Sudbury’s Cousineau family and their Northeastern Ontario-based company, OCP Construction Supplies, made a recent donation of $500,000 to the NEO Kids Foundation to support the future of health care for children and youth across Northeastern Ontario.
"This generous donation, which brings their total giving since 2020 to over $1 million, will help ensure that children across our region get the quality care they need closer to home and help the NEO Kids and Family Program at Health Sciences North (HSN)," said a news release from the foundation office.
Rick Cousineau, co-owner of OCP Construction Supplies, said he knows the importance of community support from the business sector and added there was no greater return on investment than the health of youngsters.
“We know how vital NEO Kids programs and services are to communities across Northeastern Ontario to ensure that children get the care they need as close to home as possible,” said Cousineau.
"It is an honour for my family and our company to be in the position to support the great care that is being offered to our NEO Kids today and into the future – there is no greater return on investment than ensuring the health and well-being of our children.”
Anthony Keating, the president of Foundations and Volunteer Groups at HSN, said business and corporate donations are significant.
“Meaningful philanthropy helps drive transformational change in health care,” said Keating.
“It is through the generosity of donors like the Cousineau family and OCP Construction Supplies who step up time and time again to support our NEO Kids and help us advance the quality of care children receive. We are beyond grateful for their generosity and amazing contribution of $1 million over the years. Their support will help provide a better future for every NEO Kid who needs to access services at Health Sciences North.”
OCP’s donation will support HSN’s future capital needs to care for children and their families across the region, said HSN. The foundation office said financial support of NEO Kids will allow HSN to enhance its pediatric programs and services to accommodate new clinics, services, and more pediatricians to care for the North’s children.
"The goal is to ensure that as many children as possible stay in Northeastern Ontario to get the care they need, in a child-and youth-centered environment that promotes health and well-being, closer to home," said a news release from the foundation's office.
