Annual Impact Report 2021

“We are deeply grateful for the unwavering support of Costco and its employees and members year after year,” says Saifa Koonar, President and CEO of the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation. “There’s something very special about a donation that comes from workplace teams wanting to do something good for families who live and work in their communities, and it’s truly wonderful that this kind of generosity is part of a company’s corporate culture. Costco’s continued support enables us to invest in state-of-the-art equipment, family-centred programs and ground-breaking research – all of which ensure that kids and families in our community have access to the best care possible when they need it most.”

At many Costco warehouses, employees have personal reasons to support their local children’s hospital. That’s the case for Frances Snow, an employee at Warehouse #163 in Abbotsford: her son Matthew is a former patient at BC Children’s Hospital. To give back to the hospital that once helped their own family, Frances and Matthew launched a major bottle drive, raising a record-breaking total of $9,022.25. This remarkable effort by the mother-and-son duo helped galvanize the entire team in Abbotsford to achieve a strong fundraising result in 2021.

“Renowned author C.S. Lewis wrote: ‘What draws people to be friends is that they see the same truth. They share it.’ At the CHEO Foundation, we are thankful that for almost 30 years, Costco and its employees have shared our truth: that children and youth in our community deserve the absolute best medical care. They have been delivering that truth to CHEO and its families all these years by raising over $25 million through a CHEO capital campaign, by consistently supporting Costco’s spring icon campaign and by inspiring their many vendors to participate in fundraising efforts. A high level of commitment to the health of children and youth can be felt across the organization — from the executive offices to staff members throughout the warehouses, and every point in between. Thank you.” — Barbara Stead-Coyle, President and CEO, CHEO Foundation

“Windsor Costco members and employees come together as a community when the need arises,” says Rollinda Laframboise, a Front End Assistant Manager at the Windsor warehouse. “We stand behind the kids in our community that are helped by Children’s Hospital.” This collective community action delivered strong results for the CMN hospital in London, Ontario once again this year.

The key ingredients in the Costco team’s successful formula are persistence and fun. During the campaign, the atmosphere in the store is so festive that members often ask what’s happening before they realize there’s a fundraising campaign afoot. Employees ask every member to donate, accepting donations large and small with enthusiasm. The warehouse team tracks progress against fundraising targets daily and celebrates big totals from individual employees. On weekends, when traffic is high, the team adds extra activities — such as having managers attempt tricky dance moves — to keep the energy high. Although some of the individual activities are silly, the shared purpose is serious: “Each employee, manager and member plays an important role in ensuring the best possible care for our kids in our region. We are so grateful,” says Scott Fortnum, President and CEO of the Foundation.

The Costco Wholesale Canada warehouse in Moncton, New Brunswick is one of the IWK Foundation’s most engaged donors. It all starts with “the why.” Every year, someone on the warehouse team shares a story of how the IWK has helped them or their family. This team also excels at the mechanics of “the ask.” When the checkout area gets busy, one employee is assigned to approach Costco members as they wait in line to pay, explaining the fundraising campaign and asking them in advance whether they’re willing to make a donation in support of their local CMN hospital. Tracking results and aiming for an ambitious goal is also part of the warehouse’s culture: the whole team monitors their shared fundraising tally, watching their total grow. Jennifer Gillivan, President and CEO of the IWK Foundation, is not only grateful for these efforts but also impressed at the fine-tuned system the team has developed. “We are in awe of how Costco teams continue to maximize their fundraising opportunities to make a difference to the children and families in our region who need specialized care at the IWK,” she says. “Thank you once again to Costco employees and members.”

Newfoundland and Labrador Costco employees are known for the energy they bring to their fundraising activity. During the 2021 campaign, employees wore hospital scrubs at the cash to bring attention to the campaign, and also to bring their team together in a spirit of fun while supporting pediatric health care in Newfoundland and Labrador. “The Janeway would not be the special place it is today without the generosity of Costco and the members who support them,” says Rebecca Dutton, President and CEO of the Janeway Children’s Hospital Foundation. “It’s important to remember that, during these uncertain times, the kids at the Janeway are still receiving specialized care and treatment and they still need you. We are so grateful for your continued support.”

