Canada Learning Code receives $1 million grant from The TD Ready Challenge
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – October 24, 2018 – PDF Download
TORONTO – Canada Learning Code has been named one of the ten winners of the inaugural 2018 TD Ready Challenge presented by TD Bank Group. With this $1 million grant Canada Learning Code will scale-up its Ladies Learning Code program to empower Canadians in communities large and small to be a part of the digital future.
Ladies Learning Code workshops, courses and meetups are open to adults of all ages and genders but are designed to be a space where women explicitly are welcome to learn. Workshops cover everything from introductory HTML & CSS, to WordPress, Python, Ruby, artificial intelligence, web design and more. They are especially popular and successful because of Canada Learning Code’s high ratio (4:1 in most programs!) of learners to mentors at every experience, which is only possible because of overwhelming support from the communities where Canada Learning Code operates.
The TD Ready Challenge is a signature initiative, laddering up to The Ready Commitment, TD’s new corporate citizenship platform, aimed at opening doors to a more inclusive and sustainable tomorrow. Acting as a springboard for social innovation, TD established the TD Ready Challenge to identify and support scalable solutions to a specific issue identified within the drivers of The Ready Commitment. In its inaugural year, the TD Ready Challenge encouraged organizations across North America to create scalable solutions to help increase income stability and give people the skills they need for the economy of the future. In total, TD awarded $10 million (CDN) for the 2018 Challenge.
“Canada Learning Code has brought forward a creative and scalable solution to help address the uncertainty associated with technological acceleration and the future of work.” said Andrea Barrack, Vice President, Global Corporate Citizenship, TD Bank Group. “Being a winner of the TD Ready Challenge is a testament to the skill, ingenuity, and vision of its creators, as well as their dedication to opening doors to a more inclusive and financially secure tomorrow.”
“We are excited to put TD’s grant to work to scale up our Ladies Learning Code program from coast-to-coast-to-coast.” said Melissa Sariffodeen, CEO of Canada Learning Code. “The world is changing and we need to do more to empower Canadians to learn the skills they will need for the future.”
A full list of The Ready Challenge winners as well as more information about the challenge can be found at www.td.com/readychallenge.
To learn more about Canada Learning Code at www.canadalearningcode.ca
About Canada Learning Code 
Canada Learning Code is Canada’s leading national charity championing digital literacy education. Placing a special emphasis on women, girls, people with disabilities, Indigenous youth and newcomers, Canada Learning Code is proud to work from coast to coast to make sure that all Canadians have access to the knowledge they need to prosper in our digital world.
Originally founded as Ladies Learning Code in 2011, the organization has evolved to run programming for adults, youth and educators through programs Ladies, Girls, Kids, Teens and Teachers Learning Code. Today, Canada Learning Code operates in over 35 communities across the country, driving results through program design and delivery, strategic industry and public partnerships, research and advocacy. To date, the organization has reached over 90,000 learners through an in-person experience.
Follow Canada Learning Code on Social Media
Twitter: @learningcode Instagram: @learningcode Facebook: @canadalearningcode
About The Ready Commitment
TD has a long-standing commitment to enriching the lives of its customers, colleagues and communities. In March 2018, TD launched The Ready Commitment, a new multi-year program to help individuals and communities prosper. As part of The Ready Commitment, TD targets CDN $1 billion (US $775 million) in total by 2030 towards community giving in four areas critical to opening doors for an inclusive tomorrow – Financial Security, a more Vibrant Planet, Connected Communities and Better Health. Through The Ready Commitment, TD’s aspiration is to link business, products, services, and community giving to help people feel more confident – not just about their finances, but about their future and their ability to achieve their personal goals in a changing world. For further information, visit www.td.com/thereadycommitment
Canada Learning Code Media Contact:
Jamie Ellerton, Conaptus PR, press@canadalearningcode.ca 416.639.6090
TD Bank Group Media Contact:
Natasha Ferrari, Natasha.Ferrari@td.com 416.983.7180