Do your post-secondary dreams seem out of reach?

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A row of trees in a grassy field on a white background.

 We Can Help

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Roots for Youth is a charitable foundation established in 2018 by the Ferragine family, founding owners of Bradford Greenhouses Ltd for 61 years. After hosting charitable golf tournaments to raise funds for Children’s Wish for 30 years, the family now directs its charitable efforts to helping teens who are struggling to extend their education due to a family tragedy or financial hardship.


The aim of the charity is to create bursaries to reduce the burden of post-secondary education so that teens and young adults in need can plant their roots and grow to become productive members of the community. As our name suggests, we are looking to assist students pursuing education in fields related to our organization such as agricultural or environmental studies, however our primary focus is to help fund local students who are struggling due to difficult family or financial situations.



Bursary application parameters

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The foundation will provide one or more bursaries each year to qualifying students who are planning to attend or are enrolled in a post-secondary institution full-time in the coming year. The bursary(s) will be determined each spring and be paid out to assist with the fall and winter semesters.


The bursary will assist with funding full-time student tuition and may be provided for more than one year if the applicant re-enters the application process.

Applications are Open

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Download Application

Applicants for the bursary will have to be in compliance with the following four requirements:

1
Basic qualification criteria


(a) Student is a Canadian citizen and is a resident of the Ontario region for at least a year.

(b) Is not in default of an OSAP loan or other grant.

2
Have experienced difficult family or financial situations


The grant will consider any case where a student is struggling with a difficult family or financial situation.

3
Meet the foundation's qualifications on the
need for financial assistance



Family income less than $100,000, including attributable income.

4
Field of study qualifications


Preference will be given to applicants pursuing horticultural or environmental studies.

5
Academic qualifications


Original applicants will be required to show records of their GPA. The board will examine academic records and weigh these in the decision making process. The board will have discretion on what they deem to be qualifying academically.

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Len Ferragine
Director, President

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Jason Hemsworth
Director, Secretary

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Dan McMahon, CPA, CA
Director, Treasurer

News

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Can we also make a mention that we will be attending the Charity Fair

🌟 Exciting News! 🌟 Roots For Youth is thrilled to announce our participation in this year’s Charity Fair on December 5th from 3-7 PM at Bradford Greenhouses! Join us for an inspiring day of community spirit and support as we work together to raise funds for students in need. Don’t miss out on the chance to make a difference! See you there!

A heartfelt thank you to Moonstock 2024

for selecting us as your representative charity for the evening.

What an incredible weekend fundraising for Roots For Youth! 🌳

We’re thrilled to share that this event raised $20,000 for our cause! It was a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness about our mission and connect with so many wonderful people. We are truly grateful to the organizers and everyone who came out to support us.

  • Bradford Greenhouses 31st Annual Charity Golf Tournament 2024

    What an amazing day at Harbour View Golf and Country Club! We’re thrilled to announce that thanks to our fantastic golfers and generous sponsors, we raised over $51,000! 🎉 Your support means the world to us, and we can’t thank you enough. We can't wait to see you all again in 2025 for another unforgettable tournament.

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    Roots For Youth was chosen to be the representative charity at the North Barrie Market Wing Night. During this event they were able to help us raise over $1200 for Roots For Youth. We are so thankful to be a part of a community who understands the needs of supporting our youth and helping them to continue their education. A huge thank you goes to Arron and the North Barrie Market for all they have done for us!

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Major Sponsors

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Corporate Sponsors

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Donate Now

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A special thank you to
our generous donors!

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