discovering hands is a household name at the Trico Charitable Foundation as one of our favourite examples of a social enterprise that demonstrates a synergistic blend. Based in Germany, this non-profit trains visually impaired women in standardized diagnostic breast exam techniques and then places them in jobs in physicians’ offices or clinics.
On behalf of the Trico Charitable Foundation, we hope everyone is staying home, safe, and healthy. We would also like to extend a huge thank you to everyone doing their part as we navigate through the unknown. In response to COVID-19, the Trico Charitable Foundation has taken our $250,000 annual A.S.E.S.S. budget for local social enterprises and re-allocated it to charitable organizations that are working on the front lines to address COVID-19’s impact on those experiencing poverty.
“This program represents a ‘summer of opportunity and social impact’, for the student and the Trico Foundation”, said Overall. “The student will be able to move their venture forward while generating additional income and plugging into our support services, network activities and events; and we get another bird’s eye view on what is needed to take promising social enterprises to the next level. It’s a real win-win.”
Happy New Year! The start of 2020 gives us the opportunity to reflect and learn from 2019. The past twelve months were busy, historic, and made great progress in advancing both social entrepreneurship and Calgary’s role as a hub for social entrepreneurship.
The Trico Charitable Foundation (TCF) Summer Student program is the first of its kind that I have ever come across – something that lets me pursue my own dreams and financially support me as a full-time employee. This unique opportunity truly gave me the time and space to first realize, and later actualize my vision, which is funny because my start-up essentially helps high school students realize and actualize their potentials.