The end of the year is a time to look back and appreciate the positive effect of giving. At Allnorth, our offices embrace the spirit of supporting their local communities, reflecting the heart of our company culture. Whether through volunteer efforts, item drives, or monetary contributions, each team tailors its approach to make a difference where it matters most—right at home. Together, we celebrate the strength and diversity of the communities we’re proud to be part of.
Calgary South
Team members in our new Calgary South office have opened their hearts and pocketbooks to help those in need. This holiday season, they are supporting the Calgary Veterans Food Bank for the first time with donations and a food drive led by team member Cody Ference. Part of the Veterans Food Bank of Alberta, the Veterans Food Bank helps military and frontline personnel in their time of need.
The office held a Jasper Wildfire BBQ Fundraiser to support one of their team members who has many family members that live in Jasper. The devastating fire profoundly affected their lives. In response, colleagues rallied together, generously donating cash and sending e-transfers to help the family recover and rebuild—truly exemplifying their care and support for one of their own.
Kamloops
Community spirit is strong in Kamloops. The original Earth Day cleanup plan fell through on the morning it was planned for, but the team quickly recovered, choosing Peterson Creek Park as their replacement area, a popular hiking spot in town. Embodying Allnorth's team spirit, they slapped on sunscreen (safety first!), tackled some steep-slope terrain, negotiated some challenging prickly bushes by the creek, and even brought along family, demonstrating that volunteering is both a fun and rewarding activity.
The big fundraising effort focused on food stability for kids. Through fun activities including Pi Day, bottle drives, 50/50 draws, and old-school candy jar guessing games, they raised $1,105 for the Kamloops Food Bank Starfish Backpack program. The program distributes backpacks filled with fresh food for school-aged children to bring home with them each weekend.
To round out their year of giving, the team chose to adopt a family with three teens for Christmas. With everyone chipping in, they assembled a package of fun and practical gifts including tickets to the local junior hockey team, gift cards, games, clothing, toiletries, and a grocery gift card for a festive meal.
“I am very proud of our team, who donate their time and money/donations to these great causes. I am proud to be part of a team that gives back to our community.” – Sarah Grootendorst, Project Administrator
Kelowna
Learning about Vancouver’s Partners for Life program with the Canadian Blood Services, the Kelowna office took up the mantle and brought some more team members on board. Through the Kelowna plasma donor centre, the Kelowna team is saving lives one donation unit at a time.
Nanaimo
Making every moment count, Nanaimo dives into their community service with gusto! For Earth Day, they took part in their first ever neighbourhood garbage clean-up, filling the Allnorth truck with waste found along an arterial road and park near the office. Meanwhile back at the office, the Charity Canteen fund, where snack attacks come with a snack tax, raised $350 with proceeds donated to RC Forward (Rethink Charity Foundation).
Ringing the bells, 14 Allnorth team members filled 11 shifts at an outdoor Salvation Army kettle. The dollars raised during this seasonal campaign support families and people at risk of homelessness, rebuilding the Sally Anne services and outreach building, and feeding those in need. For their third year taking part in the Nanaimo Angel Program, they chose to fill the wish list of a multi-generational family of five, including clothing & footwear, crafts & hobbies, and providing a few basics such as groceries.
Not content to stop there, the Nanaimo office also donated to other groups such as the Nanaimo Diamonds softball team, U13 Kamloops hockey tournament, and branched into the arts this year by supporting the Nanaimo Tidesmen choral group.
Prince George
The Prince George office takes their fundraising to heart, supporting a wide variety of causes—from mental health to elder care to children/youth events and teams. Money is raised via their year-round snack drawer as well as a variety of FUNdraising events: office BBQs by donation, bake sales, Pi Day – Pie In Your Face fundraiser, water balloon games, a Valentines Day guessing game, parking lot preferred parking raffle, and a Superbowl square board. They really are having fun while doing good things!
