BOUCHERVILLE, QC, July 16, 2024 /CNW/ - The RONA Foundation, which oversees the philanthropic activities of RONA inc., one of Canada's leading home improvement retailers operating and servicing some 425 corporate and affiliated stores, will present a total of $1,000,000 to seven non-profit organizations (NPOs) as part of the second edition of its Build from the Heart program, which was launched in May 2023.

"At the RONA Foundation, we're driven by the desire to make a difference in the lives of people every day. At a time when access to housing is a challenge, making Canadian populations all the more vulnerable, we want to help communities," mentions Catherine Laporte, President of the RONA Foundation's Board of Directors and Senior Vice-President, Marketing and Customer Experience at RONA.

Build from the Heart aims to support NPOs in carrying out construction or home improvement projects to revitalize living environments or make it easier to access housing for Canadian populations in need. More specifically, the program seeks to help victims of domestic violence and their children, low-income families, and people with disabilities or mental health issues. Following a call for applications that resulted in a hundred applications, a selection committee chose the projects of seven NPOs from provinces where RONA has stores.

The funds distributed as part of this program were raised through various initiatives, including:

• A fundraising campaign held in all corporate stores and some RONA affiliated stores last May.
• The sale of winter hats bearing the logo of the Foundation.
• The RONA Foundation's annual golf day, which took place at La Vallée du Richelieu Golf Club on July 15, 2024 and to which many RONA vendors participated.

"This day was an incredible demonstration of solidarity. We work hand in hand with our vendor partners to bring real change to the lives of vulnerable people thanks to the funds raised," said Josée Lafitte, Director of the RONA Foundation. "I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to all the customers who generously contributed to the campaign last May. Thank you, your donations make a real difference!"

List of organizations supported by the 2024 Build from the Heart program

The amount raised during the Foundation's golf day was allocated proportionally to the number of RONA stores in each province, while in-store donations were redistributed directly in the province in which they were raised.

To learn more about the projects that will receive funding through the Build from the Heart program, visit https://www.ronainc.ca/en/corporate-responsibility/communities/our-campaigns. To share this news on social media, please use @RONAEN (Facebook), @RONA (LinkedIn) and @RONAinc (X).

About the RONA Foundation

The RONA Foundation is a charitable organization created in 1998. For its 25th anniversary, in May 2023, the RONA Foundation redefined its mission, which is to improve the quality of life of Canadians in need by revitalizing their living environments and making it easier to access housing. It aims to help the victims of domestic violence and their children, low-income families, and individuals with specific needs or mental health issues. To find out more about the RONA Foundation, visit its website at https://www.ronainc.ca.

About RONA inc.

RONA inc. is one of Canada's leading home improvement retailers and is headquartered in Boucherville, Québec. The RONA inc. network operates or services some 425 corporate and affiliated dealer stores under the RONA+, RONA, Réno-Dépôt, and Dick's Lumber banners. With a long and rich history, RONA inc. has supported Canadians in their home improvement and construction projects since 1939. To achieve this, the company relies on a team of 21,000 employees, to whom it strives to provide an inclusive workplace where everyone is invited to contribute. RONA inc. is one of the Montréal region's Top Employers since 2021. As a result of its ongoing efforts in sustainable development, the company is recognized as one of Canada's Greenest Employers. To learn more about the company, visit the website www.ronainc.ca. 

SOURCE RONA inc.