Community Investment

MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION

Make-A Wish Foundation of Canada is dedicated to granting wishes to Canadian children from the ages of three to 17 that are diagnosed with life-threatening illness. This foundation has worked tirelessly for over 30 years in helping nearly 25,000 children and their families, and is the largest and only all-Canadian wish granting charity.

TriWest happily supports Make-A-Wish Foundation of Canada, as we believe that every child’s wish should be granted.

THE DAVID FOSTER FOUNDATION

The David Foster Foundation is a non-profit charitable organization which provides financial support for non-medical expenses to families with children who require life saving organ transplants in Canada. For over 30 years, the Foundation has provided financial support, guidance and assistance to over 1,000 families going through the process associated with their child’s transplant and medical care needs. In addition to providing financial support to families, the Foundation helps connect families going through similar experiences. The Foundation also strives to increase public awareness about the importance of becoming a registered organ donor.

TriWest supports The David Foster Foundation, as we strongly believe in the importance of supporting families that have a child requiring an organ transplant.

INN FROM THE COLD

TriWest has had a long partnership with Inn from the Cold, a Calgary based organization whose mission is to provide emergency shelter, support and programs to homeless families and children in need, with the goal of ending homelessness and building stable families.

We are honoured sponsors of Inn from the Cold’s annual fundraising gala, DreamINN Big!.

KIDS UP FRONT

Kids Up Front started as a grassroots charity initiative in Calgary in 2000 when local businessman John Dalziel wondered how unused tickets at the Saddledome could be put to use. Since 2000, Kids Up Front Foundation chapters in Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, and Toronto have given kids and families over 1.6 million tickets. Over 425,000 tickets have been distributed in Calgary alone – from hockey and football games to concerts and plays – valued at over $14 million.  The real value is in the children’s experiences which is priceless!

Kids Up Front works on behalf of over 230 registered partner agencies to facilitate these experiences. The agencies agree to strictly abide by our policies in selecting children, youth, and families who would benefit most from donations of tickets or passes.

TriWest is a proud advocate for Kids Up Front by regularly donating event tickets and supporting ongoing fundraising efforts including the annual All In For Kids Poker Tournament.  Jaclyn Height, Executive Assistant at TriWest, is a Board Member of Kids Up Front’s Calgary Chapter.

STARS (Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society)

STARS is a charitable, not-for-profit organization that provides life-saving helicopter air ambulance service to critically ill and injured patients from six bases located in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

STARS was first established in 1985 and flew its first mission in Calgary to transport a critically ill infant. For 30+ years, STARS’ mission and commitment to saving lives, while ensuring the best care possible, is part of its guiding principles.

STARS is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and Dino DeLuca, COO of TriWest, is Co-Chair of the Board.

With many of TriWest’s portfolio companies working in remote areas, we are proud to support STARS’ exceptional air ambulance service.

THREADS OF LIFE

Safety is important to TriWest and our portfolio companies, many of which are in the service sector. Everyone has known of a worker or family member that has been affected by a workplace tragedy. Threads of Life’s mission is to help families heal through community support and to promote the elimination of life-altering workplace injuries, illnesses and death. They do this by inspiring a cultural shift as a result of these injuries and deaths by bringing awareness to the community.

TriWest began partnering with Threads of Life in 2013 and bring focus to their work by way of the TriWest Partners Forum. The Forum is an annual event in which our partners, including our portfolio companies, financial institutions, legal advisors, and accounting firms come together to network and support this worthwhile cause.

ALBERTA CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION

The Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation inspires the community to invest in excellence in child health, research and family centred care.

As the official fundraising body for the Alberta Children’s Hospital, all money raised by the foundation is re-invested in the hospital and child health needs. Through the generosity of its donors they are able to provide funding for family centred child health programs, specialized life-saving equipment and advanced pediatric research and education at the Alberta Children’s Hospital.

TriWest proudly supports the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation. Ryan Giles, Managing Director of TriWest, sits on the Board of Directors.

