Peel Children's Aid Foundation was established in 2003 to raise funds to support innovative and urgently-needed programs and services that are not government-funded for Peel Children's Aid. We are a registered charity, raising funds for urgently needed programs that give children and youth in our community the chance to experience nurturing childhoods, equal opportunity to education, and future success as contributing members of society.
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​We are dedicated to a full transparency policy

Please find our Articles of Incorporation, Financial Statement, and Not-for-Profit Corporations Act (ONCA) below

Articles of Incorporation

Financial Statement

ONCA

A Statement from our Executive Director

"Our region has changed, and caring for a new generation of vulnerable families must become a pillar of our vision for the future. Already we see a tremendous impact from investing in programs that foster growth and future success. The children and youth we work with deserve the same opportunities as their peers, and it is our obligation to champion their needs."
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Renae Addis
Executive Director
​Peel Children's Aid Foundation

Team

Maryann Kerr - CEO - Peel CAF
Maryann has worked and volunteered in the social impact sector for three decades and helped raise over $110M for small to mid-sized organizations.  She has led at the local, provincial, national and international level and is passionate about her family, feminism, and inclusion. 

​As a governance, leadership and culture specialist, Maryann knows successful organizations create and nurture a psychologically safe climate where everyone understands their role; politics are minimal; engagement is high and turnover low. Environments where employees work alongside the community co-create the roadmap to mission delivery. Compassion and a deep commitment to collaborative and productive workplaces are core to her work.  
Ursula Ladner - Manager, Administration
Ursula started with Peel CAF in 2015. She has over 10 years worth of event planning experience. Her expertise in events and administrative work are a great asset to the team. She is an advocate for supporting vulnerable children and youth.
Farzana Nazim - Development Coordinator

Farzana started with Peel CAF in 2019. Farzana graduated from Ryerson University where she obtained her Bachelors of Commerce degree and has extensive experience in administration, finance and event coordination. Farzana is passionate about making a difference in the community and she aspires to be an ambassador of the Foundation in support of vulnerable children, youth and families in Peel.

Nada Ali - Distribution Centre Coordinator

Nada started with Peel CAF in 2022. She has 10 years' experience in retail and customer service. Nada's role as Distribution Centre Coordinator helps to oversee the daily operation of the Distribution Centre that provides brand new clothing, toiletries, baby supplies, grocery gift cards, etc all year round for vulnerable children, youth, and families involved with Peel Children's Aid Society and the child welfare system.
Our Dedicated Donors
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​Children and youth involved with Peel Children’s Aid Society have benefited greatly from the generosity and dedication of our corporate partners and sponsors. 
Benefits to being a partner
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Corporations benefit from partnership with Peel Children’s Aid Foundation through increased consumer awareness of their product or service, recognition as good corporate citizens and the opportunity to engage their employees in an important cause.
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Peel Children’s Aid Foundation special event sponsors can benefit in many ways:
  • Raise company profile with a high-end audience
  • Reach customers on an emotional level
  • Maximize promotion by taking advantage of established, well-organized and professionally managed turn-key events
  • Entertain important clients
  • Utilize recognition opportunities offered for repeat exposure to your target audience
  • Pre-and post-event publicity for even greater reach via numerous media outlets
  • Enhance reputation by demonstrating social responsibility linked to a highly recognized charity in Peel Region
Become a corporate donor
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Donating to Peel Children’s Aid Foundation shows a corporation’s commitment to the community and its future. With generous donations from our corporate partners, we are able to provide children and youth in care with the same opportunities afforded to their peers like school trips or music lessons. But also basic life necessities like clothing, diapers, food, and education.

We can work with you to develop a program that meets your own corporate goals and recognition needs. We can also assist you in developing a plan to engage your employees with team building opportunities!

