Do your post-secondary dreams seem out of reach?

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We Can Help

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

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

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

Jason Hemsworth

Director, Secretary

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Dan McMahon, CPA, CA

Director, Treasurer

Over $51,000 Raised at Our 2026 RFY Charity Golf Tournament

We’re thrilled to share that our 2026 Golf Tournament raised over $51,000 for Roots For Youth! ⛳💚

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us, golfed, sponsored, donated, volunteered, and helped make this year's tournament such an amazing success. Your generosity and support mean so much to us and help us continue making a difference for the youth in our community.

Thank you for making this year's tournament one to remember. We can’t wait to welcome you back to the course in 2027!

2026 Beacon® Shine The Light Program Raises over $91,000 For Roots!

We are incredibly honoured and grateful to share that Roots for Youth has received a $91,000 donation from PanAmerican Seed through its Beacon® Charity initiative!

This incredible contribution was made possible through the global sales of Beacon® Impatiens seeds, along with the amazing support of everyone who purchased, promoted, and helped champion this initiative.

A heartfelt thank you to PanAmerican Seed and to every garden centre, customer, supporter, and community member who helped make this possible. Your generosity will make a meaningful difference for the youth we serve.

We are so grateful to everyone who helped this initiative grow.

Learn more about Beacon® Impatiens here.

$10,000 Reasons to Celebrate - Thank you Fashion Cage

A HUGE thank you to Fashion Cage for their incredibly generous $10,000 donation to Roots for Youth! 🌱💚

Your support means so much and will help make a meaningful difference for youth in our community. We are so grateful for your generosity and for being part of something so special!

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What another incredible night at the Charity Fair 2025!
We are beyond grateful to everyone who came out to support us and visit our booth at the 2nd Annual Charity Fair. A HUGE shoutout to The Rotary Club of Barrie for organizing such an amazing event. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience! Your support means the world to us!

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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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2025 - Gracious Donation

Roots For Youth was chosen to be the representative charity from the Aqueduct Foundation. They were able to donate $2000 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 Dean and Veronica and the Aqueduct Foundation for their gracious donation!

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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.

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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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What an incredible night at the Charity Fair! We are beyond grateful to everyone who came out to support us and visit our booth at the 1st Annual Charity Fair. A HUGE shoutout to The Rotary Club of Barrie for organizing such an amazing event. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience! Your support means the world to us!

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