Gen Next

Jackson McDonough created and launched Beacons of Hope, which supports at-risk youth in partnership with the Calgary Police Youth Foundation and YouthLink. The initiative aims to support local police and build trust and confidence in the community, culminating in a day-long festival at McMahon Stadium in May of 2023. The youth-focused event offered entertainment, games, displays from Calgary Police and food trucks. To date, Beacons of Hope has raised more than $150,000. Jackson is also active within United Way’s Gen Next program, creating a casual event that brought together 85 young professionals to learn more about giving with United Way and creating the future of philanthropy in Calgary.

Jason Ribero is the creator of Surge ASSIST, a collaboration between the Calgary Surge Professional Basketball Club and Kids Up Front Calgary. Together, they ensure that kids who love basketball but do not have the means to attend a game can experience professional basketball for free. Surge ASSIST raised $100,000 from corporations and donors in Calgary, allowing them to help 49 local charities and send nearly 1,000 deserving kids to basketball games. The initiative also distributed hundreds of souvenir t-shirts and removed transportation and food barriers to ensure everyone was able to take part.