TELUS Tech for Good program expands across Canada to help connect and empower Canadians with disabilities

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 31, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In support of National AccessAbility Week, TELUS is announcing the national expansion of their Tech for Good program in partnership with March of Dimes Canada. First launched in Alberta and British Columbia in 2018, this national expansion will support more Canadians with disabilities who require professional assistance to independently use or control their mobile device. The program offers customized recommendations, training, and support on mobile devices and, based on individual need, the assistive technology required for persons with disabilities to use their mobile device. Tech for Good enables equitable access to mobile devices, empowering people with disabilities to live, work, and play in our digital world.

“At TELUS, we understand that technology deployed responsibly and compassionately can be a great equalizer across our societies. We also know that technology deployed brilliantly can be even more potent, unleashing human innovation and allowing all citizens to realize their full potential and their own definitions of success,” said Darren Entwistle, TELUS’ President and CEO. “The global health emergency has demonstrated the critical importance of digital accessibility, particularly for citizens with disabilities. Canadians thrive on the power of broadband technology and the connectivity it enables to work, learn, socialize, access healthcare, and transact safely and effectively from their homes. Through our Tech for Good program, and in collaboration with March of Dimes Canada, the TELUS team is passionate about deploying our technology brilliantly to empower Canadians of all abilities to prosper in our digital world.”

The Tech for Good program provides people with disabilities direct access to Assistive Technologists at March of Dimes Canada who have specialized knowledge about accessibility barriers and assistive technologies for mobile devices. Program support includes personalized, virtual one-on-one assessment, assistive technology training and recommendations based on an individuals’ diverse needs; for example, the assistive tech experts may recommend Boardmaker, a software used to create a collection of standardized picture symbols used by youth with unique communication needs.

“As a national charity devoted to supporting and empowering people living with disability, the Tech for Good program is a perfect fit. Our team will work with clients to ensure they are connected and comfortable with their mobile devices and the assistive technology they require,” said Len Baker, President and CEO of March of Dimes Canada. “This partnership with TELUS reflects our shared vision of a world that is accessible to all, where technology can play a role in breaking down barriers, increasing independence and enhancing lives. We are grateful to TELUS for its support.”

The Tech for Good program can be life-changing for the people who use it. For example, Tech for Good will give a voice to Emrick, an eight-year-old boy in Quebec City who is non-verbal. “Since Emrick’s diagnosis, we’ve had to fight to receive services. It was a miracle that TELUS and March of Dimes Canada came into our lives and gave us a glimmer of hope – an invaluable support,” said Emrick’s mother Marie-Claude Bilodeau. Emrick will be using a tablet with Boardmaker software loaded with images to help him communicate and improve his quality of life.

TELUS also supports accessibility and inclusion by offering customers a wide range of mobile devices equipped with built-in visual, mobility, cognitive, and hearing/speech related accessibility features. Further, since its launch, the TELUS Friendly Future Foundation has supported people with disabilities, donating $2.6 million in support of nearly 200 projects across Canada.

TELUS has long supported Canada’s most vulnerable citizens through the TELUS Connecting for Good portfolio of programs, which ensures that our world-leading technology creates meaningful change by bridging digital divides and ensuring equal access to technology for Canadians in need.

• TELUS Internet for Good

  • Internet for Good offers 400,000 qualified low-income families and persons with disabilities in B.C., Alberta, and Quebec high speed broadband internet for a low monthly cost.

  • This past year, we also partnered with school boards to expedite access to high speed Internet at home for K-12 students in need.

  • We have also donated 35,000 computers to the Computers for Schools Plus (CFS+) program since 2001, helping make it easier for youth and Canadians in need to access the Internet.

• TELUS Mobility for Good

  • Through our Mobility for Good program we offer 20,000 youth transitioning from foster care a free smartphone and fully subsidized 3GB data plan for two years.

  • Our TELUS Mobility for Good for Seniors provides Canadian seniors receiving the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) access to a subsidized mobility rate plan and ensures more seniors have access to the technology they need to help address feelings of isolation, manage their mental wellbeing, stay connected to loved ones, and access important healthcare resources and information.

• TELUS Health for Good

  • In partnership with community health partners, our TELUS Health for Good program enables mobile health clinics to bring primary and mental health care, including COVID-19 testing, assessments and vaccinations, directly to people in need living on the streets in 11 urban centres across Canada. The program has supported more than 60,000 patient interventions and counting, nationwide.
    

To learn more or to apply for Tech for Good, visit telus.com/techforgood. Together, let’s make the future friendly.

About March of Dimes Canada
March of Dimes Canada is a nationally registered charitable organization that has been providing support services to people with disabilities, their families, and caregivers across Canada for 70 years. Our goal is to enhance the independence and community participation of people with disabilities every day through a wide range of programs and services across Canada. Now we’re applying our expertise to build a robust Assistive Technologies program, empowering people of all ages to access and learn to use devices and technologies that enhance independence, remove barriers and help them achieve their goals in life. For more information, visit www.marchofdimes.ca.

About TELUS
TELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is a dynamic, world-leading communications technology company with $16 billion in annual revenue and 16 million customer connections spanning wireless, data, IP, voice, television, entertainment, video, and security. We leverage our global-leading technology and compassion to enable remarkable human outcomes. Our longstanding commitment to putting our customers first fuels every aspect of our business, making us a distinct leader in customer service excellence and loyalty. In 2020, TELUS was recognized as having the fastest wireless network in the world, reinforcing our commitment to provide Canadians with access to superior technology that connects us to the people, resources and information that make our lives better. TELUS Health is Canada’s leader in digital health technology, improving access to health and wellness services and revolutionizing the flow of health information across the continuum of care. TELUS Agriculture provides innovative digital solutions throughout the agriculture value chain, supporting better food outcomes from improved agri-business data insights and processes. TELUS International (TSX and NYSE: TIXT) is a leading digital customer experience innovator that delivers next-generation AI and content management solutions for global brands across the technology and games, ecommerce and FinTech, communications and media, healthcare, travel and hospitality sectors. TELUS and TELUS International operate in 25+ countries around the world. Together, let’s make the future friendly.

Driven by our passionate social purpose to connect all citizens for good, our deeply meaningful and enduring philosophy to give where we live has inspired TELUS, our team members and retirees to contribute more than $820 million and 1.6 million days of service since 2000. This unprecedented generosity and unparalleled volunteerism have made TELUS the most giving company in the world.

For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com, follow us @TELUSNews on Twitter and @Darren_Entwistle on Instagram.

For more information, please contact:
Saara Rahikka
TELUS Media Relations
saara.rahikka@telus.com