Costco Wholesale Canada teams in Manitoba have embodied resilience throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, nimbly adapting to changing regulations and taking careful steps to protect the safety of members and employees — all while continuing to operate the warehouses Manitobans rely on. Amid these stresses and demands, Costco teams in the province managed to post extraordinary fundraising results for the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba in 2021, exceeding their 2020 fundraising total by 40%.

It was not only their totals that were inspiring, but the energy and creativity individual warehouse teams brought to their campaigns. A huge inflatable CMN balloon toured the province’s warehouses, being displayed in the checkout area in each location it visited to remind members the campaign was underway. One warehouse created a children’s hospital-themed photo booth for shoppers. “While COVID has presented Costco Wholesale Canada with immense challenges, our Foundation is incredibly grateful for the continued support,” says Foundation President & CEO Stefano Grande.

Despite the fact that their major fundraising campaign took place at the height of the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario, Costco Wholesale Canada employees’ energy and enthusiasm was unwavering — and together they raised funds at record levels. The new warehouse in Niagara Falls achieved outstanding results in its very first year of operation. Friendly competition between the warehouses in Ancaster and Stoney Creek drove each location’s grand total over $90,000; although Ancaster ultimately took the lead, both warehouses achieved remarkable results — and patients and families at McMaster Children’s Hospital are the true winners. The Burlington warehouse received well-deserved recognition as the most improved warehouse in the region, having driven their fundraising total 74% higher than their 2020 result.

“We are truly grateful for our exceptional partnership with Costco and their generous members through the Children’s Miracle Network,” says Pearl Veenema, Chief Executive Officer of Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation. “This valued support enables our health care teams at McMaster Children’s Hospital to provide vital care for patients and families from across south-central Ontario.”

Costco Wholesale Canada warehouses in Quebec adopted a range of approaches to raise money for children’s hospitals through Opération Enfant Soleil (OES) this year. In addition to the standard point-of-sale activity related to the Month of Miracles campaign, at Warehouse #1186 in Levis, Quebec, members encountered receptacles where they could leave loose change for local hospitals. At $1,000 per hour, the support the warehouse team was attracting was anything but small change. “Raising so much money so quickly despite the difficult situation is quite a feat,” says Julie Lemieux, President and CEO of OES. “We are grateful to have this support and to have Costco teams by our side and alongside all the little ones who are fighting illness.”

“Costco locations in Saskatoon and Regina are ensuring our kids, moms-to-be and families have access to the care they need 365 days a year.” said Brynn Boback-Lane, President and CEO of Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation. “Thanks to their generous support, we can fund critical provincial maternal and children’s programs, innovative research, and urgently needed equipment at Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital.”

Despite the operational challenges of 2021, Costco Wholesale Canada achieved record-breaking fundraising results, delivering more than $1,720,000 in support for SickKids through CMN. Even as they managed pandemic-related rules and supply chain disruptions, warehouses energetically supported the campaign through friendly competition, celebrations of generous donations and the creation of a festive atmosphere for members in warehouses. Costco teams also cheered on their top cashiers. Some familiar names topped the fundraising ranks this year, with several of last year’s strongest performers returning to the list. Congratulations to Aimee Gravelle (Warehouse #257), Linda Sorichetti (#535), Keith Moreau (#1128), Nawal Benfquih (#535) and Claudette (#162). Together, through consistent asks, these employees raised more than $45,000. The top fundraising warehouse this year was #592 in Richmond Hill, which raised more than $152,500.

With more than $450,000 in total funds raised, Costco Wholesale Canada teams in the Stollery region had another remarkable year. Every warehouse connected with a Stollery child, enabling employees to rally behind a specific patient during their fundraising campaign. Costco warehouses also received weekly personalized newsletters with hospital impact stories, fundraising results and comparisons to other warehouse in the Edmonton area. These updates reminded teams of the difference their efforts were making — and helped to fuel some friendly competition.

Once again, warehouse #1270 in Nisku emerged as the top fundraising warehouse, delivering more than $63,000 in support for the Stollery. Costco Liquor #1158 was the top fundraiser in its category. Golden Shopping Cart awards went to stores #154 and #164 for achieving the strongest year-over-year improvements — both exceeding their 2020 totals by 23%. A new Costco Business Centre in the region will not only be a welcome addition for members, it will further expand fundraising capacity. These efforts make it possible, in the words Mike House, President and CEO of the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation, “to fund the best equipment, research, programs and training to help Stollery kids and their families.”