TELUS expands community boards in Ontario, empowering more youth to reach their full potential

TELUS announced it has expanded three of its Ontario community boards, continuing to help youth reach their full potential by opening up new opportunities that help facilitate life-changing connections, nurture a sense of belonging, and empower them to thrive. Leveraging a unique model of philanthropy, the TELUS Community Boards bring together local business and community leaders, empowering them to make decisions on where TELUS’ charitable funding will make the most meaningful difference in their own communities. Formally changing their names to TELUS Ottawa and Eastern Ontario Community Board, TELUS Barrie and Central Ontario Community Board, and TELUS Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area Community Board, these expansions will now support more than 8.6 million Ontarians, providing life-changing grants to Canadian registered charities and qualified donees focusing on local, grassroots community-based health, education or technology programs for children and youth. The boards are now accepting the final funding intake for 2023 with grant application deadlines closing on September 15. Organizations must be a Canadian registered charity and meet the eligibility funding criteria requirements.

“With the expansion of our TELUS Community Boards, we’ll now be able to support nearly double the number of local programs and initiatives, creating positive long-lasting impacts in more communities across Ontario,” said Jill Schnarr, Chief Social Innovation and Communications Officer, TELUS. “As passionate community leaders dedicated to helping create a better future for our communities, it’s critical we continue to invest in our communities and in particular, our youth. We look forward to working with local organizations and supporting more communities across the province to help give all youth a chance to reach their full potential, drive social equity and enable remarkable human outcomes.”

With 57 per cent of Canadian parents worried their children have fallen behind in their education, TELUS Community Boards have a longstanding history of helping ensure every child and youth has an equal opportunity to learn, develop skills, and build confidence. In 2022 alone, the TELUS Community Boards across Ontario donated over $1.2 million in grants to more than 90 local charities, making an incredible difference in communities province wide, including:

• Boundless Adventures Association, providing Ontario youth at risk extraordinary education opportunities towards the attainment of a high school diploma enabling them to achieve academic and social success in a non-traditional learning environment.
• Crossroads Children’s Mental Health Centre, providing a wide range of mental health services to help children and families struggling with severe emotional, behavioral and social challenges.
• C.O.P.E. Canine Opportunity, People Empowerment, based in Barrie, trains service dogs while also running an innovative program that pairs dogs-in-training with high school students facing barriers, enabling improvements in mental health and the development of leadership and employability skills while earning high school credits.

"TELUS and TELUS Friendly Future Foundation have stood firmly behind our organization for almost two decades and its impact has been profound and enduring,” said Steven Gottlieb, Boundless’ Executive Director. “I can’t think of one pilot project that TELUS has not thrown its weight behind. Its involvement has sparked innovation, our youth are better for the experience, and we are forever obliged.”

Through the TELUS Community Boards, TELUS Friendly Future Foundation® funds more than 500 charities annually, supporting grassroots and charitable initiatives that offer health or education programs that help youth thrive in a digital world. Since 2005, TELUS Community Boards across Ontario, along with TELUS Friendly Future Foundation, have granted more than $7.7 million to over 551 grassroots projects, charities and organizations.

Canadian registered charities, and qualified donees, can learn more and apply for a TELUS Community Board grant at friendlyfuture.com

About TELUSTELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is a dynamic, world-leading communications technology company with more than $18 billion in annual revenue and 18 million customer connections spanning wireless, data, IP, voice, television, entertainment, video, and security. Our social purpose is to leverage our global-leading technology and compassion to drive social change and enable remarkable human outcomes. Our longstanding commitment to putting our customers first fuels every aspect of our business, making us a distinct leader in customer service excellence and loyalty. The numerous, sustained accolades TELUS has earned over the years from independent, industry-leading network insight firms showcase the strength and speed of TELUS’ global-leading networks, reinforcing our commitment to provide Canadians with access to superior technology that connects us to the people, resources and information that make our lives better.

Operating in 30 countries around the world, TELUS International (TSX and NYSE: TIXT) is a leading digital customer experience innovator that designs, builds, and delivers next-generation solutions, including AI and content moderation, for global and disruptive brands across high-growth industry verticals, including tech and games, communications and media and eCommerce and fintech.

TELUS Health is a global health care leader, which provides employee and family preventive health care and wellness solutions. Our TELUS team, along with our 100,000 health professionals, are leveraging the combination of TELUS’ strong digital and data analytics capabilities with our unsurpassed client service to dramatically improve remedial, preventive and mental health outcomes covering 68 million lives, and growing, around the world. As the largest provider of digital solutions and digital insights of its kind, TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods enables efficient and sustainable production from seed to store, helping improve the safety and quality of food and other goods in a way that is traceable to end consumers.

Driven by our determination and vision to connect all citizens for good, our deeply meaningful and enduring philosophy to give where we live has inspired TELUS and our team to contribute $1.5 billion, including 2 million days of service since 2000. This unprecedented generosity and unparalleled volunteerism have made TELUS the most giving company in the world. Together, let’s make the future friendly.

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