Building Brighter Futures Together: How the Tachane Foundation is Powering Change through YMCA Beyond the Bell™
16-06-2025
When Rusty Sutherland talks about the Tachane Foundation, there’s a quiet but unmistakable sense of purpose in his voice.
As president of the family-run foundation, Rusty oversees a philanthropic mission rooted in one clear vision: empowering Indigenous youth and families across Canada. Since its inception 18 years ago, the Tachane Foundation has been focused on making meaningful, community-driven investments that address systemic gaps in education, opportunity, and support for Indigenous communities.
“We’ve always believed in walking alongside the communities we serve,” says Rusty. “Our goal is to help Indigenous youth thrive—not just today, but for generations to come.”
That commitment to long-term impact is what brought the Tachane Foundation to the YMCA. What began as support for a local after-school program for the YMCA National Capital Region soon grew into something more. Rusty's own son had been part of the YMCA’s Kids Academy—a program that introduced children to fitness, nutrition, and healthy lifestyles—and that personal connection sparked a deeper partnership. The Foundation helped expand the program, making it accessible to more children throughout Ottawa.
But the story didn’t end there.
In 2014, the Tachane Foundation was introduced to YMCA Hamilton|Burlington|Brantford and its flagship academic support program, Beyond the Bell™. Designed to bridge the achievement gap for children in under-resourced communities, Beyond the Bell™ offers literacy and numeracy support, nutritious snacks, physical activity, and social-emotional learning—all in a safe and inclusive after-school or summer environment.
Right away, the mission clicked.
“This was a population we hadn’t directly supported before—early learners, children just starting out,” Rusty reflects. “We realized we could help give these kids the foundation they needed from day one.”
What started as an investment in one site quickly grew into a shared vision for broader inclusion. With support from the Tachane Foundation, YMCA HBB began expanding Beyond the Bell™ into neighbouring Indigenous communities, including Six Nations of the Grand River and Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.
In these communities, the need is real—and so is the potential.
Today, thanks to the Foundation’s generosity, Beyond the Bell™ is not only helping children read, learn, and grow—it’s doing so in ways that honour and reflect Indigenous cultures and languages. From the Grand River Read-a-Thon, which highlights the river’s cultural significance to the Haudenosaunee people, to specialized Cayuga language and cultural learning sessions led by Haudenosaunee Knowledge Keeper, Jessie Skye, programming is rooted in community and driven by impact.
“We’re not just teaching kids to read,” says Chris Hunt, manager of Beyond the Bell™ and Indigenous partnerships. “We’re helping them see themselves in the stories they read. We’re helping them take pride in who they are.”
Recent initiatives include one-on-one reading support and early literacy intervention for ‘priority readers,’ culturally grounded clubs in baking, sports, drama, and photography, and even time set aside for students to participate in their school’s drum group before rejoining the rest of the program.
These efforts are further guided by a cultural programming focus group made up of Haudenosaunee staff, ensuring that Beyond the Bell™ remains responsive and respectful to the communities it serves.
For Rusty, hearing the stories—and seeing the impact—is what makes it all worth it.
“I get the annual reports, I see the numbers,” he says. “But it’s the stories that stay with you. During COVID, the team sent newsletters to families even when in-person programming had to pause. The demand for those updates went beyond just the participants. That tells you something—that this program matters to people.”
As the Tachane Foundation and YMCA look to the future, the path forward is clear: deepen the work, reach more children, and keep building a foundation for lifelong success.
“We’re proud to walk this journey with the YMCA,” says Rusty. “Together, we’re making sure more Indigenous children grow up knowing that their futures are full of possibility.”
#ShineOn #IgnitePotential #TheYSavesLives
YMCA Beyond the Bell™ is an after-school and summer academic achievement program that focuses on closing the academic achievement gap experienced by children from low income areas, compared to their middle-class peers. The program is fully funded by generous donors, just like you!
