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Outreach

We share our time and our talent.

Supporting thriving and caring communities is important to Blakes. It begins with respect and care for those who work at the Firm. Blakes lawyers and staff support over 150 charitable organizations, community agencies and volunteer boards through donations of time and money.

Special Olympics Canada Winter Games
Special Olympics Canada Winter Games are coming to Calgary, Alberta, in 2024. Blakes has signed up to be the title sponsor for curling, one of the eight sports being held as part of the Games, and will be providing pro bono services to Special Olympics Canada Winter Games.
Calgary Drop-In and Rehab Centre

Blakes lawyers and students volunteer at the Calgary Drop-In and Rehab Centre, which seeks to ensure the needs of people who are homeless and at risk are met in a respectful, comprehensive and safe way. In recent years, Blakes has provided financial support by purchasing gift cards to help clients of the Drop-In Centre outfit themselves with work boots and other work wear in order to be able to obtain paid employment.

CIBC Run for the Cure

The Firm participates annually in the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure. Through generous donations and participation by Firm members in various fundraising events, we had another successful fundraising campaign in 2019.

Daily Bread Food Bank

For the past 17 years, Blakes has been spear-heading the Daily Bread Food Bank Law Firm Challenge to support Daily Bread’s annual Holiday Food Drive. In 2019, 20 firms participated, raising over C$180,000 in cash donations. Blakes was once again in first place, raising C$40,839. Contributions to the Challenge have exceeded C$2-million since it began. Blakes also volunteers at the food bank with sorting food and assisting those in need in the food bank grocery store.

Ronald McDonald House

Blakes is a proud supporter of Ronald McDonald House (RMH), which seeks to provide a home away from home for seriously ill children and their families to heal better together. Blakes has adopted one of the rooms at RMH in Toronto, the largest RMH in the world. In addition, Blakes lawyers in Toronto and Calgary serve on boards and committees, participate in various activities, such as hosting “Home for Dinner” for families staying at the house, and regularly provide pro bono services.

Terry Fox Run

Each year, Blakes participates in the Terry Fox Run to help raise funds and awareness for cancer research. In 2019, Blakes raised more than C$45,000 nationally in memory of one of our partners who passed away from cancer. Also known as the Marathon of Hope, the run began in 1980 with the simple objective of informing Canadians of the importance of finding a cure for cancer.

Tour Alberta for Cancer
Blakes is proud to participate in the annual Enbridge Tour Alberta for Cancer bike ride. This two-day cycling journey around the foothills of the Canadian Rockies benefits the Alberta Cancer Foundation and is dedicated to fighting cancer in all its forms. In 2022, Team Blakes raised C$48,273 for world-class care, research and urgent needs at Alberta’s 17 cancer centres. We hope to double this amount in 2023.
 
United Way
Through our partnership with United Way Centraide Canada, Blakes is helping to create positive social change and have an impact in neighbourhoods where we live and work. Each year, our offices across Canada support their local regions through participation in United Way activities. From 2010 to 2019, Blakes has been honoured with the distinguished Thanks A Million Award by United Way of Centraide for raising more than C$1-million, acknowledging our commitment as a philanthropic leader among Canadian companies. These donations provide vital stability to frontline United Way agencies that help communities where we do business.

We're also proud to support the following initiatives:

AIDSbeat
Blakes sponsors Bay Street's annual rock 'n' roll benefit concert put on by CANFAR (Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research), which is the only agency in Canada dedicated to privately funding HIV/AIDS research.
 
Bay Street Hoops
Since 1994, Blakes lawyers and law students have been participating in Bay Street Hoops, which helps raise funds for various charities focused on children.
 
BC Children’s Hospital
Blakes is an annual sponsor of the BC Children’s Hospital Crystal Ball. Since 2017, proceeds from the gala having been focused on transforming mental health care.
 
Becel Ride for Heart
Each year, a Blakes team participates in this event to help raise money for the Heart & Stroke Foundation.
 
Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter
Blakes is a long-time contributor to the Women’s Emergency Shelter, which provides refuge and ongoing support for women and children suffering from domestic abuse.
 
Camp Oochigeas
Blakes donates annually to the Sporting Life 10K Law Challenge, which raises money for Camp Oochigeas, a camp for kids with and affected by childhood cancer.

Heatwave and Icewave Volleyball Tournaments
Our summer and articling students participate in volleyball tournaments in support of SickKids Foundation, which raises money for children’s cancer research.
 
Law Challenge Blood Drive
Each year, our summer law students volunteer to donate blood in order to help Canadian Blood Services.
 
Lawyers Feed the Hungry
For two evenings every summer, Blakes summer students serve meals to those in need at the Law Society of Ontario’s cafeteria. This important year-round program provides more than 60,000 meals a year.
 
Moorelands Community Centre
We lend support through our participation in the Bay Street Volleyball tournament.
 
Pro Bono Going Public
Blakes lawyers provide free legal advice in the streets of Vancouver to raise awareness and funds for the pro bono programs. The free legal advice-a-thon helps facilitate access to justice for low- and modest-income individuals who may otherwise have limited access to traditional free-legal-advice clinics.
 
The Arthritis Society (Ontario Division)
Blakes is a long-time sponsor of the All-In for Arthritis Poker Gala and Rock the Joint events, which help raise funds for ground-breaking work in diagnosis, treatment and the search for a cure.

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