Transformative $11 Million Gift from the Krawczyk Family Foundation Advances Indigenous Health and Reconciliation at St. Michael's Hospital and Providence Healthcare

TORONTO, June 18, 2025 /CNW/ - The Krawczyk Family Foundation is taking action to advance Indigenous healing and reconciliation with a transformative $11 million gift to St. Michael's and Providence Foundation. This visionary investment will drive critical initiatives to address deep-rooted disparities experienced by First Nations, Inuit and Métis (FNIM) communities in Toronto and beyond.

Today, we celebrate this gift with the ceremonial opening of a new Indigenous Wellness Centre at St. Michael's—created by and for Indigenous Peoples to foster safety, comfort, and cultural connection. The new Centre, also funded by the Krawczyk Family Foundation, will be a key operational space for Unity Health Toronto's Indigenous Health Team, which aims to improve the experiences of FNIM people seeking healthcare at our hospitals. The Centre will enable the Indigenous Wellness Team to consult and provide advocacy for patients, and will offer space for staff training, cultural, ceremonial, and community events. 

"The process of truth and reconciliation is a lifelong journey that must be rooted in healthy, respectful relationship-building with Indigenous people and Indigenous-led organizations," said Alex Krawczyk, founder of the Krawczyk Family Foundation. "Through this gift, I hope to contribute to the important work St. Michael's Hospital and Providence Healthcare are leading to support health and healing for Indigenous people and communities."

The Krawczyk Family's $11 million investment will also fund several new and expanded initiatives at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto and Providence Healthcare in Scarborough, two sites of Unity Health Toronto, that will drive meaningful and lasting change in Indigenous health and healing:

• A new Indigenous Wellness Centre at Providence Healthcare
• Land-based healing spaces at Providence (medicine garden, sweat lodge, teaching arbour/sacred fire) 
• Creation of additional Indigenous wellness worker positions in hospital and rooted within the community to create pathways that reduce barriers to primary healthcare 
• Education and Community Engagement Fund to advance culturally safe healthcare
• Expanded patient access to Elders, and Traditional Care Providers 
• Introduction of an Indigenous Patient Comfort Fund to bridge socioeconomic barriers
• Development of Quality Assurance and Improvement Initiatives rooted in Indigenous health priorities

With more than 100,000 Indigenous community members calling Toronto home, St. Michael's Hospital is proud to care for more First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples than any other healthcare organizations in the GTA. Today's symbolic announcement, during National Indigenous History Month, further reinforces the shared commitment of St. Michael's, Providence Healthcare, and the Krawczyk Family Foundation, to remove barriers rooted in racism, discrimination and systemic inequities.

"True healing and reconciliation begin with listening, by being brave enough to acknowledge the harm that's been done, making a commitment to change, and actively supporting the creation of spaces, programs and services where Indigenous voices lead the way," says Roberta Pike, Director of Indigenous Wellness, Reconciliation and Partnerships at Unity Health Toronto. "This extraordinary gift from the Krawczyk Family Foundation not only strengthens that commitment—it creates a trailblazing path for others to follow."

Media Opportunity 

Roberta Pike, Director of Indigenous Wellness, Reconciliation and Partnerships at Unity Health Toronto, is available to discuss:

• The barriers FNIM communities face in healthcare and hospital-based settings
• The significance of the new Centre for Indigenous Wellness at St. Michael's Hospital, and how it supports Unity Health Toronto's Indigenous Health Program
• How this $11M investment will advance Indigenous health and create new models of care for FNIM communities

Interviews may also be arranged with Alex Krawczyk, and/or an Indigenous community member at St. Michael's Hospital. Photos of the new Indigenous Wellness Centre at St. Michael's Hospital can be provided.

About St. Michael's and Providence Foundation 

When you support St. Michael's and Providence Foundation, you invest in a powerful promise: Exceptional care. For everyone. In every critical moment. Without exception. St. Michael's Hospital is a powerhouse in medical research, education and patient care, leading the charge in multiple sclerosis, health equity, brain and heart health, AI innovation, and trauma care—with one of the highest survival rates in North America. Providence Healthcare, renowned for excellence in rehabilitation, palliative, and long-term care, is a trailblazer in healthy aging, delivering personalized care that prioritizes quality of life. With our collective strengths, within the Unity Health Toronto network, we raise funds to help our hospitals tackle some of the toughest health challenges of our time.

About the Krawczyk Family Foundation

The Krawczyk Family Foundation works with Indigenous-led and community-focused charitable organizations to support healthy communities and further truth and reconciliation. Learn more about our work at krawczykfoundation.com. 

SOURCE St. Michael's and Providence Foundation 

Media Contact: Madeline Stephenson, Director, Marketing and Communications, St. Michael's and Providence Foundation, 416.831.8794, [email protected]