Baker Tilly WM announces partnership with BC Children’s Hospital Foundation

Vancouver, BC – Baker Tilly WM proudly announces a five-year partnership with BC Children’s Hospital Foundation (BCCHF) that will contribute funding and provide dedicated volunteer hours each year to the hospital, the only one in British Columbia and the Yukon devoted exclusively to the care of children and youth. 

“Baker Tilly is thrilled to partner with BCCHF and support its cutting-edge, community-driven work with children in BC, the Yukon and beyond,” says Paul Websdale, Baker Tilly WM’s managing partner. “We can think of no better way to help build healthy communities for today and tomorrow than supporting this world-class facility that is supporting children, who are our future.”

Baker Tilly WM operates under Baker Tilly Canada, which has member firms from coast to coast and is one of the country’s largest associations of chartered professional accounting firms. For Baker Tilly WM, supporting a community-driven charity was an easy choice. “Baker Tilly member firms work in and support communities across Canada and throughout BC,” Websdale explains. “BCCHF is supporting children in these communities and helping build healthy families. This is something we all feel connected to.”

Baker Tilly WM’s gift is unrestricted, which means it is not tied to a specific program. This will allow BCCHF the flexibility to invest in urgent needs, including acute care, equipment purchases, research, education and more.

As the province’s only hospital devoted exclusively to the care of children and youth, BCCHF offers help and support to one million kids – including some of the sickest and most seriously injured children in BC – who rely on the hospital for specialized care they would struggle to find anywhere else. Last year, more than 130,000 patients visited this hospital, including its acute care centre, its research institute and its mental health facility.

“Strategic partnerships like that with Baker Tilly help enable the next bold and audacious leaps forward in pediatric health care,” says Rita Thodos, executive vice-president of philanthropy at BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. “This powerful support will allow BC Children's Hospital and our research institute to respond to emergent and rapidly evolving needs. Funding transformative research for state-of-the-art equipment and evidence-based programs, this generous commitment will help take health care for kids from great to mighty.”

Baker Tilly WM’s agreement includes a volunteer component, which will see employees donating their time at events that may include RBC Race for the Kids, Crystal Ball and For Children We Care. This could also include creating overnight essentials packages for patient families and siblings or outbound gratitude call campaigns.

“Our employees are excited to get out into the community and help BCCHF reach its fundraising, awareness and educational goals,” Websdale says. “We are looking forward to the opportunity to connect our people to a worthy community cause and foster a sense of belonging through meaningful donations of time and support.”

Prior to this partnership, Baker Tilly WM was contributing to more than 40 charities without a structured giving plan, but the firm wanted to do more. This strategic partnership aligns with the organization’s three pillars of success: mission, vision and values.

“BC Children’s Hospital Foundation is thrilled to join forces with Baker Tilly,” Thodos says. “Both of our organizations are ranked among the top 10 organizations in our fields – pediatric medicine and advisory, tax and assurance, respectively –and we share a mutual motivation of creating a brighter future for those we serve.”

“This partnership is Baker Tilly’s opportunity to reach out and give back,” Websdale says. “We are excited for our organizations to work together, building a brighter future for the communities where we live, work and play.”