I am the Community Engagement Coordinator at Wood’s Homes, and feel proud to reflect on the positive impact consistent corporate engagement has on our organization.

We work hard here to get the word out about Wood’s Homes and the important programs and services we provide to vulnerable children and families.  And it looks like Calgary’s corporate community has been listening more than ever these past few years. Our work depends on the generosity of the corporate community and we feel fortunate to count so many champions in the Wood’s Homes family.

Our Santa Project is a good example of this. 2018 marked our fourth year of the Wood’s Homes Foundation’s Santa Project, which helps lift spirits during the holiday season by providing much-needed support (gifts/gift cards) to the many financially challenged families we serve.

Thanks to the growing popularity of this initiative, and the generous increase in corporate support, we are once again able to continue playing ‘Santa’ throughout the year.   December is always a popular time of giving, but these families often require support at a moment’s notice. So being able to extend a gift card at any time of need is often helpful to a child or family’s current state of mind.

It’s not only with a specific fundraising initiative (like the Santa Project) that we’ve seen an increase of support of Wood’s Homes – we’ve also noticed more corporations wanting to show support through Days of Caring. With the opening of our Inglewood campus last year and through our amazing partnership with the United Way, we’ve had even more corporations giving back with their time, energy and support.

With the financial uncertainty in Calgary over the last few years, it’s been amazing to see the continued growth among corporations that want to donate volunteer hours to non-profits like Wood’s Homes. The simplest volunteering initiatives – grounds maintenance on one of our campuses, winter clothing drives for our EXIT Youth Hub, or providing gift cards to our clients and their families – add such value to the relationship we have with these corporations. And when corporations give, they are seen as a champion within the community and among their own staff. And, when aligning with our organization, corporations are recognized as great champions of mental health. 

No matter the motivation for corporate engagement, whether it supports the community at large or a specific organization, everyone benefits. Companies that encourage volunteerism report a boost in morale, especially if their employees value the idea of giving back. And when companies show they’re dedicated to improving their communities through corporate giving, they are more likely to attract and retain valuable, hardworking and engaged employees.

It’s very gratifying to have strong community champions who are there to lend a helping hand and support us when we need it. It shows a strong commitment to the work we do and the programs and services we provide, and we are very grateful to be included in so many corporate giving plans.