Thumbs Up Foundation co-founder Kim Titus said the members behind the non-profit organization are brimming with gratitude following an influx of community generosity over the holiday season.
During the month of December, several large donations were provided by community organizations and individuals, bringing home the notion that the holidays are truly the “season of giving.”
And Titus said the last few months have certainly been a season of giving and receiving for the non-profit foundation.
“We were fortunate to be on the receiving end [of donations] from the community, all of which were unsolicited by us,” she said. “That’s what makes it so overwhelming emotionally for us – that they [did so] on their own. We didn’t even know some of it was happening.”
According to the spokesperson for the foundation, members of the community reached out to the Tituses (both of whom are named Kim) initially to share in the holiday spirit through gift-giving, courtesy of a series of fundraising events held in the city.
Bow Valley Credit Union, a local financial institution, reached out to the foundation to advise they would like to host a fundraiser in support of the Thumbs Up Foundation. In December, they presented the foundation with a cheque valued at $1,500.
Similarly, representatives from a local school presented the foundation with money they raised following a Halloween-themed fundraising event held in October.
“They phoned us and so we went and met with these amazing kids, and they were so proud of their school,” Titus recalled. “They walked us there and they were just pumped up and excited.”
The Grade 7 students at Northcott Prairie School, a Kindergarten to Grade 8 school in southwest Airdrie, were part of a leadership team that were tasked with researching and deciding on a local organization to share the fundraising monies with.
According to Titus, the students selected the Thumbs Up Foundation because they had seen how mental health affects students in their school and wanted to support the non-profit, which aims to destigmatize mental health issues and provide support toward improving mental health in the community.
“Because we’re all impacted by mental health – suicide being the furthest end of the spectrum,” Titus shared. “But we’re all impacted, we're all connected through that in some capacity.”
A third donation came from Fraserway RV, who had previously donated a vehicle for use during the foundation’s Peace in the Park festival, which was held in Nose Creek Regional Park last summer.
“When we did Peace in the Park last June, one of the requirements was that Nice Horse [the country band that includes a member who grew up in Airdrie] asked for a private RV,” said Titus of the impetus behind the business’ generosity.
“Then just before Christmas, we got a phone call and they were like, ‘Hey, could you stop in to see us today?’”
Titus recalled when they arrived at the local RV dealership, they brought their whole staff out to greet them and presented them with a cheque worth $6,000.
“They said every year they raise funds for a charity of choice, and they were so blown away by Peace in the Park, they picked Thumbs Up,” shared Titus, adding the summertime festival helped to spread the word of the organization in Airdrie. “That’s the beauty of community.”
She added the organization also received an anonymous donation in the mail the same day from a generous donor who preferred to remain anonymous and in support of the “good work” the foundation is doing.
Yet another donation came from the Airdrie Quilters Guild, which ran its first-ever raffle fundraiser last year.
“They had some amazing quilts that they were raffling off, so they split that between Community Links and Thumbs Up for the first time ever – they sold out,” Titus said.
A final show of generosity in 2022 came from local realtor Natalie Berthiaume. Each year, Berthiaume puts aside a certain amount of her team’s commissions to donate back to a community group or cause.
“Natalie is an amazing, amazing human being in my mind,” shared Titus. “We met her a couple of years ago through Angela Pitt. Natalie’s dad was a firefighter and raised his family to understand the need to give back to your community.”
According to Titus, Berthiaume raised approximately $22,000 for the non-profit organization last year.
As part of a Christmas fundraiser, Berthiaume tasked a photographer friend to do Christmas packages – portraits for families – with the option to donate to the Thumbs Up Foundation while they’re getting their photo taken.
“This year she did [it again], this is just the spirit of our community really,” Titus said.
“I’m like, ‘Wow, you guys are amazing,’ and so we went and got out picture taken just to help support.”
Additionally, the photographer donated a portion of the proceeds from selling extra portraits to the Thumbs Up Foundation, totaling more than $1,000. Altogether, the fundraiser raised $3,000 for the foundation, and Berthiaume’s year-round fundraiser raised more than $30,000.
“It's one thing to be generous and it’s a complete other thing, particularly in these times... I mean, $30,000 goes a long way,” Titus said. “And to keep that spirit of generosity moving forward and without any hesitation.”
According to Titus, the funds donated to the foundation over the holiday season will enable Thumbs Up to continue supporting individuals and families who are connected to the work the organization does.
She added the foundation may remove costs or “barrier to entry” for select individuals who are connected to Thumbs Up’s “model of care”
“We’re flying the plane as we’re building it … so if you’re willing to participate, help us and provide us feedback,” she said.
Titus added in 2023, the foundation’s focus will be on gratitude and hope. In doing so, they are looking to once again pilot a project in Airdrie that will provide intensive and integrated programming with professional aid for people who suffer from mental health or addiction challenges.
She said the intensive program, which usually costs about $6,000 per person, removes cost as a barrier for those involved.
“We’re not a service provider or a pilot project organization, and so it’s not come one come all, but if you’re interested in participating in some of the pilots that we’re doing, then by all means give us a call,” she said.
Titus also shared the foundation has been invited to participate in a University of Calgary research project in 2023 because of their “boots on the ground” practical experience in moving theory into action.
“We’re honoured to be able to drop their name,” she said. “They bring a sense of credibility that we just cannot create on our own and so it’s just another opportunity we had.
“Some of that research work will have positive impact and implications within Airdrie.”
