stock
Exchanges.
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SOURCE TD Bank