Caring for our communities in 2021
March 15, 2022
A look back at what our employees got up to in and around their communities
Our employees have made it clear that they enjoy being active in their communities, whether it’s inspiring future engineers in Bristol, England, helping deliver career-exploration sessions at Indigenous schools across Alaska, utilizing their engineering skills to help expand a secondary school in West Africa, or celebrating Pride Month both at Stantec and within their communities.
Here are some other examples of where our employees volunteered in 2021:
Art For Life Chicago 2021
The Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS (DIFFA) organization champions the fight to end HIV/AIDS through awareness, prevention, and the pursuit of a cure. Art For Life Chicago was held in October and was a virtual juried art exhibit and auction that showcased donated works from professional and emerging artists.
“Although the turnout was smaller than the previous year, it was still a fun evening,” said Jason Stephenson, Director of Marketing & Communications in our Chicago, Illinois office. “The money raised was an important step towards funding our annual grants, which we just finalized. $200,000 in grants will be awarded to 11 deserving non-profit groups providing direct care to those living with HIV/AIDS. The 12th grantee recipient is our ongoing sponsorship of a 2nd year research fellow at Northwestern Medicine focused on work towards a cure for HIV/AIDS.”
The next DIFFA fundraising event is Lip Sync for Life which will take place live and virtually on March 31st.
Onyx Initiative
The purpose of Onyx Initiative is to expand the Black talent pipeline by fostering cohesive, mutually beneficial partnerships to close the systemic gap in the recruiting and selection of Black university and college students and recent graduates for roles in corporate Canada.
Onyx Initiative aspires to be a catalyst for the professional growth and development of Black Canadians as they launch their careers after university or college, helping them through access to placements, mentorships, coaching, and professional development. This early intervention will facilitate a measurable increase in Black students and recent graduates securing internships and full-time employment in their chosen fields while serving the needs of corporations in sourcing qualified and diversified employees.
Stantec became a Corporate Partner to Onyx Initiative in October 2021. Through this partnership, we’re looking to join their Mentorship Program. This program provides scholars with the opportunity to gain real world insight and advice from a variety of experienced professionals. Mentors will be dedicated to supporting the scholars personal and professional development while equipping them with the necessary skills to navigate their career journey with confidence. The program also emphasizes the pivotal role that mentorship can play in retention, job satisfaction, and advancement.
Jefferson University
In August 2021, a team of architects wrapped up their virtual summer design pre-college course at Jefferson University’s Architecture & The Built Environment Academy.
This course explored architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, historic preservation, and construction management. This is a pilot program and Stantec was the first sponsor of the program. We also provided mentors out of our Philadelphia office where we have a strong alumni presence. Our $10,000 donation is targeted at covering the cost for students in financial need, and with a comparatively low cost, we will be able to impact a lot of students.
Read more about the program and background on the academy here.
Giving Tuesday
Giving Tuesday is a global movement that collaborates year-round to inspire generosity with a common mission to build a world where generosity is part of everyday life. While Giving Tuesday is recognized every Tuesday, the annual celebration takes place the last Tuesday of November.
The Louisville, Kentucky DPG Chapter celebrated the holiday season by participating in Giving Tuesday by volunteering at the local chapter of the Ronald McDonald House (RMH). “Their mission is to support family and children by providing a ‘home away from home’ for hospitalized children,” Shelby Hatfield, GIS Analyst said. “We were able to cook a meal for those staying at RMH; our menu included a chicken pot pie stew and brownies!”
The Maryland DPG hosted a virtual food drive and a toy drive. “With the generous donations from members of our Maryland offices combined with Stantec's Dollars for Doers match, we were able to raise $2,361 for the Maryland Food Bank.” Jenna Cooley, Environmental Planner said.
We love to see employees volunteering and working together to help our local communities. Learn more about Community Engagement and our employees at Stantec.