Qualico Properties’ Mike Saunders Recognized with Philanthropy Award

Edmonton, AB - Mike Saunders, Senior Vice-President, Qualico Properties was recently honoured with the Association of Fundraising Professionals Edmonton & Area Chapter Health Award. 

Nominated by the Glenrose Hospital Foundation, Mike was presented with the award at the National Philanthropy Gala in Edmonton in recognition of his work with the Glenrose Foundation over the past decade and leadership in establishing Kickstand, a youth and mental health platform that provides support through a variety of services and resources.

Qualico has been actively involved on the charitable side of healthcare in the Edmonton region for some time,” said Mike, and it is an area where philanthropy can play a large role.

The beginnings of Kickstand, Mike explained, came to be while in his former role as Vice-Chair for the Mental Health Foundation of Alberta Board of Directors. 

We saw a gap in how our healthcare system was able to respond to youth mental health issues,” said Mike. “We established Kickstand to fulfill this gap to provide a healthcare platform that could respond to youth mental health issues immediately.

Mark Korthuis, President & CEO of the Glenrose Hospital Foundation presented Mike with his award at the gala and spoke highly of Mike’s philanthropic efforts. 

“Mike's sincere dedication to enhancing the lives of those dealing with mental and physical health challenges is inspiring,” said Mark. “His instrumental role in helping architect Kickstand is now helping transform the way we deliver mental health care in Alberta. Additionally, his generous support in helping advance our research and innovation efforts at the Glenrose Hospital Foundation has been invaluable.

Rather than being motivated by awards and accolades, Mike quickly expressed that his drive to give back to the community comes from the organizations that care for all.

Early in my career, I thought cities were built by engineers, architects, and construction professionals,” said Mike. “That’s true, but it is only half the story. I’ve found that giving when you can, where it matters, to the organizations committed to the well-being of us all is one of the most powerful ways to build a city we can all be proud of. I feel very fortunate to work for an amazing company such as Qualico where this is engrained in our everyday decisions.