EPCOR is recognized for its commitment to strengthening the communities in which it operates, and their support has been strengthening Edmonton Public Schools students for over 13 years. EPCOR has been an important, ongoing supporter of the Edmonton Public Schools Foundation since 2011, with a lifetime giving total of over $450,000.
EPCOR helps to lift young individuals out of poverty by supporting programs that set vulnerable children and youth up for success along their educational journey and pave the way to stable, successful employment. They focus their support on three critical educational milestones that can mean the difference between poverty and prosperity.
- Ready - Learning readiness and achieving early literacy milestones
- Set - Staying in school and moving towards high school completion
- Go - High school completion and pursuit of post-secondary education or other career-related pursuits
As a primary charity partner for EPCOR’s Educational Readiness milestone, the Edmonton Public Schools Foundation is fortunate to have received support for its 6 Full-Day Kindergarten classrooms for over 10 years.
Full-day Kindergarten supports children living in socially vulnerable neighbourhoods who would benefit from extra time in the classroom to build important skills in an inclusive, play-based environment. Full-day Kindergarten is a powerful early intervention strategy. It addresses the challenges faced by young children who live in limited economic and social circumstances, as well as increases the likelihood of them experiencing success in school and in life.
When the Foundation expanded its fundraising scope in 2022, in order to be more responsive and supportive to all schools across the Division, EPCOR decided to expand their support as well. In 2023, EPCOR made a commitment of $104,000 ($52,000/year over 2 years) to support our youngest learners in a new way - supporting early literacy in all 25 Full-Day Kindergarten classrooms.
“Funding for Full-day Kindergarten has been a top priority for the Edmonton Public Schools Foundation since our inception in 2010,” says the Foundation’s Board Chair Linda Miller. “It provides the gift of time for our most at-risk children to catch up to their peers, build skills, behaviors, and the mindset needed to thrive in school, and ultimately earn a high school diploma, and have a real opportunity to pursue their dreams. We are thrilled to see EPCOR continuing to support our youngest learners in this new and exciting way.”
Year 1 of EPCOR’s incredible new investment focuses on purchasing much-needed books to equip their classroom libraries.
“What an incredible gift to receive a donation to purchase books for our Kindergarten classrooms,” says Corene Zmurchik, Principal of John A. McDougall School. “We chose to purchase a number of books that reflect the diverse cultures within our class communities. To see the smiles on our students’ faces as they picked up books with illustrations of children that looked like them was heartwarming and magical.”
EPCOR fosters a culture of giving and their staff members play an important role in endorsing the work of the Foundation. Teams of EPCOR employees generously donate time in our classrooms, participating in activities such as Read-In Week, hosting events, and making crafts with the Kinders.
“Early literacy skills are essential in creating lifelong learning opportunities for children,” says John Elford, EPCOR President and CEO. “Our investment to purchase new books for Kindergarten classroom libraries will make reading more accessible for students. Improved literacy skills help set students up for success throughout their educational journeys and strengthen communities for the future.”
Students are our future, and thanks to EPCOR, we are able to help level the playing field for students coming to the classroom at a disadvantage. If we can give all students an equal playing field, the possibilities are endless.
Thank you, EPCOR!
Are you interested in making an impact for future Full-Day Kindergarten students? Consider donating to support our youngest learners.
