Our Story
Boje and Rose, pictured above.
The JLF was established in 2008 after Marianne Larsen received a large sum of money from a family friend, Boje Johansen, shortly before he died. Boje was born in Denmark in 1935. He left Denmark when he was a teenager and made his way to Canada. By the 1950s, he was settled in Toronto where he met Rose Atkinson, a Cree Indigenous woman who became his life-long partner. They lived, travelled, and worked together for over 40 years. During the 1970s, they operated a general merchandise store in Rose’s community (Fort George then Chisasibi on the eastern shore of James Bay, Quebec). Later they ran a hotel in Florida. After retirement, they divided their time between Ontario and their summer house in Denmark. Rose died in 2004 and Boje in 2007.
The history of JLF is embedded within the history of Indigenous Canada. The money that was used to create the Johansen Larsen Foundation is not our money. This wealth was created on the backs of Indigenous peoples, specifically those from the Chisasibi Cree Nation of Fort George, whose role was never compensated and never acknowledged. Embedded in colonialism, this wealth was made in a country where Indigenous resources and Indigenous lands have been stolen. And this wealth was stolen again when it was shielded from taxation, which would have generated revenue to pay for improvements and programs to serve the communities from whom it was stolen. We acknowledge that and, as a part of our commitment to reconciliation, we apologize.
Rose Atkinson in her store, Fort George, pictured left.
Bent and Susan Larsen’s (Marianne’s parents) friendship with Boje went back to the 1960s. He remained a close friend of the Larsen family and in early 2007, shortly before he died, he gave funds to Marianne Larsen to be used for charitable purposes. Marianne established the Johansen Larsen Foundation as a way to honour Boje’s wishes, his indomitable immigrant spirit, commitment to education and life-long relationship with Rose.
From left to right, Boje Johansen, Susan Larsen (with son Allan in lap and daughter Marianne) beside Rose Atkinson.
As a former teacher and education professor, Marianne wanted education to be at the core of the foundation, as a tool for positive social change for at-risk children, youth and animals.
Our Board
The first board consisted of Marianne Larsen, Susan and Bent Larsen, Ian Esquivel, Dennis Bonney and Bev Dalys. Our first board meeting was in April 2009.
Our first grants were disbursed to qualified donees in 2009.
Every year since then the JLF has provided funding to charitable organizations to provide educational programming that meets the mandate of our Foundation.
Marianne and Susan Larsen, presenting a cheque to the Children’s Health Foundation pictured left.