Board of Directors

John Digby - President
John Digby has over 35 years in financial services and has become very knowledgeable about retail & business services and the real estate industry.  Skilled in analyzing a wide range of business needs he has acquired this expertise through previous responsibilities in branch management, financial planning and commercial account management.  John has been with RBC Royal Bank since 1991. John is currently serving as a member of the Board of Directors with the Peel Children’s Aid Foundation (Chair of the Fund Development Committee). Previous board positions with the Rotary Club of Brampton and Brampton and Caledon Community Foundation
Cliff Silveira - Past President
Cliff Silveira is Managing Partner and Director of Operations, of the family owned and operated, Mississauga Convention Centre.    Having lived, worked and played in Mississauga for most of his life, Cliff has developed a strong connection and commitment to Peel Region. In 2001, Cliff founded the Mississauga Convention Centre Foundation and chaired the Kathy A. Drury Rainbow Ball from 2002 to 2012.  Cliff furthered his commitment to the city with his involvement in various charitable organizations. Cliff is currently serving as President of Peel Children’s Aid Foundation, and is excited about the work that the Foundation does, supporting children, youth and their families in Peel. Above all, Cliff is an enthusiastically proud father of three beautiful children, Zoe, Chase, and Lincoln; and loving husband to Lisa Silveira. Cliff believes that a strong family core is supported by a healthy and prosperous community.    Such as the African Proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child,” Cliff believes it takes a united community for a child to prosper. 
Ray Lessard - Vice President
​Ray Lessard spent over 30 years with BMO Financial Group in Wealth Advisory and Senior Management Roles as a Senior Vice President and Managing Director.  He has helped raise funds for Credit Valley Hospital, Juvenile Diabetes, BMO Fountain of Hope, the Baystock Foundation, Legends Row (Mississauga’s Walk of Fame) as a director, Peel Children's Aid Foundation as Vice President of the Board of Directors, and the Community Foundation of Mississauga where he served as President of the board and created the R. Lessard Family Fund which grants annually to children's organizations in Mississauga. 
Armando Minicucci - Treasurer

Armando joined the Peel Children’s Aid Foundation Board in 2009. He was drawn to the organization by its dedicated team and passionate board.  The following description from some of the staff resonated with him, "Peel Children's Aid Society saves children's lives, and the Foundation helps give them a life." Armando is a partner in Grant Thornton's tax practice and a member of its national business succession and estate planning team. He provides tax services to a diverse group of private and owner-managed businesses and high net worth individuals, not-for-profit clients, charities, and private foundations.
Nav Shokar - Secretary
​Nav Shokar is pleased to be a member of the Peel Children's Aid Foundation Board. She is currently a director and secretary for the Board. In addition, she also sits on the Fund Development Committee and the Fierce and Fabulous planning committee. Nav Shokar is an associate in the Family Law practice group at Keyser Mason Ball, LLP. Nav advises on all matters related to divorce, child support, custody and access, spousal support and the division of property. She thoroughly enjoys giving back to the community and to children. 
Beryl Ford - Director
Beryl Ford has been actively involved with the Peel CAS and the Foundation Board for almost 20 years. Beryl was Chair of the Steering committee for the formation of the Foundation and has been a Board Member since its inception. She is currently the Past President of the Foundation having served as President for the last four years. Beryl was a Public School Board Trustee for 30 years which included five terms as Chair of the school board.
Todd Kerr - Director

Todd Kerr brings 20+ years of professional experience to his role as a Foundation Board Member. A registered Urban Planner by trade (MCIP, RPP) and currently the Vice President of Real Estate at a GTA-based land development company, he has been a passionate Board Member of Peel CAF for the past 10 years. Having two young children, he is actively involved in his community volunteering and coaching community based sports programs, and cares deeply for the welfare of all children. Todd holds a BA in Environmental Studies from the University of Waterloo.
Elaine Moore - Director
​Former Councillor Elaine Moore has served her residents for over 27 years, first as a Peel District Public School Board Trustee, then as first a City Councillor and presently as a Regional Councillor in Brampton for Wards 1 & 5, of which this will be her last term of office as she has chosen not to seek re-election. Elaine chairs the Region’s Peel Health Services Committee, and the City’s Planning & Development Committee, and is the Vice-Chair for Service Brampton & Facilities under the Community & Public Services Committee. A long-time supporter of downtown Brampton, she is a member of the Downtown Brampton BIA.  Elaine has been on Peel Children’s Aid Foundation’s Board of Directors for the past 5 years. 
Kerry Gaetano - Director

