TELUS announced this month that it has expanded its community boards in Calgary and Edmonton, a move toward helping youth reach their potential by opening up opportunities that help facilitate connections, nurture a sense of belonging, and empower personal growth.
Leveraging a model of philanthropy, TELUS Community Boards bring together local business and community leaders to make decisions on where charitable funding will make the biggest difference.
“With this expansion we hope to serve many more local programs and initiatives that empower our youth and help create a better future for our communities,” stated Jill Schnarr, who serves as Chief Social Innovation and Communications Officer for TELUS.
Formally changing their names to TELUS Calgary and Southern Alberta Community Board and TELUS Edmonton and Northern Alberta Community Board, these expansions will support Alberta’s growing population of 4.7 million people.
“Both the TELUS Calgary and Southern Alberta Community Board and Edmonton and Northern Alberta Community Board will now be able to support nearly triple the number of grassroots organizations, helping more youth reach their full potential, driving social equity and creating positive long-lasting impacts in more communities across the province,” Schnarr said.
In 2022, the Alberta Community Boards donated more than $1 million in grants to 37 local charities, including the Calgary Counselling Centre, supporting youth experiencing mental health challenges; Classroom Champions, empowering children to thrive academically through the mentorship of athletes; and Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers, providing essentials to newcomers fleeing crisis situations.
The boards are accepting the final funding intake for 2023 with grant application deadlines closing on September 15.
While the TELUS Community Boards are a boon to the region’s vulnerable communities, they are not the only investment the tech titan is making in the province.
In June, TELUS’ Pollinator Fund for Good invested in Alberta’s ScaleGood Fund, an early-stage social impact capital fund.
The company also contributed $5 million in May toward fire relief efforts in Alberta.
And this is all on top of a “generational” investment made by TELUS in 2022—the icon of which is Sky, a $400-million office tower situated in downtown Calgary.
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