This year, they donated $1,250 each to three local charities voted on by the office: the Prince George Salvation Army, the Prince George Rotary Hospice House, and the Canadian Mental Health Association of Northern BC.
In addition to the larger donations, they also support other local charities and groups: Northern Ringette U19, School District 57 bursaries, PG U13 Thunderbird Fastball, Buckhorn Elementary Munch n Lunch program, UNBC (University of Northern British Columbia) High School design competition, CSCE (Erosion & Sediment Board) Bridge Presentation lunch, U13 Tier 2 PG Cougars Hockey, and the Ness Lake Bible Camp Polar Bear Dip.
Saskatoon and Fort McMurray
Our Saskatoon and Fort McMurray offices went all in with their community contributions this year. The team loves to support the Ronald McDonald House Charities Saskatchewan (RMHC-SK), taking part in activities such as the annual Red Jacket Classic and Ladies Red Jacket Classic golf tournaments, toy drives, and the ever-popular McHappy Day. RMHC-SK provides spaces for families caring for their sick child who is receiving medical treatment in Saskatchewan.
Never one to turn down a tasty meal, the team takes part in special charity campaign days: A&W’s Burgers to Beat MS Day partnering with MS Canada; Dairy Queen’s Miracle Treat Day: Making Miracles Happen for Saskatchewan Kids supporting Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation Saskatchewan; Tim Hortons Smile Cookie Day with donations going to local charities and community groups; and the Nestor’s Bakery fundraiser for a seriously injured local student. Perhaps to work off the treats, the team donned their walking shoes for the Parkinson Canada SuperWalk. Food bank donations figured large, with the team supporting the Saskatoon Food Bank, and the Saskatchewan Construction Association’s Load the Loader food drive.
Other community support included sponsorships for the Martensville Buster Days, the Renegades hockey team, the Whitecap Dakota Language Gathering Dakota Language and Culture, the 15U AAA Fort McMurray Oil Giants, the Husky Prospects Hockey, and Osler School’s schoolground upgrades.
Vancouver
With food insecurity top of mind, especially during the winter months, Vancouver office team member Amy Heigl once again did an amazing job pulling in the donations for this year’s annual food drive for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank (GVFB). With a little sweet encouragement from the lunchroom cookie table, the office raised $3275. The GVFB buying power is about 2:1 which means that the $2325 could purchase up to $6550 worth of food! On average, the GVFB registers 580 new Food Bank clients each month, many of whom are families struggling to make ends meet. Set up as a temporary relief to the hunger crisis in 1983, today it helps approximately 15,000 individuals a month.
Earlier in the year, the Vancouver office stepped up to directly save lives by encouraging team members to donate blood to the Canadian Blood Services (CBS). When each blood donation can potentially save up to three lives, it seemed a no-brainer. Under the Allnorth Partners for Life account, the initial group of six donors gave 1.8L of blood. To flip the data, that’s up to 12 lives saved!
Women in Engineering
Our Kelowna office proudly supported the Women in Consulting Engineering (WCE) Vancouver chapter with a gold sponsorship for their Rising Above event. Team members Nicole Gerwin, Assistant Operations Leader in Vancouver, Chazel Salamo, Civil EIT and WCE Board Member/Communications Director, and Kira Orr, Sr. Manager of Marketing & Communications—were in attendance, soaking up the inspiration and representing Allnorth. The evening was filled with empowering stories from remarkable industry leaders. Nicole shared her personal experience as a woman in leadership and highlighted Allnorth’s commitment to equity.
A Legacy of Giving
As we reflect on the year’s efforts, it’s clear that Allnorth’s commitment to community and giving is at the core of who we are. From volunteer projects to donation drives, each office has made meaningful choices, showcasing the unique ways we come together to support those around us. These acts of generosity not only strengthen our local communities but also unite us as a team. As we look ahead, we’re inspired to continue building on this legacy of care and connection.