Aviva Canada and Eva’s Initiatives Working Together to Prevent Youth Homelessness
New partnership recognizes International Day for Street Children

April 12, 2012 (Toronto, ON) – On this International Day for Street Children, Aviva Canada Inc. – one of the country’s leading providers of home, automobile, recreational vehicle, group and business insurance – is proud to announce its new partnership with Eva’s Initiatives, a recognized pioneer in providing services for homeless and at-risk youth.

Under the partnership, Aviva Canada will provide support for the expansion of Eva’s proven Family Re-Connect and National Initiatives programs. Both programs target youth who are vulnerable to becoming homeless or dropping out of school and this partnership is the first of its kind focused specifically on early intervention and the prevention of youth homelessness. There are currently an estimated 65,000 Canadian youth living on the streets.

Maurice Tulloch, President and CEO of Aviva Canada said today, “We’re in the risk management business and that’s what this investment in Eva’s work is about – preventing the worst before it happens. Family Re-Connect is highly effective at returning youth to their families earlier and that greatly increases the likelihood of them returning to school and securing their futures. We counsel our customers every day to protect their homes and possessions, and this partnership focuses on how we can better protect our most important assets – our kids.”

Aviva Canada’s work with Eva’s Initiatives is part of the organization’s global Street to School initiative. Launched in 2009 to help 500,000 homeless children get back into school and training programs by 2015, the program has to date supported 400,000 children and youth around the world.

Eva’s Initiatives works collaboratively with homeless and at-risk youth, ages 16 to 24, to help them reach their potential to lead productive, self-sufficient and healthy lives. Each year, thousands of youth are helped through their emergency and transitional housing, harm reduction services, counselling, employment and training programs, social enterprise, and services to reconnect them with their families. Eva’s Initiatives operates through three locations in Toronto, Ontario including; Eva’s Place, Eva’s Satellite and Eva’s Phoenix, and networks with other youth support programs across Canada to share best practices and proven programs.

“This partnership with Aviva Canada is truly significant for Eva’s Initiatives. It allows us to engage in direct work with youth and families in the community,” said Maria Crawford, Executive Director, Eva’s Initiatives.

About Aviva Canada

Aviva Canada is one of the leading Property and Casualty insurance groups in Canada providing home, automobile, recreational vehicle, group and business insurance to more than three million customers.  A wholly-owned subsidiary of UK-based Aviva plc, the world’s sixth-largest insurance group, the company has more than 3,000 employees, 25 locations and 1,700 independent broker partners. Aviva Canada and its employees invest in positive change including through the Aviva Community Fund and Eva’s Initiatives, its partner in Aviva’s global Street to School program to help homeless and other at-risk youth reach their potential.

For more information visit AvivaCanada.com, our blog or our Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn pages.

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Media Contact:

Glenn Cooper

Senior Manager, Public Relations, Aviva Canada

Desk: (416) 288-2685

Mobile (416) 523-3225

Glenn_cooper@avivacanada.com