Shaw Donates $1 Million to Support Over 230 Children and Youth Charities in Alberta Through Shaw Birdies for Kids Presented by AltaLink

• $1 million donation will support hundreds of thousands of kids and youth in Alberta through the donation matching program of the Shaw Charity Classic presented by Suncor
  
  
• Shaw to welcome 50 frontline Alberta Health Services staff to attend the tournament on Saturday, Aug. 14 in recognition of their tireless and ongoing efforts throughout the pandemic
  

CALGARY, Alberta, Aug. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Shaw Communications Inc. today announced its continued commitment to supporting children and youth in Alberta by making a $1 million donation to the charitable platform of the Shaw Charity Classic presented by Suncor.

The $1 million donation will support more than 230 charities in Alberta that benefit from the tournament’s charitable program, Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink — helping to create a lasting, life-changing impact on the lives of hundreds of thousands of children and youth across the province.

“The excitement and energy is returning to Calgary as we prepare for this year’s Shaw Charity Classic, but it’s important to remember that charitable organizations are still reeling from the impacts of the pandemic and need our support more than ever,” said Brad Shaw, Executive Chair and CEO, Shaw Communications Inc. “Charity always has been and will continue to be at the heart of the Shaw Charity Classic. This donation will help continue the tournament’s legacy of giving and support the organizations that work every day to improve the lives of kids and youth in our communities.”

Since 2013, the Shaw Charity Classic has become a critical platform for charitable fundraising in Alberta. The PGA TOUR Champions’ only Canadian event has continually raised the bar and shattered charitable giving records — raising over $61 million dollars for children and youth charities in its first eight years.

“Our goal from day one for the Shaw Charity Classic was to bring a family-friendly professional sporting event to Calgary to support the many incredible children’s charities in our community,” said Sean Van Kesteren, executive director, Shaw Charity Classic. “We are incredibly grateful and inspired by everything our community has accomplished together since 2013. Shaw has led the way in helping us achieve our goal to improve the lives of as many kids as we can in Alberta. This generous donation is further proof we are all committed to building on our legacy of giving through this important event in our community.”

Shaw’s $1 million donation is in addition to the company’s previous commitment of $150,000 to match donations made through the Chip in for Kids text-to-donate program, which allows Albertans to easily support the Shaw Charity Classic’s participating charities by texting KIDS to 30333. Donations are matched dollar for dollar by Shaw — doubling the impact of each contribution. More information on Chip in for Kids can be found at shaw.ca/SCC.

Shaw is also providing Alberta Health Services with 100 Premium Passes to the tournament to distribute to frontline staff. Fifty staff selected via draw will have the opportunity to attend the tournament with a guest on Saturday, August 14.

“Alberta’s frontline staff have been heroes throughout the pandemic,” Mr. Shaw said. “Their unwavering spirit and determination to keep Albertans healthy and safe over the past year-and-a-half is nothing short of remarkable, and this is a small token of our appreciation. We hope that many of them are able to enjoy a day of fun and relaxation at the tournament.”

“We are grateful for this generous gesture which recognizes the dedication and commitment of the AHS frontline staff who have worked tirelessly in the fight against COVID-19,” said Lori Anderson, Chief Zone Officer, Calgary Zone, Alberta Health Services.

The Shaw Charity Classic presented by Suncor returns to Calgary this summer for the first time since 2019 from August 11-15. More information can be found at shawcharityclassic.com

About Shaw Communications Inc.
Shaw is a leading Canadian connectivity company. The Wireline division consists of Consumer and Business services. Consumer serves residential customers with broadband Internet, Shaw Go WiFi, video and digital phone. Business provides business customers with Internet, data, WiFi, digital phone, and video services. The Wireless division provides wireless voice and LTE data services.

Shaw is traded on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges and is included in the S&P/TSX 60 Index (Symbol: TSX – SJR.B, NYSE – SJR, and TSXV – SJR.A). For more information, please visit www.shaw.ca

For media inquiries, please contact:
Shaw Communications Inc.
Chethan Lakshman, VP, External Affairs
(403) 930-8448
[email protected]