Kerry Gaetano is Head, Communications & Corporate Affairs, Strategy & Operations, for BMO Financial Group. In this role, she leads the end-to-end enterprise communications strategy and execution for BMO’s strategic agenda. Kerry provides strategic counsel to the Chief Strategy & Operations Officer, ensuring that internal and external communications needs are identified, aligned to enterprise messaging, and executed successfully. She is also responsible for overseeing corporate and executive communications for large-scale initiatives within BMO Digital, Marketing & Social Impact, Global Procurement and Corporate Real Estate.
In addition, Kerry leads communications activities for BMO’s Mental Health & Wellness initiative, Diversity & Inclusion and BMO’s partnerships with CivicAction, CAMH and other community organizations.
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Amrinder Kooner - Director
Amrinder Kooner has over 20 years of corporate experience and out of that last ten years in the banking industry, helping Business and Commercial clients. Work in CIBC as a Senior Manager and leading a team of relationship managers and support the Business community in GTA West. I have graduated in Engineering and completed my Masters in Business Administration from the Schulich School of Business. For more than a decade, I am involved actively with the Canadian South Asians Supporting Independent Living (C-SASIL) and  Heart & Stroke Foundation, supporting their events and fundraising initiatives. Since 2011, working with Canadian Blood Services in mobilizing the community and raising blood donations through one of the largest Canadian Blood Donation Campaign that has saved more than 150 k lives.

Paul Bola - Director

​For over 15 years, Paul Bola has been providing high-net-worth clients with personalized and conservative investment management, and financial and estate planning. As his client, you have access to a broad range of resources to fulfill all your financial needs. In Paul’s practice, he has developed a disciplined portfolio management approach. He uses a goal-focused, versus market driven style, and aims on guiding his clients through every stage of their life. Paul’s goal is to make a significant impact in the lives of his clients. This is done by, taking the weight of wealth management off their shoulders, providing peace of mind, with respect to their financial affairs, and being the voice of calm in volatile markets.
Maqbool Walji - Director

Maqbool Walji is an entrepreneur, a strong advocate for Youth engagement, Mental Health Awareness, Affordable Housing, Crime Prevention Awareness and Public Safety. He is actively involved with the Peel District School Board’s Faith Forward committee, interfaith Council of Peel and food banks. Over the past few years, Maqbool has worked with newcomers and refugee families to help them with settlement in Peel. Maqbool has also been engaged within political and civic engagement and has worked diligently to ensure all voices are heard and all people are at the table when it comes to decisions made about them. Maqbool is currently a member of the Board of Directors for Safe City Mississauga. 

Prasad Nair is a Board Liaison, at Peel Children’s Aid Society

With over 25 years of leadership experience in the areas of Child Welfare, Counselling, and Labour Welfare in both for-profit and non-profit sectors. Prasad has a Masters of Social Work and Bachelor of Law Degree from India, and a Masters of Social Work from York University. He also received a Leadership certifications with Schulich School of Business, Smith School of Business, & Prosci certification in Change Management.
Currently his portfolio also includes Child Welfare Immigration Centre of Excellence (CWICE), Trailblazer Youth Centre, Family Connections and Placement services including Adoption. Prasad believes in innovation and is driven to empower and mentor future leaders to ensure excellence in service for the children, youth and families.
Prasad is an active volunteer and is involved with multiple cultural and community initiatives. In 2021, the City of Mississauga has recognized him as a Covid Hero considering his voluntary contributions to the community during the peak of Covid-19 outbreak. Prasad lives in Mississauga with his partner and two adult children.

​Mary Beth Moellenkamp - Director (ex-officio) - Peel CAS CEO

Beth is a Service Director with Peel CAS, and has been with the organization for 20 years. Beth has led a variety of innovative initiatives, including the development of Kinship and Family Finding programs.  She was instrumental in developing and leading the Ontario-wide Syrian Refugee Response Project to help ensure timely services and supports for Syrian newcomer families. As a result of that successful program, Beth led Peel CAS to form the Child Welfare Immigration Centre of Excellence, first of its kind in Canada. Beth’s co-leads the Agency’s Human Trafficking strategy, and is leading the development of the Agency’s Youth Success strategy. Beth has a dual role as Director of CWICE, and leads a large multi-disciplinary service team supporting reunification and permanency planning for children and youth in care. Beth believes in innovation and is driven to empower and mentor future leaders to ensure excellence service for the children, youth and families we serve. ​