May 29, 2024 | Press Releases
Message from Astrid Lakats, Chair, Board of Directors:
On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Kim Kohlberger to the position of Executive Director, Townsend Smith Foundation (TSF), beginning June 24, 2024.
Kim brings a history of leadership roles across the spectrum of healthcare including hospital, home and community care services, long term care, supportive housing and primary care. Most recently she was employed as Executive Director for the Dorval Medical associates Family Health Team. Prior roles include Associate Vice President at Mackenzie Health and Clinical Operations Lead for the Western York Region Ontario Health Team. From 2005 to 2017, Kim was the Program Director, Rehabilitation and Geriatrics at Halton Healthcare.
Kim Kohlberger has an undergraduate degree in Social Work from the Toronto Metropolitan University, a graduate diploma in gerontology from the University of Toronto (1995) and Master’s in Health Service Management (2009) from Charles Sturt University. Much of her career has been spent in quality improvement and clinical best practices. She completed a Lean Green Belt certification in 2015.
Our board believes Kim’s history, commitment to learning and innovation and unique mix of skills and leadership qualities position her for success in leading our organization forward. She is joining TSF at an exciting juncture in our development. The Board of Directors looks forward to working collaboratively with Kim and our many partners, funders and supporters to bring the Townsend Smith Foundation’s vision to reality with the building of the first hospice in North Halton bringing dignified and compassionate end-of-life care to our community.
On behalf of the Board, I would like to congratulate Kim on her new role with TSF, and extend our deepest gratitude to Theresa Greer for her leadership as our part-time Executive Director for the past several years.
Astrid Lakats
Chair, Board of Directors
Dec 4, 2023 | Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NORTH HALTON, ONTARIO, December 04, 2023 –The Townsend Smith Foundation (TSF) was pleased to use the internationally recognized “Giving Tuesday” day to recognize and thank the many community-mind volunteers and donors that have helped TSF make measurable gains in its journey to build and operate a residential hospice in North Halton a reality.
“2023 saw much progress” shared Board Chair, Astrid Lakats, “The community can always celebrate the past months as the time that the land and planning permissions necessary to build North Halton’s first hospice residence were secured at the geographic heart of North Halton on Trafalgar Road and 5th Line, strategically and conveniently nestled between the urban centres of Milton and Georgetown and a short drive to downtown Acton”.
TSF’s hospice care will prioritize patient comfort and quality of life by reducing pain and suffering but will also support the needs of family and friends in a supportive environment.
“Like other health infrastructure projects in the Province of Ontario there is an expectation that the community rally to raise a ‘community share’, and to this end TSF is dedicated to the fundraising efforts necessary.”
“We live in a wonderfully generous community” shared former, now retired, Halton Hills Mayor Rick Bonnette who has joined the fundraising campaign as a volunteer and who was celebrated by close to a hundred volunteers, donors, and guests at the Tuesday (November 28, 2023) appreciate event. “While we will need leadership gifts, no donation is too small. All gifts and offers of support are gladly, and gratefully accepted. Townsend Smith Foundation understands that the fundraising task is substantial”, added Rick.
Those wishing to learn more about hospice care for North Halton, the work of the Townsend Smith Foundation, or to offer support through a generous gift or as a volunteer are encouraged to visit https://www.townsend-smith.ca/donate/.
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About Palliative Care
According to the Global Atlas of Palliative Care, over 56.8 million people are estimated to require palliative care every year including 31.1 million prior to and 25.7 million near the end of life. The majority (67%) are adults over 50 years old and at least 7% are children. The majority (54%) are non-decedents who need palliative care prior to their last year of life. The burden of severe illness and health related suffering, and the corresponding need for palliative care, are immense. Yet palliative care is still not accessible to most people in need, especially in low and middle-income countries.
About Townsend Smith Foundation
Working vigorously since 2012, the Townsend Smith Foundation, TSF, is a registered charitable organization with a unique mandate to provide the supports and education to those interested in hospice care, in the last stages of living, or bereaved. Our meaningful projects include free seminars to raise awareness for the need and benefit of hospice palliative care, support for caregivers, children and will planning, group discussions of death through death cafes, and honouring those who have passed through candlelight ceremony. TSF volunteers consistently engage our community on hospice care and its needs in North Halton with a key objective being to raise funds to build hospice facilities in North Halton.
