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Two students in Victoria, BC—Jessica Soule and Charlotte Brady—have been recognized as recipients of the 2020 TD Scholarship for Community Leadership. As part of the TD Ready Commitment, the bank’s corporate citizenship platform, this award is designed to acknowledge the achievements of youth who are making a difference in their community.
Jessica Soule created “This is: Harm Reduction,” a program aiming to educate youth on the opioid crisis, destigmatize addiction issues, and teach harm reduction techniques including naloxone training. Jessica volunteers with Foundry BC, International Overdose Awareness Day, and is involved with the development of a mentorship program for the Foundry Victoria Youth Action Council.
Charlotte Brady and fellow members of the ‘Ban the Bag’ initiative persuaded Victoria City Council to ban single use plastic bags after a five-year effort. After the decision was overturned in provincial court, Charlotte formed Kids for a Plastic Free Canada and partnered with the UVIC law department to educate the public and provincial officials on the issue. Charlotte is the founder and leader of her school’s Pride and Equality Club, supporting LGBTQ+ youth.
2020 marks the 25th anniversary of the scholarship program and signifies a milestone year, as TD marks the 500th student and cumulative $25 million in scholarship donations since the program’s inception.
