VANCOUVER, March 15, 2019 - As part of its ongoing commitment to build prosperity and contribute to the well-being of local communities, PI Financial (PI) is awarding $15,000 to three local charities at the second annual “PI Pays it Forward” community giving event on March 14, 2019. This event was created to support small, local and growing community not-for-profit organizations focused on supporting BC or on improving the lives of those who are marginalized or under-served by the public sector.
PI has invited three local non-for-profits to present their organizations to PI employees for the opportunity to win the first-place prize of $10,000. The two runner-up organizations will be awarded $2,500 each. Each organization will have five minutes to present a compelling case on their mission and need for funds, and PI employees will be given the opportunity to vote for the charity they believe most deserving of the first-place prize.
The organizations chosen to present at the Pays it Forward 2019 event are: Athletics 4 Kids, Volunteer Cancer Drivers and Last Door Recovery Centre. PI selected the organizations using a similar approach it employs when identifying emerging companies seeking financing:
1. A recent start up, or operating with limited revenues;
2. Proven to deliver value; and
3. Demonstrating the ability to grow their impact with additional funding.
“We are proud to support local organizations dedicated to helping some of the most vulnerable people in our communities. These organizations have a lasting impact on the people they serve, and contributions like PI’s are helping these organizations continue to make a difference,” said Jeremiah Katz, PI Financial’s Director of Institutional Sales and the driver behind PI Pays It Forward. “Building the success of last year’s event, we are pleased to see our employees even more engaged. Our employees are able to see how PI’s support has benefited local communities, and they are able to continue to shape how PI supports local community initiatives.”
Athletics 4 Kids is a charity that helps families overcome financial barriers to participating in organized amateur sports.
Volunteer Cancer Drivers is a not-for-profit that provides timely and efficient transportation to and from cancer related medical appointments throughout the Lower Mainland.
Last Door Recovery Centre is a charity providing drug and alcohol treatment, including through the Last Door Youth Program, which focuses on youth treatment.
Each year, new community organizations are invited to participate in PI Pays if Forward. Last year, the first-place winner was Aunt Leah’s, an organization helping children in foster care and mothers-in-need to support their children. Last year’s runners-up were One2One Literacy and Canada Scores Vancouver, a children’s literacy program and a charity empowering urban youth-at-risk, respectively.
For more information about PI and “Pays it Forward,” please contact:
Jeremiah Katz
Managing Director, SVP
Capital Markets
604 664 2916
jkatz@pifinancialcorp.com