TORONTO, Feb. 24, 2021 /CNW/ - Scotiabank today announced its support of the Canadian Women's Foundation's Building Women's Economic Security in the Pandemic Project, a unique, national funding program created to assist services for women, by providing them with the funds necessary to remain operational throughout the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In April 2020, the Canadian Women's Foundation launched initiatives like Building Women's Economic Security in the Pandemic Project to make sure that service providers in every province and territory were able to meet their greatest need and that programs at risk of closure and interruption can continue. These initiatives were created in reaction to the disproportionate number of women-focused charities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. According to a survey conducted by the Canadian Women's Foundation, 88 per cent of women's service providers surveyed were concerned about the impact the pandemic will have on their capacity to continue to operate.

Scotiabank's donation to Building Women's Economic Security in the Pandemic has a specific focus on organizations that offer skills development for women and girls.

"Scotiabank recognizes how individuals can thrive when barriers to career advancement are removed," says Meigan Terry, Senior Vice President, Global Communications and Social Impact at Scotiabank. "Through Scotiabank's donation, the Canadian Women's Foundation will assist organizations across Canada to provide disadvantaged women and girls with programming that will help to foster skills development to enable their financial success."

The following high-impact organizations will be recipients of Scotiabank's donation to the Building Women's Economic Security in the Pandemic project: 

• EntrepreNorth MakeWay, NWT, Yukon, and, Nunavut: Empowering Indigenous entrepreneurs to build sustainable businesses and livelihoods.
• TechWomen Immigrant Services Society of BC, Vancouver, BC: Preemployment programming that prepares newcomer women for careers in tech.  
• Making Changes Association of Alberta, Calgary, AB: Providing skills training programming in web development for immigrant and Indigenous women.
• SEED, Winnipeg, MB: Providing business development support for Indigenous and newcomer women to launch or expand a business.
• Digital Skills at Long Lake 58, Long Lake 58, ON:  First Nation–led education programming that supports women's career exploration and skills development.
• Women's Enterprise Skills Training, Windsor, ON: Certificate programming that facilitates the entry of women into the millwright/machining trade.
• ACEM Microcrédit Montréal, Montreal, QC: Self–employment training programming supporting immigrant and racialized women.
• Employment My Way, YWCA Moncton, Moncton, NB: Training women to research and develop business plans for their micro and small business ideas.
• Women Unlimited, Bridgewater, NS: Assisting diverse women in building careers in the trades and technology fields.

"The pandemic has had a devastating impact on women's economic well-being. Now more than ever we need programs that will support women in the transition from low-wage and part-time work towards sustainable and fulfilling livelihoods that will support them and their dependents. Investments like this one from Scotiabank come at such a crucial time, and have the power to transform lives," says Canadian Women's Foundation President and CEO, Paulette Senior.

Scotiabank's donation to the Canadian Women's Foundation and its partner organizations will be an important part of ScotiaRISE, the Bank's 10-year, $500 million initiative to promote economic resilience among disadvantaged groups. Through ScotiaRISE, Scotiabank will support programs and partner with organizations across its footprint that provide the tools people need to improve their education and employment prospects, adapt to changing circumstances, and increase the likelihood of financial success.

About Scotiabank
Scotiabank is a leading bank in the Americas. Guided by our purpose: "for every future", we help our customers, their families and their communities achieve success through a broad range of advice, products and services, including personal and commercial banking, wealth management and private banking, corporate and investment banking, and capital markets. With a team of approximately 90,000 employees and assets of approximately $1.2 trillion (as at January 31, 2021), Scotiabank trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: BNS) and New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BNS). For more information, please visit http://www.scotiabank.com and follow us on Twitter @ScotiabankViews.

About the Canadian Women's Foundation
 The Canadian Women's Foundation is a national leader in the movement for gender equality in Canada. Through funding, research, advocacy, and knowledge sharing, we work to achieve systemic change. We support women, girls, and gender-diverse people to move out of violence, out of poverty, and into confidence and leadership. Since 1991, our generous donors and supporters have contributed more than $130 million to fund over 2,000 life-transforming programs throughout Canada.

SOURCE Scotiabank