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  • The Need
  • Impact
    • Your Dollars at Work
    • Impact Stories
    • Program Partners
    • Partner Stories
    • Why I Give
  • About Us
    • Our Team
    • Board of Directors
    • Impact and Financials
    • News & Press
    • Disbursement Advisory Committee
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    • Afghan Resettlement Fund
    • The Captain Nichola Goddard Fund
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    • Bell True Patriot Love Fund
    • Invictus Games 2025
  • Ways to Donate
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    • Move for True Patriot Love
    • Remastered Memories

True Patriot Love
Algonquin Adventure 2021

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A journey of healing through the Canadian wilderness

Since 2012, True Patriot Love Foundation has produced eight ambitious expeditions around the world, pairing business leaders with members of the Canadian Armed Forces and Veterans. These expeditions highlight the perseverance and unconquerable spirit of our military members and Veterans in the face of adversity.

Building on this experience and in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenging realities associated with it, True Patriot Love is launching a ground-breaking new program that will bring together military servicemembers and frontline healthcare workers for a journey of healing through the Canadian wilderness. The program will support mental health and well-being, recognizing that servicemembers and healthcare workers may be facing common mental health challenges that have been magnified due to the pandemic.

Studies have shown that one in five Canadian Veterans suffers from mental disorders at some point in their lives, with the most common disorders being depression, PTSD and anxiety disorders. The pandemic has made the situation even more difficult for those who were already suffering. That’s why True Patriot Love Foundation wants to help. The organization has already provided support to many community programs in response to COVID 19 and has now found another way to help in this very difficult year, in recognition of the military and civilian front-line health workers who worked tirelessly to provide care during the health crisis.

Most mental health issues facing military members are also known to front-line workers in hospitals, clinics and long-term care facilities. The Foundation will bring together military and front-line health workers for a healing journey through Canada’s wilderness. Military participants and civilian health care workers will be united by their experience working in crisis situations, giving them a common basis for telling their stories, acquiring new skills and improving their ability to handle stressful situations.

Active military servicemembers and Veterans who themselves have faced increased issues due to the pandemic will have the opportunity to come together with frontline healthcare workers to share their experiences and to heal. Military participants will provide the healthcare workers with valuable insight on resiliency gained through their training and combat experience, while at the same time acquiring new perspectives to assist them with their own challenges. Using nature as the backdrop, participants will learn new skills, enhance their ability to cope with stressful situations, forge new friendships and grow their support networks. Participants will gain confidence, strength and self-reliability, better positioning them to move forward.

This event was made possible by the generous supporters of Fund A Need during our 12th Annual Tribute Gala. With special thanks to Canso Investment Counsel for matching the donations from the evening.
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True Patriot Love Foundation
150 York Street, Suite 1700
Toronto, ON M5H 3S5

416.628.1432
info@truepatriotlove.com
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Charitable Business #:81464 6493 RR0001

© 2020 True Patriot Love Foundation. All rights reserved.

 

SERVICES & RESOURCES

 

  • If you are a Veteran/military member and are in distress, call the Member Assistance Program at 1-800-268-7708
  • If you are worried about your family member, call the Family Information Line at 1-800-866-4546
  • Other resources: Family Force, Operational Stress Injury Support Services (OSSIS) or CAF's Mental Health Resources

Katrina Bolak

Katrina Bolak is an award-winning marketer and seasoned communications professional. She has a passion for podcasting that led her to executive produce two podcasts for The Globe and Mail and launch The Globe’s podcasting efforts. She holds an HBAA in Media Studies from the University of Guelph, a Diploma in PR from Humber College and an Executive MBA from the Ivey School of Business at Western University. Katrina lives in Toronto with her husband Dan, their rescue pup Parker and two cats Duncan and Vivica.

 

Shannon Busta

Shannon Busta is an award-winning digital journalist based in Toronto. Prior to joining The New York Times she worked at The Globe and Mail as a video producer and audience strategist. She holds an Executive MBA from Western University’s Ivey School of Business and a Master of Journalism from Ryerson University. She loves running, cycling and spending time outdoors with her partner Sam Riches.

 

Philip Grosch

 

Philip is a board member for the True Patriot Love Foundation and the sponsor behind the Captain Nichola Goddard Fund Podcast.

 

Philip is a passionate supporter of veterans with a focus on supporting their transition and success in post-military careers. In addition to his role on the True Patriot Love Foundation board, he is the President of Treble Victor Group (3V is a Veterans organization focused on supporting members in their post military careers www.treblevictor.org) . He has been awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition for his support of veterans.

 

In his professional career, Philip is a Consulting Partner at PwC, based in Toronto. Currently he is the executive responsible for the firm's global sales transformation program.

 

Philip has become a somewhat unexpected sponsor and joint-architect of PwC’s innovative and award winning leadership program targeted at top talent, mid-career women. The program started in 2013, when it became clear that although our entry level hiring was equal, we were losing top talent mid career women at a significantly higher rate than their male counterparts. In 2017, the program was expanded to include participants from other organizations. Today more than 400 talented women have graduated from the program. Our retention of talent is now close to 90%, and 21% of the PwC alumni have joined the executive (partner) ranks.

 

Philip is a 2016 Catalyst Canada Honours Champion in the Business Leader category, recognized for his exceptional corporate leadership and transformational contributions to advancing women and inclusion in the workplace. He is an Advisory Board Member for WNORTH and past advisory board member for WXN Canada’s 100 Most Powerful Women.

Captain (Ret’d) Theresa Sapara, CD, MBA

 

Theresa joined the military as a private soldier before being selected for officer and university training, after which she worked for combat, special forces and combat-support units as a logistic officer, in Canada and in Haiti. True to her competitive and driven nature, she also qualified as a military parachutist and competed in the military Ironman competition.

 

Seeking further opportunities to develop and broaden the application of the leadership skills learned as a soldier, she left the Army and has quickly established herself as a mid-ranking commercial leader with a track record of changing business focus and processes to better exploit new strategic environments. This included working within the retail, mining and professional services industries before being appointed as a manager for Amazon Web Services based in Toronto.

 

Theresa holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Ottawa and an MBA from the Ivey School of Business. In addition to spending time with her family, she volunteers as a Board Member for the Treble Victor Group (a Veterans organization) and UForChange (a youth arts program).