Our History

How the Townsend Smith Foundation Began

Following the passing of Ron Townsend, a retired District Chief with the Milton Fire Department, in October 2007, his wife Janet and children, Matt and Amy, recognized the urgent need for a local hospice residence.

The Townsend family committed themselves to establishing a hospice residence that would provide access to palliative care for residents of Milton and Halton Hills. With the support of members of the Milton Fire Department, they began raising funds through the Ron Townsend Memorial Golf Tournament.

In May 2009, following the passing of Tessie Smith, a well-known Tai Chi instructor in Milton, her late husband Lyndon and several friends came together with a similar vision. Tessie, too, had been unable to spend her final days in hospice care because no local hospice residence was available.

When the two groups learned of one another, they chose to join forces and work together toward a shared goal.

Townsend Smith Foundation was incorporated as a non-profit corporation on April 24, 2012.

Evolving to North Halton Hospice

As the organization continued to grow and move closer to building a hospice residence for the community, the name North Halton Hospice was introduced on April 15, 2026 to more clearly reflect who we are and the care we are working to provide. While North Halton Hospice is now the public-facing name of the organization, the legal name remains Townsend Smith Foundation.

The updated logo was created to give the organization a clear, recognizable and welcoming identity as we enter this next chapter. Its design reflects compassion, connection and care, while helping create a consistent look across our communications, fundraising materials and community presence. Click here to learn about the whole story behind the logo.

Although our name and visual identity have changed, the legacy of Ron Townsend, Tessie Smith and the families and community members who helped begin this work remains at the heart of who we are. Our mission and vision remain unchanged: to bring compassionate hospice palliative care closer to home for individuals and families in Milton and Halton Hills.