Al-Terra believes in giving back to the communities it serves and helping those in need. One of our core values is to be compassionate citizens of our community. We not only express gratitude; we support and uplift our communities through charitable giving and volunteering. We do this because it is the right thing to do, and because this philosophy is an integral part of our culture.

Our commitment to charities goes beyond donations. Every year, an employee or a small group of employees become designated chairperson(s) and these individuals research and vote to select the Charity of Choice for that year. Everyone supports that year’s chosen charity through volunteering, employee-led fundraising events, initiatives, or personal donations. Our Charity of Choice program recently received an Award of Excellence from the Consulting Engineers of Alberta Showcase Awards Gala (April 2025).

Beyond our Charity of Choice, Al-Terra proudly supports the industries and communities where we work, live, and serve through sponsorships, participation, and volunteerism. We believe in nurturing strong relationships with people, communities, and the environments in which we live, work, and play.

2026 Charity of Choice

Our Charity of Choice for this year is Stephen’s Backpacks Society, a Calgary‑based organization founded in 2008 by Stephen McPhee at just five years old. After learning that children were experiencing homelessness, Stephen made it his mission to help get kids off the street, an effort that has since grown into a province‑wide impact. The organization provides backpacks filled with school supplies, personal hygiene items, and toys to support children and families facing homelessness and financial hardship across Alberta.

In addition to their Back‑to‑School Backpacks and Christmas Backpacks projects, Stephen’s Backpacks Society has expanded its reach through three additional projects: Four Seasons of Hope that furnishes homes for families transitioning out of homelessness, Global Citizenship that focuses on raising awareness, fostering self‑sufficiency, and educating children about empathy and social responsibility, and the A‑Team project that produces custom cutting and charcuterie boards, with proceeds from each sale going toward filling a backpack for a child in need.

Since its inception, the organization has delivered over 100,000 backpacks and helped permanently house more than 40 families across Alberta. We are honoured to play a part in furthering this impact even more in the year ahead.