News & Stories

The community of McCauley was named after Edmonton’s first mayor and it is proud of its cultural diversity. It also happens to be a place where many families and individuals are struggling to make ends meet. That’s why EPCOR is working with Boys & Girls Clubs Big Brothers Big Sisters (BGCBigs) to make McCauley a strong and vibrant community. They know that building healthy communities starts with nurturing our community’s kids.

In 2015, EPCOR pledged to provide $50,000 a year for three years to support local mentoring and after school programs specifically for McCauley area kids. BGCBigs runs an after school Club that acts as a community hub to serve kids from McCauley, Boyle Street, Central McDougal, and Cromdale. We also have partnerships with local schools including Delton, Spruce Avenue, John A. McDougall, Mother Teresa, St. Catherine, and Norwood to provide in school and community based mentoring programs. Through these programs EPCOR has ensured that nearly 500 children and youth in the McCauley community have access to the tools and services they need to be successful.

For some kids this means having a volunteer come into their school for an hour each week to help them with their homework and reading. For others this means meeting up with a Big Brother or Big Sister in the community to help bolster their self-esteem and broaden their world view. It can also mean having somewhere safe to go after school, before Mom or Dad get home, where they can get a hot, healthy meal and practice their social skills.

EPCOR believes in helping kids get from grade school to graduation, which can mean the difference between a future of poverty or prosperity – especially since Alberta has the highest high school dropout rate in the country at 25%. By supporting BGCBigs, EPCOR is ensuring that kids in the McCauley community have the literacy skills necessary for learning, the motivation stay in school and finish high school, and that they get excited by their future post-secondary education or career prospects.

Many EPCOR employees take the company’s commitment one step further and volunteer their personal time with our kids. We are proud to have EPCOR employees as In School Mentors, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and Club Volunteers. We’ve also been so fortunate to have EPCOR employees help out at our annual Holiday Party and Summer Picnic. They’ve even brought out science and safety materials, hosted fun learning sessions, participated in Days of Caring, supported the community garden, and much more.

“Having EPCOR come into the community gives the kids a different perspective on the world,” Ian Amundson, McCauley Club Coordinator, explains. “Kids learn through experiences, so the more experiences they can have the brighter their futures can be.”

“Plus, the kids find the beeping of the EPCOR trucks very entertaining,” Ian adds with a laugh.

We are so grateful to EPCOR for working to leave a lasting impact on the McCauley community. Our kids know that EPCOR is a unique company that truly cares about them, their community, and our collective future. On behalf of those kids, we are so honoured to thank EPCOR for their support.