For further information at Townsend Smith Foundation please contact:
Ms. Astrid Lakats, Chair, Board of Directors
bod@townsend-smith.ca I 289.878.3407
Oct 16, 2023 | Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NORTH HALTON, ONTARIO, October 16, 2023 –Partnering with local government in Halton Hills and Milton, the Townsend Smith Foundation (TSF), a local charity working to build and operate a hospice residence to serve area residents celebrated World Hospice Day with flag raising ceremonies at the Halton Hills Town Hall and at the Milton Town Hall.
World Hospice and Palliative Care Day (WHPCD) is a unified day of action to celebrate and support hospice and palliative care around the world every second Saturday in October. To mark WHPCD 2023, thousands of people around the world will be coming together on the 14th of October 2023 to celebrate, but most importantly to speak out about their lived experiences in grief, loss, and bereavement. The Townsend Smith Foundation will be working together with hospices, palliative care facilities, and people living with palliative care needs to amplify the WHPCD theme, “Compassionate Communities: Together for Palliative Care.”
WHPCD 2023 will be a day to advocate for the support of people with serious health related suffering including those at the end-of-life, caregivers and their families. Compassionate communities care for people, assist people to live in the place they call home, connect people to services, raise awareness about end-of-life issues and develop the capacity of others in the community.
WHPCD 2023 will be a day where communities, institutions, and healthcare providers, unite and raise their voices to advocate for palliative care policies and programs that support the strategic development goal of good health and well-being. Palliative care development follows a public health model developed by the WHO that emphasizes policy, education, medication availability, community empowerment, research and
implementation. There are many barriers to achieving each of these components.
TSF’s state-of-the-art hospice residence will prioritize patient comfort and quality of life by reducing pain and suffering but will also support the needs of family and friends in a supportive environment.
Those wishing to learn more about hospice care for North Halton, the work of the Townsend Smith Foundation, or to offer support through a generous gift or as a volunteer are encouraged to visit https://www.townsend-smith.ca/donate/.
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About Palliative Care
According to the Global Atlas of Palliative Care, over 56.8 million people are estimated to require palliative care every year including 31.1 million prior to and 25.7 million near the end of life. The majority (67%) are adults over 50 years old and at least 7% are children. The majority (54%) are non-decedents who need palliative care prior to their last year of life. The burden of severe illness and health related suffering, and the corresponding need for palliative care, are immense. Yet palliative care is still not accessible to most people in need, especially in low and middle-income countries.
About Townsend Smith Foundation
Working vigorously since 2012, the Townsend Smith Foundation, TSF, is a registered charitable organization with a unique mandate to provide the supports and education to those interested in hospice care, in the last stages of living, or bereaved. Our meaningful projects include free seminars to raise awareness for the need and benefit of hospice palliative care, support for caregivers, children and will planning, group discussions of death through death cafes, and honouring those who have passed through candlelight ceremony. TSF volunteers consistently engage our community on hospice care and its needs in North Halton with a key objective being to raise funds to build hospice facilities in North Halton.
For further information at Townsend Smith Foundation please contact
Ms. Astrid Lakats, Chair, Board of Directors
bod@townsend-smith.ca | 289.878.3407
Sep 22, 2023 | Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NORTH HALTON, ONTARIO, September 22, 2023 – The grassroots charity Townsend Smith Foundation (TSF) is pleased to announce that The Honourable Lisa Raitt has joined a growing number of dedicated leadership volunteers who are helping to bring much-needed health care infrastructure to North Halton in the form of a state-of-the-art hospice residence and its associated palliative care programs and services.
“As with all health care projects these days, there is a need to raise money within the community. It’s true when it comes to hospitals and its true when it comes to building and operating a hospice”, shared TSF Board of Directors Chair, Astrid Lakats.