ST. MICHAEL’S HOSPITAL & PROVIDENCE HEALTHCARE

The St. Michael’s Foundation stops nothing to help our hospitals tackle some of the toughest health challenges of our time. Our physicians, scientists and medical educators come to us with an idea. A dream.

Bolstered by our fierce community of donors and volunteers, St. Michael’s Foundation stops at nothing to make it happen for St. Michael’s Hospital and Providence Healthcare.

We mobilize individuals, corporations, and foundations to support our globally recognized innovators who pioneer discoveries, produce new treatments, reinvent medical training, transform care through artificial intelligence, and design state-of-the-art facilities.

Because we stop at nothing to deliver the care experience our patients deserve.

AXIS CONNECT – THE CALGARY INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN BUSINESS (CWIB) AWARDS

The Calgary Influential Women in Business Awards was established to champion the women (and men) in our city who have achieved professional excellence while also championing diverse leadership in our community. Through their leadership and influence on our corporations and boards they provide advice and counsel on strategy, policy and profitability that benefit some of Canada’s largest companies. These honourees have used their influence to advance women and diversity in Calgary.

THE BRENDA STRAFFORD CENTRE

The Brenda Strafford Centre serves people at risk of family violence through providing a safe housing environment and comprehensive support services for its residents so that they can live safely in the community upon their departure from the Centre.

The Brenda Strafford Centre was established in January 1996 when it became apparent that there was a dire need in Calgary for long term accommodation and substantial supports for women and children exiting emergency shelters. The Brenda Strafford Foundation invited the heads of local crisis shelters and other active community members to form an Advisory Committee to suggest solutions to this very serious problem.

In cooperation with Calgary Housing Company, The Brenda Strafford Centre opened its doors to families who had fled domestic violence. Throughout its history, the Centre has evolved to be one of the largest post-emergency shelters in the Country.

CALGARY WOMEN’S EMERGENCY SHELTER

In 1973, a group of visionary women opened a small volunteer-run shelter for women and families in Calgary. The following year, the Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter registered as a charity, formally taking over the operations. Since its origins in a 13-bed facility in the Beltline area, the Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter has expanded to serve over 15,000 Calgarians annually.

VersaFi (formerly WCM)

VersaFi is the reflection of Canadian financial institutions and professionals uniting to accelerate gender equality at an industry level. We create solutions to propel equality through strategies and initiatives that grow the pipeline of women, build the industry’s knowledge of diversity and equality, and encourage a shift towards more inclusive work cultures and management styles. Our focus is on creating solutions for the progression of equality in Canadian finance through advocacy, research, programming and recruitment.

Through the collective power of all of our sponsors, the major Canadian bank owned dealers, independent and foreign dealers, Canadian asset managers and major pension plans, we have derived and continue to build solutions to accelerate equality for our industry.

MAKING CHANGES

At Making Changes, we are committed to creating an environment of inclusion and welcome ALL who identify as women regardless of age, race/ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation or physical ability.

Making Changes celebrates diversity and is committed to creating a safe space, while helping to advance futures for women in our community.

We’re passionate about helping women and teen girls going through life transitions to overcome barriers, open doors and create your own paths. Over the years, thousands of clients have found their way to us – each with their own unique story. For some, it’s as they prepare to re-enter the workforce or as new-to-Canada residents, while others find us because their lives took an unexpected turn.

For over 30 years and 250+ volunteers-rich, Making Changes Association has been integral to Calgary’s “women-helping-women” network. We work with 100+ referral partners representing immigrant and human services agencies, community groups, education, health, and business.

We help put confidence back in your step, hope in your heart, and a smile on your face. The positive life-changing results of our clients and Programs can be seen in offices, classrooms, stores and communities around Calgary. By the smiles on clients’ faces. And the fact that many clients have become Making Changes volunteers – and even employees – speaks volumes.

Our clients’ success is everyone’s success. And it’s made possible thanks to our 250+ volunteers, staff, trusting clients, and many community partners, donors and supporters. By working together, we’re each thriving in our own way.

Advancing futures for women, together!