Community Activities
Toronto's McCleary Park
On September 17, 2009, nearly 500 ING DIRECT employees volunteered their time away from work to rebuild McCleary park into Toronto's first “natural” playground. In partnership with Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds and the City of Toronto, ING DIRECT donated over $300,000 to develop the playground into a natural, innovative and beautiful space for children in the area to enjoy.
McGill Cardiovascular Health Improvement Program (CHIP)
The Cardiovascular Health Improvement Program (CHIP) is a non -profit organization affiliated with the McGill University Teaching Hospitals that offers a multi-disciplinary program offering the highest standard of care for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and cancer.
Each year, CHIP holds a fundraising SPINathon in support of the program, targeting kids and teens that are at risk of premature cardiovascular disease or diabetes. In 2009, staff from the Montréal Café des finances helped to raise funds for this inspiring event which had over 300 people participate to raise $80,000.
Lupus Canada
Lupus Canada is a registered non-profit charity dedicated to improving the lives of people living with lupus through advocacy, education, public awareness, support and research. Every year ING DIRECT hosts a Charity Golf Classic and since 2003 the main benefitting charity has been Lupus Canada for which we have raised more than $250,000.
Dragon Boat Festivals
Dragon boating has become the fastest growing water sport in the world attracting thousands of spectators each year in support of various charities and non-profit organizations. ING DIRECT staff teams have participated at the Pickering Dragon Boat Festival, the Tim Horton's Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival and the Montreal Dragon Boat Fundraising Challenge.
Earth Run Foundation
The Earth Run Foundation is a charitable organization with a mandate to bring people together to build a sustainable future by raising awareness and funding for local environmental organizations. It funds local initiatives to help people improve the quality of life in their communities and for all residents on the planet as cities around the world host 5k and 10k community Earth Runs.
Since 2009, the Vancouver Café participated in Earth Run in the city along the seawall by providing support and raising funds.
Golden Key Writing Contest
The Golden Key Writing Contest was established in 2004 as a collaborative project between the Golden Key chapter at Concordia University in Montréal and the Montréal Café des finances. Since its inception, the Golden Key Writing Contest has grown into a national competition awarding young, talented high-school writers across Canada with bursaries provided by ING DIRECT for the top three national winners.
Ivey School of Business
ING DIRECT supports the Ivey School of Business through a scholarship for undergraduates rewarded based on need, academic standing, and an interest in integrated financial services. In 2007, we partnered with the business school to open the ING DIRECT Leadership Centre based in downtown Toronto, which is home to Ivey's top-ranked Executive MBA Program and a range of Executive Development programs.
Go Dutch Go Green Bike Ride
In 2009, ING DIRECT connected with its Dutch roots for the “Go Green, Go Dutch & Go Bike” event, a Canada-wide bike ride organized by the Dutch Consulate to promote cycling as a fun, practical and clean means of transportation. Proceeds go towards the purchase of bikes for children from low-income families Calgary Cafe staff volunteered at the Calgary “Go Green, Go Dutch & Go Bike” benefitting the Boys and Girls Club of Calgary and handed out reusable grocery bags and bottled water to participating cyclists after the bike ride.
ING DIRECT also took part in the 2010 Toronto “Go Green, Go Dutch & Go Bike” event as 30 ING DIRECT Associates joined almost 300 Torontonians to ride their bikes to raise over $8,000 to provide underprivileged youth with bikes, helmets and locks. After the event, staff helped build the bikes that were given to youth from low-income families.
Toronto Lightfest
Lightfest is an event that incorporates family-focused fun and entertainment to raise awareness and financial support for the needs of homeless youth. In 2010, ING DIRECT was proud to be a premium sponsor with volunteers helping out with registration and handing out refreshments to walkathon participants.
Haiti Relief
In 2010, the impact of the massive earthquake in Haiti quickly left mass populations with fractured support systems – leaving the survivors vulnerable as they tried to find medical aid, shelter, food and clean drinking water. ING DRECT staff quickly mobilized to provide critical support for this catastrophic event. Within days, Clients and employees were able to make online donations to the Canadian Red Cross through their ING DIRECT account. ING DIRECT pledged to match their donations up to a total of $50,000 and the resulting generosity raised more than $650,000 to support the relief effort.