TSF is lucky in that the fundraising achieved to-date allowed us to purchase land at the corner of Trafalgar Rd and 5 Sideroad, and we’re moving the construction to the next logical phase as we seek expertise from architects and the like.
“Looking at similar projects TSF knows we will have to work hard to engage our community, but we’ve found that the importance of building and operating a hospice residence in the community resonates with people who are responding with generous gifts of support”, added Lakats.
“As a former Canadian politician who served as a federal Cabinet minister and member of Parliament (MP) for our community I understand how impactful the work of charities like Townsend Smith Foundation is to building a better community for us all, and it is with this in mind that my choice to volunteer the help necessary for the capital fundraising effort was an easy one”, observed Ms. Raitt, adding, “We’re a community that has always worked collaboratively towards a common vision for a better future for all, TSF’ efforts to build the hospice in North Halton is an important project for our collective health care.“
TSF’s hospice care will prioritize its residents’ comfort and quality of life by reducing pain and suffering but will also support the needs of family and friends in a caring environment.
Those wishing to learn more about hospice care for North Halton, the work of the Townsend Smith Foundation, or to offer support through a generous gift or as a volunteer are encouraged to visit https://www.townsend-smith.ca/donate/.
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About Townsend Smith Foundation
Working vigorously since 2012, the Townsend Smith Foundation, TSF, is a registered charitable organization with a unique mandate to provide the supports and education to those interested in hospice care, in the last stages of living, or bereaved.
Our meaningful projects include free seminars to raise awareness for the need and benefit of hospice palliative care, support for caregivers, children and will planning, group discussions of death through death cafes, and honouring those who have passed through candlelight ceremony. TSF conducts research on hospice care and volunteers consistently engage our community on hospice care and its needs in North Halton with a key objective being to raise funds to build hospice facilities in North Halton.
For further information at Townsend Smith Foundation please contact
Ms. Astrid Lakats, Chair, Board of Directors
alakats@townsend-smith.ca I 289.878.3407
Sep 6, 2023 | Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NORTH HALTON, ONTARIO, September 06, 2023 – The largely volunteer operated charity Townsend Smith Foundation (TSF) is dedicated to building and operating a hospice residence in North Halton and seeing their fundraising efforts continue to build the needed momentum. Recently well-know business professional and philanthropist Teresa Fujarczuk agreed to join growing number of leadership volunteers tasked with raising the many millions of dollars needed to achieve what government euphemistically calls “the community share”.
Teresa joins a growing number of community leaders who have stepped up to help TSF secure the funds needed to build and operate a state-of-the-art hospice residence that will prioritize patient comfort and quality of life by reducing pain and suffering but will also support the needs of family and friends in a caring environment.
“No major health care project including a hospice gets built without active community support demonstrated through fundraising”, noted Astrid Lakats, Chair of the Board of Directors for Townsend Smith Foundation. “While TSF is still in the planning stages based on recent similar projects in nearby communities TSF will have to raise millions of dollars, but the project is moving forward. Earlier this year TSF secured the land and planning permissions for a hospice residence approximately 5 kilometres north of the Town of Milton on Trafalgar Road”, added Lakats.
Those wishing to learn more about hospice care for North Halton, the work of the Townsend Smith Foundation, or to offer support through a generous gift or as a volunteer are encouraged to visit https://www.townsend-smith.ca/donate/.
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About Townsend Smith Foundation
Working vigorously since 2012, the Townsend Smith Foundation, TSF, is a registered charitable organization with a unique mandate to provide supports and education to those interested in hospice care, in the last stages of living, or bereaved. Our meaningful projects include free seminars to raise awareness for the need and benefit of hospice palliative care, support for caregivers, children and estate planning, group discussions of death through death cafes, and honouring those who have passed through an annual candlelight ceremony. TSF conducts research on hospice care and volunteers consistently engage our stakeholders on the need for compassionate end-of-life care in North Halton with a key objective being to raise funds to build hospice facilities in our community.
For further information at Townsend Smith Foundation please contact
Ms. Astrid Lakats, Chair, Board of Directors
alakats@townsend-smith.ca I 289.878.3407
