Disability Services and the Office of Advancement & Alumni Relations are Pleased to Announce HSBC Bank Canada’s Support of Humber’s Easy Start Transition Program.

Humber College has received a gift of $45,000 from HSBC Bank Canada for its Easy Start Transition Program, an initiative to help students with disabilities make a successful transition to the postsecondary academic environment. Thanks to HSBC’s generous donation, students with disabilities will benefit from an introduction to Humber services, an increased awareness of the importance of self-advocacy, and a heightened awareness of the impact of their disability on their learning.

Students with disabilities often face unequal access to postsecondary education. The Easy Start Transition Program opens up educational opportunities for these students and helps them break down the barriers that can affect their ability to successfully complete their studies.

The program has already demonstrated success. In its first year of operation in 2012, 77 students participated in the program. With the gift from HSBC Bank Canada, 100 additional students with disabilities will benefit.

“The Easy Start Transition Program helps to transform lives and helps build a better future for Humber students, graduates and our community,” says Jason Hunter, Dean of Students. “We are truly grateful for HSBC’s generosity and commitment to increasing access to education.”

“HSBC believes that education is a fundamental building block of healthy communities,” said Mike Webb, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, HSBC Bank Canada. “We strongly support the mandate of the Easy Start Transition Program, and we are committed to helping remove barriers and improve access to opportunities for persons with disabilities in our communities, and in our workplace.”

About HSBC Bank Canada
HSBC Bank Canada, a subsidiary of HSBC Holdings plc, is the leading international bank in Canada. With around 6,600 offices in over 80 countries and territories and assets of US$2,681bn at 31 March 2013, the HSBC Group is one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organizations.