For 85 years, United Way of the Alberta Capital Region has brought people and partners together with a shared belief: when communities support one another, they all move forward.
That belief was first set in motion in 1941, when local leaders made a simple but powerful choice to come together in response to the needs of a growing community. What began as a coordinated effort to address local challenges has evolved into a lasting movement rooted in collaboration, compassion and shared responsibility. While the community has changed significantly over the past eight and a half decades, that founding commitment to collective action continues to define United Way’s work today.
As the organization marks its 85th year, attention turns not only to the impact of the past, but also to the strength of the partnerships that continue to shape the future. Across the Alberta Capital Region, individuals, community organizations and business leaders continue to come together in meaningful ways to ensure support is available when it is needed most. These relationships remain central to how change happens—locally driven, collaboratively built, and sustained over time.
Celebrating 10 Years of All in for Youth
One of the clearest examples of this shared impact is All in for Youth (AIFY) – a collaborative of 11 organizations led by United Way that reflects what is possible when community needs are met with coordinated, innovative responses.
AIFY anchors its resources in some of Edmonton’s most diverse and socially vulnerable schools. By strategically selecting these locations, AIFY empowers students to receive reliable support from elementary right through to high school.
This comprehensive approach drove remarkable outcomes during the 2024/25 school year, with 3,598 students and their families accessing services and 1,940 students proactively seeking out one or more supports. The program also met needs by serving more than 211,000 meals and nearly 15,000 snacks across 8 participating schools. AIFY boosted overall school attendance rates to 81.4 per cent and, most notably, students with three or more years in the AIFY program achieved a 27.4 per cent increase in graduation rates compared to peers from similar social demographics.
The AIFY initiative has been made possible through longstanding collaboration with partners and the business community who continue to invest in solutions that support young people and strengthen pathways to graduation. Together, these partnerships demonstrate how sustained commitment across sectors can create lasting change – one moment, one relationship and one young person at a time.
For Robert, AIFY has been lifechanging. He had heard about the after school program from friends as a place to relax, play games and connect.
“It was just a good place to wind down,” he says. “It was a fun experience.”
Over time, it became something more.
“It gave me a place where stress wasn’t really a thing. I didn’t have to be anxious. I could just sit and be calm and think about what was going on.”
There were staff who took the time to get to know him; people who cared and people he could trust.
Robert adds, “When I needed help, to ask questions, or to just feel supported, there was someone I could talk to.”
The care didn’t stop there.
When he needed help applying to university, someone sat down with him and walked through it step by step.
“I didn’t really know how to do it,” he says. “They helped me through the whole process.”
Robert is one of thousands of students whose lives were changed through AIFY, creating impact that can extend across generations. As the initiative celebrates its 10th year, the past, present and future impact can only be possible due to the generous support of businesses that continue to choose United Way as their community partner.
EPCOR is one of those partners. Since helping launch the program as a catalyst partner in 2016, EPCOR has supported AIFY’s growth and impact across the region.
“At EPCOR, we believe every young person deserves the opportunity to succeed,” says EPCOR executive vice president and chief financial officer and united way board member, Tony Scozzafava. “When United Way approached us with an innovative concept to deliver wraparound services in schools, we knew we needed to be part of it. A decade later, we continue to support All in for Youth because we see the difference it makes in helping students feel supported, connected and empowered.”
As for Robert, that support changed the direction of his life. Today, he’s a student at MacEwan University and works as a youth worker, helping young people navigate challenges similar to those he once faced. Without AIFY, he’s not sure how his life would have unfolded. Now, he’s a person young people turn to when they need support.
“If I didn’t have that experience, I don’t think I would be doing what I am,” he says. “I like being able to help others the way I was helped. “When a young person is struggling, I just listen. I let them vent about whatever problem they may be facing. It’s important for kids to have a place where they feel like they belong and where they know someone cares about them.”
Young people who are supported today grow into the people who support others tomorrow. Looking back, Robert sees how much that space shaped his path – and how that impact continues to grow.
If he could speak to his younger self, walking into the program for the first time, he knows what he would say: “Take advantage of it as much as you can. Having a place where you feel safe other than at home is important. It provides you with so many opportunities.”
The Power of Partnership
Robert’s story reflects what 85 years of collective action has made possible: when the right support is in place, lives can change direction. From a young person seeking a place to feel safe and supported, to now working within the non profit sector that once supported him, Robert’s journey shows how impact multiplies over time – moving from one generation to the next.
That ripple effect is possible thanks to sustained corporate partnerships across the community. Businesses continue to play an important role in supporting innovative programs like AIFY, helping ensure young people have access to stability, guidance and the opportunities they need to thrive.
For the business community, this work also represents a meaningful opportunity to advance corporate social responsibility priorities in ways that are tangible and locally rooted. Partnership with United Way of the Alberta Capital Region allows organizations to align their community investment goals with measurable impact, while also offering employees meaningful engagement opportunities through volunteering, mentorship and workplace campaigns. These connections not only strengthen community outcomes, but also foster a deeper sense of civic pride and shared purpose within organizations and across teams.
As United Way of the Alberta Capital Region marks its 85th year, the story is not only about what has been built – but about what continues to be built together. The challenges facing our community are real, but so is the shared commitment to meet them.
Interested in inspiring lasting change?
Connect with United Way of the Alberta Capital Region today by clicking
on www.myunitedway.ca/partner-with-us to discover the many opportunities for you and your staff.