Donations from employees and community supporters were generously matched and amplified by ATB Financial
Known to many as a friendly and local bank, ATB Financial is also a champion of powering possibility and supporting the community. ATB believes that increasing access to education is vital to uplifting the wellbeing of Albertans and investing in their future. When individuals have access to education, it creates opportunities for a better quality of life for all Albertans.
ATB recently chose to spotlight MindFuel as a community partner and a charity of interest that, for over 30 years, has been inspiring a passion for STEM innovation in youth (science, technology, engineering and math). As part of the month-long Spotlight, in September, ATB also launched a fundraising and awareness campaign to support our youth innovation programs.
MindFuel was greatly excited about this collaboration as it presented opportunities to further raise awareness of the importance of youth innovation. To amplify support, as a true champion of increasing access to education, ATB matched all individual donations to MindFuel made through their online giving program, ATBCares.com, during the month of September. Beyond this generous matching campaign, ATB also donated an additional $25,000 in support of our mission of making the innovation space accessible to under-represented youth. The total campaign raised $75,629! All of us from MindFuel say a big THANK YOU!
“Organizations like ATB make it possible for us to pursue projects like Codingville, Founders Fundamentals and the Tech Futures Challenge. This funding support allows us to serve Alberta youth, including Indigenous, rural and remote, females, newcomers and racialized people who are currently severely underrepresented in the STEM innovation sector,” says MindFuel CEO, Cassy Weber. “We know that helping youth build an innovation mindset needs to start at an early age and the only way we’re going to see systemic change in the workforce is through programs that make the innovation space accessible.”
MindFuel’s STEM innovation programming has been designed to support youth aged 14 to under 30, is technology based and technology infused, and is developed to serve both in-classroom and extracurricular learning. Since 1990, MindFuel has invested over $120M into Canada’s innovation ecosystem and reaches over 1,600 communities in Canada each year.
ATB’s Managing Director of Social Innovation, David Wighton says, “ATB’s purpose is, ‘we exist to make it possible’. In many ways our partnership with MindFuel is powering possibilities for the next generation by providing youth with a love for STEM but also cultivating problem solving, creativity, critical analysis and collaboration skills that will be vital to their future success no matter what path they take in life.”
In addition to providing financial support, ATB’s employees have shown tremendous interest in contributing volunteer hours towards MindFuel. ATB volunteers bring a variety of skillsets and enthusiasm and have signed up to support us with student mentoring, media design, data analysis, and more!
We are incredibly grateful for ATB’s generosity and we are inspired to see that Albertans feel just as passionate about STEM learning and innovation as we are. You can learn more about the collaboration here.
