The OpenRoad Foundation, which is the philanthropic arm of the OpenRoad Group of car dealerships, has donated another $100,000 to Canadian charities, bringing the total donated in its inaugural year to more than $225,000, the group announced last month.

The foundation’s main mission is to support the development of Canadian communities, focusing on environment, community and education.

“2023 was OpenRoad Foundation’s founding year, and the roadmap our stellar team has put in place is already working to help more than 10 non-profits achieve their goals,” said Christian Chia, CEO of OpenRoad Group and OpenRoad Foundation’s board chair, in a press release. “This is just the beginning. We look forward to providing even more grant opportunities to local charities in 2024.”

The foundation’s latest donation goes to four Canadian charities in British Columbia and Ontario including:

— Aunt Leah’s Place, which provides support to help prevent children and youth in foster care from becoming homeless, to help prevent mothers in need from losing custody of their children.

— Foundry Langley: Hosted and operated by Encompass Support Services Society, Foundry Langley brings together the community, including partner organizations, to address the health and wellness needs of young people aged 12 to 24 and their families.

— Knights Table, based in Brampton, Ontario, focuses on addressing the immediate and long-term needs of vulnerable individuals and families impacted by hunger, poverty, and homelessness within the community.

— Take a Hike, together with public school district partners, empowers youth who experience vulnerability to change the trajectory of their lives with a full-time mental health and emotional well-being program.

The team at OpenRoad Foundation shortlists charity partners based on three key pillars: environment, community, and education.

The shortlisted organizations are then contacted to complete a grant application form for potential support.

The team is led by OpenRoad foundation manager Shea Studler and also includes a board and advisory committee.

Between January and July, the first four grants were presented to Vancouver Food Runners, Volunteer Cancer Drivers Society, City Dream Centre’s Summer Food Hampers Program, and Urban Bounty by Richmond Food Security Society. OpenRoad Foundation also donated $20,000 to Club OpenRoad’s Pet Photos with Santa initiative.

The additional $100,000 will be evenly distributed between the aforementioned Aunt Leah’s Place, Foundry Langley, Knights Table and Take a Hike.

“The selected organizations are doing great things for our community, and truly embody our three key pillars,” said Studler. “We thank them for their continued tireless work, and look forward to seeing the gifts from OpenRoad Foundation make an impact.”