The Atkinson Charitable Foundation is a major Canadian charity established in 1942 by

Joseph E. Atkinson Joseph E. Atkinson (born Joseph Atkinson, December 23, 1865 – May 8, 1948) was a Canadian newspaper editor and activist. Under his leadership the ''Toronto Star'' became one of the largest and most influential newspapers in Canada. Atkinso ...

(1865–1948). It is a

non-governmental A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see American and British English spelling differences#-ise, -ize (-isation, -ization), spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from g ...

, and

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

History

(1865–1948) was the founding chair of the Atkinson Foundation which was established in 1942. After Atkinson senior died in 1948, control of the ''Toronto Star'' passed to the trustees of the Foundation. Atkinson, a philanthropist, was the owner and publisher of the ''

Toronto Star The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. The newspaper is the country's largest daily newspaper by circulation. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part ...

'' until his death in 1948 at the age of 82. Atkinson was President and chair of the board of directors of the Foundation.

Mandate

The Atkinson Foundation promotes social and economic justice in Ontario. Since 2014, the Foundation has focused on strengthening movements for decent work and a fair economy.

Key people

Colette Murphy is the Atkinson Foundation’s executive director. Past Executive Directors include Olivia Nuamah and Charles Pascal, who had served as the Foundation's first full-time Executive Director from 1995 to 2010.

Projects

Atkinson Decent Work Fund

Since 2014, the Atkinson Decent Work Fund has been a source of support for many projects aimed at making work decent and the economy equitable.

Atkinson Fellowship in Public Policy

Through the Atkinson Fellowship in Public Policy is a collaborative project between the Atkinson Foundation, the Honderich Family, and the ''

'' through which they present an annual award to a "seasoned" Canadian journalist which includes funding for a year-long investigation into a current Canadian policy issue.

Other Projects

On May 13, 2018 the Atkinson Foundation named economist Armine Yalnizyan as the two-year Atkinson Fellow on the Future of Workers—on collaborative research on "policy innovation for inclusive economic growth in an era of rapid technological change". In 2014 the Atkinson Foundation partnered with the ''Toronto Star'' to hire Sara Mojtehedzadeh as the "work and wealth" reporter; in 2017 they partnered to hire Carleton University graduate, journalist Sabrina Nanji to report on "democracy and democratic reform."

Past Projects

Economic Justice Fellowship Award

Cathy Crowe Cathy Crowe, (born 1952) is a Canadian "street nurse", educator, author, social justice activist and filmmaker, specializing in advocacy for the homeless in Canada. She is a frequent commentator on issues related to health, homelessness and afford ...

, a "street

nurse Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health c ...

", educator, author, social justice activist and filmmaker, specializing in advocacy for the homeless in Canada, was the recipient of the Economic Justice Fellowship Award from the Atkinson Charitable Foundation in 2004 which was twice renewed.

Cindy Blackstock Cindy Blackstock is a Canadian Gitxsan activist for child welfare and executive director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada. She is also a professor for the School of Social Work at McGill University. Early life an ...

, a

Gitxsan Gitxsan (also spelled Gitksan) are an Indigenous people in Canada whose home territory comprises most of the area known as the Skeena Country in English (: means "people of" and : means "the River of Mist"). Gitksan territory encompasses approxim ...

activist for child welfare and executive director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada won the 2009 Economic Justice Fellowship Award.

References

{{Authority control Charities based in Canada Organizations established in 1942 1942 establishments in Canada