SEPTEMBER 8, 2022
TELUS donates 17,000 backpacks filled with back-to-school essentials for Canadian youth
Since 2006, TELUS has provided 200,000 free backpacks filled with school supplies to help Canadian youth kick-start their school year.
Ottawa - TELUS is helping Canadian youth and families in need get ready for the back-to-school season with its 17th annual Kits for Kids program, donating 17,000 backpacks filled with essential supplies they need to start the new school year off right. TELUS is dedicated to ensuring that youth in need are given every opportunity to reach their full potential and since 2006, the TELUS team has donated more than one million care items to local communities, including 200,000 Kits for Kids, 33,000 refurbished computers to local schools and 157,000 comfort kits to support displaced families.
“We believe that everyone, no matter where they live or socioeconomic status, should have equal access to connectivity, education, safety, healthcare and quality food. As families across the country look ahead to a new school year, many are facing financial struggles, leaving children without the tools they need to learn and succeed,” said Jill Schnarr, Chief Social Innovation and Communications Officer, TELUS. “To help, our Kits for Kids program has been providing backpacks filled with essential school supplies to low-income families and children in need for almost two decades. Thank you in particular to the unwavering dedication of our TELUS Community Ambassadors for their longstanding support of this important initiative. Together we are helping youth realize their full potential and building stronger, healthier communities.”
The Kits for Kids backpacks were filled and distributed earlier this year by TELUS Community Ambassadors as part of TELUS’ annual TELUS Days of Giving, where 65,000 team members and retirees mobilized to give back in their local communities. With close to 5,000 members, TELUS Community Ambassadors are a network of retired and current TELUS employees who volunteer their time and skills year-round to local Canadian community causes and initiatives.
“Our TELUS Community Ambassadors exemplify what it means to be an outstanding volunteer, creating meaningful and lasting difference in communities in which we live, work and serve,” said Bobby Farr, founding member of TELUS Community Ambassadors. “The Kits for Kids program is just one of the many ways TELUS is leading with purpose, and making a significant difference in the lives of thousands of Canadians.”
Since 2000, the TELUS team has contributed $1.4 billion, including $900 million in cash, in-kind contributions, time and programs and 1.8 million days of volunteerism. Each year, TELUS supports more than 5,000 charities and grassroots community organizations around the world.
To learn more about how TELUS gives back to communities across the country, visit
telus.com/community
.For more information about the Kits for Kids program, please contact:
teamteluscares@telus.com
.