Our History

Working Towards A Goal

After the passing of Ron Townsend, retired district chief of the Milton Fire Department, in October 2007, his wife Janet and children Matt and Amy, recognized the desperate need for a local hospice.

The Townsend family decided to work towards establishing a hospice residence, providing access to palliative care for residents of Milton and Halton Hills. Supported by members of the Milton Fire Department they began raising funds for this purpose through the Ron Townsend Memorial Golf Tournament.

Following the passing of Tessie Smith, a well-known Tai Chi instructor in Milton, in May of 2009, her husband Lyndon and several friends gathered with the same idea in mind. Tessie as well, had been unable to spend her last days in a hospice as none was available. When the two groups learned of each other, they decided to work together towards a common goal.

Townsend Smith Foundation was incorporated in March 2011 as a non-profit corporation and is a registered charity with the Canada Revenue Agency under the Income Tax Act.

Where We Are Now

The Foundation is guided by a volunteer Board of Directors and is currently embarking on a capital campaign to fund the building and equipping of a 10 bed hospice in Milton and Halton Hills.