Garfield Weston c. 1960

The W. Garfield Weston Foundation originated in 1959, and is named in honor of Willard Garfield Weston, a Canadian who established successful business enterprises throughout Canada and in many parts of the world.  The Foundation is supported by an endowment from the Weston family.  For over forty years the foundation has made donations to Canadian charitable organizations reflecting a wide spectrum of rural and urban needs, from medical and nutritional research, to programs in the arts, education and the environment. These grants were distributed throughout all the Provinces and Territories.

The W. Garfield Weston Foundation's mandate states that grants are to be given for projects in Canada for the benefit of Canadians. The foundation currently directs its funds primarily to two areas: scholarships and land conservation.

Due to the generosity of the W. Garfield Weston Foundation, the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program was able to establish the W. Garfield Weston Endowment on receipt of an initial contribution in 1994 from the Foundation, followed by additional funding in 1995 and 1996. 

Contributions to community organizations are made by local operating divisions, by George Weston Limited and by The W. Garfield Weston Foundation, a private Canadian foundation associated with the Weston group of companies.  George Weston Limited is committed to improving quality of life in the communities it serves, and believes that business should participate with its employees in supporting community organizations.