TORONTO—For Toronto couple Jamie and Patsy Anderson, giving and contributing to the community began at an early age.
“We have been very fortunate in our own lives and we are both from families where our parents have been community volunteers. It came very naturally, it was something we enjoyed doing and it really enriches our own lives,” says Mrs. Anderson.
The Andersons will be awarded the 2012 Award for Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) in March. They will receive the honour at a special ceremony in Vancouver during AFP’s 49th International Conference on Fundraising, the largest gathering of fundraisers in the world.
The story of philanthropic involvement and volunteering for the couple began 25 years ago. In his twenties, Mr. Anderson found an interest in the Outward Bound non-profit organization that leads youth in outdoor experiential education, and decided to volunteer and get involved.
He loved “the spirit of their schools” and “their view to help people conquer all sorts of personal challenges,” says Mrs. Anderson.
He first planned a few of his own trips, and then became the chair of the board of Outward Bound Canada. A couple of years later, Mr. Anderson was recruited for Outward Bound International and took up the role of chair of the board of directors.
Also for a number of years Mr. Anderson, who is a deputy chairman of RBC Capital Markets, served as a member of the gifts cabinet of the United Way in Toronto.
His most rewarding involvement, however, was at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).
Mr. Anderson was inspired to join the centre after his friend and colleague, former Canadian Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Wilson, approached him and asked for support after losing a son to depression.
“In 1999, at a time when few business leaders were willing to step forward and advocate for mental health, both Andersons joined the $10 million Centred on Hope Campaign in support of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Canada’s largest psychiatric and addictions hospital,” says the AFP.
Later when Mr. Anderson became the chair of the centre’s board of trustees, CAMH raised $108 million in six years through its Transforming Lives campaign under his leadership.
