Vaughan Mayor Bevilacqua unveils the Cortellucci family’s historic donation to Hospice Vaughan.

At Vaughan City Hall, Hospice Vaughan and Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua revealed the Cortellucci family as Hospice Vaughan’s naming donor. The Cortellucci family’s generous donation of $3 million will go toward the building of the new 10-bed residential hospice facility, which is expected to open in 2019.

“Today’s donation of $3 million speaks to the spirit of generosity of the Cortellucci family. They are very present in our community [and] they embody values of being compassionate, understanding and caring. This is how you build great cities. Great cities are built on an understanding that we all have responsibilities to improve the human condition, and [the] hospice is a type of place that speaks to the loving and nurturing spirit that is so important if we are to move the community forward,” says Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua.

Also announced, the new facility will be called the Hospice Vaughan — Mario & Nick Cortellucci Hospice Palliative Care Centre of Excellence. The donation is the largest in the history of Hospice Vaughan, increasing the funds raised for the “Better Ending” capital campaign to $10 million.

The 25,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility will house 200 end-of-life clients and countless families per year. Hospice Vaughan will be equipped with 10 residential hospice beds, day programs, family support and counselling services, visiting community hospice services, and facilities to conduct research and educate health care professionals on palliative care best practices.

“People need to get involved, they need to volunteer, they need to give [of] themselves. It’s a wonderful and beautiful experience to be there for one another — to give [of] oneself is really the ultimate expression of faith and love that you have for people. Life in the City of Vaughan is a constant celebration because people always step up, every day people are volunteering, people are raising funds for worthy causes, and every day people give [of] themselves. This is a model city that embraces compassion, understanding and a deep sense of love for one another and the results speak for themselves,” says Mayor Bevilacqua.

To learn more on how you can get involved with Hospice Vaughan, visit www.hospicevaughan.com.

photos courtesy of hospice vaughan