team TELUS cares

Team TELUS Cares, a new charitable giving and volunteering program, was launched September 13, 2006. This national program ties together three initiatives that underpin our commitment to doing good in the communities and advances our goal of being Canada's premier corporate citizen. The program encourages team members and alumni to volunteer their time to local charities through the structured opportunities. As well, we encourage our team members and alumni to give to charities by facilitating the entire charitable giving process through regular payroll deductions.

Team TELUS Cares initiatives

Dollars for Dollars - This initiative enables team members and alumni to donate to eligible, registered charitable organizations that support our three areas of focus - arts and culture, education and sport, and health and well-being. To double the impact, TELUS matches the donations, dollar for dollar, to all eligible registered Canadian charities. The 2006 Dollars for Dollars generated $2.75 million from more than 6,500 participating team members and alumni. With the TELUS match of those dollars, the total is $5.5 million, benefiting 2,500 charities across Canada.

Dollars for Doers - This program acknowledges the effort and impact of volunteers in our communities. TELUS team members and alumni who record at least 60 hours of volunteer work - as an individual or a team - can apply for a $200 community grant from TELUS to the eligible charity of their choice. Through the Dollars for Doers program, 395,000 volunteer hours were recorded this year - 171,700 hours from team members and 225,000 hours from alumni. These hours of dedicated activity resulted in more than $441,000 being donated to our local communities through the Dollars for Doers grants.

TELUS National Day of Service - Held on Saturday, September 30, this special day encouraged team members and alumni across the company to give back to our local communities. More than 5,000 TELUS team members, alumni, friends and family made a significant impact as a collective on this day, making the future a little friendlier for those less fortunate.

More than 1,400 volunteer projects were undertaken by the TELUS team across the country, including:

• Vancouver, B.C. - 115 volunteers sorted 72 skids of food for the Greater Food Bank, which would feed 5,800 people for an entire week. As well, 150 volunteers packed 5,500 comfort kits (hygiene items such as shampoo, soap and socks) for distribution to homeless shelters and safe houses.
• Nanaimo, B.C. - 21 volunteers assisted the Morrell Sanctuary Society for Environmental Education painting railings, gates and picnic tables, gravelling paths and clearing 1.5 kilometres of access road.
• Edmonton, Alberta - 53 volunteers conducted a free a soccer clinic for 76 children from the local Boys and Girls Clubs. The volunteers participated in teaching soccer skills to the children, ensuring healthy lunches were provided and ensuring transportation was arranged.
• Grande Prairie, Alberta - 32 team members in total assembled furniture for the local opera house, built a wood shed, fence and furniture, and did general clean up for the local cub scouts camp.
• Ottawa, Ontario - 50 team members prepared and served lunch at the Shepherds of Good Hope Soup Kitchen, providing 400 hot and nutritious lunchtime meals to needy families.
• Toronto, Ontario - 85 volunteers worked at the Toronto Zoo, building a structure to prevent erosion along the Morningside and Redside Dace Creeks.
• Montreal, Quebec - 30 team members chopped three skids of vegetables for the Mission Bon Accueil in the preparation of thousands of meals for people in need over the winter.
• Rimouski, Quebec - 17 volunteers cleaned the Maison des Familles house, including furniture, windows, children's toys, sleeping mats and highchairs.