Skyline - National Reach, Local Impact

 

It’s not often that you come across a large national organization with a culture so strongly rooted in giving back to the local community. That’s what you can expect when you walk in the doors of Skyline Group of Companies here in Guelph. Skyline’s reach is vast: it does business in more than 160 communities across Canada, and it employs more than 1,000 staff nationwide, including 250 local employees. Although it is a national company, it operates under the belief that giving back to each of the communities in which it does business—including Guelph, its hometown—is of the utmost importance. “We wanted to give back in such a way that makes our tenants, investors, and staff proud to be a part of Skyline,” said Co-Founder and Chief Sustainability Officer R. Jason Ashdown. “We know that a strong community is a strong place to do business, and Skyline wants to help build those strong, supportive, and sustainable communities. The Children’s Foundation encapsulates a lot of what we look for in terms of giving back. We know our contributions are going directly to the people in our community who need it most.”

Skyline’s relationship with the Children’s Foundation began with an office-led Adopt-A-Family fundraiser at its Head Office on Douglas Street in Guelph. Its involvement has since grown and Skyline now supports all the programs that the Foundation offers. “We wanted our donation to really have an impact on the community,” explained Ashdown. “We see that the Children’s Foundation offers programs that support the whole child, and we want to get behind each of those programs. We’re an investment company – we believe in investing in kids’ futures.”

In 2022, Skyline signed on as Corporate Champion of the Children's Foundation's year-end campaign, matching donations up to $25,000 - doubling the impact of individual and corporate donors.

“Giving back to the communities it operates in is the right thing for a company to do,” said Ashdown. “And if one company’s charitable initiatives can encourage other companies to give, or give more, the positive impact becomes even more substantial.”

Skyline has been operating and giving back to its communities for more than 23 years. Beyond its financial support of community organizations, it has also set up R.I.S.E., an assistance program for residents at their apartment properties, providing resources and financial relief to tenants who have fallen on hard times. Skyline has also been a leading force behind the development of Skyline Community Hub in Fergus, a space that brings community organizations together to improve collaboration and better serve the Centre Wellington Community. Additionally, Skyline is helping to solve homelessness in its communities by providing support for affordable housing.

“We know that writing a cheque is just one part of giving back,” said Ashdown. “We also want to connect people in our communities with resources to help break the cycle of poverty.”

We are so grateful for our strong partnership with Skyline and for their continued generosity and ongoing commitment to the children and families in our community! Thank you Skyline!  

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A Note from Skyline Group of Companies

“In our business, we see firsthand the struggles of many families and recognize our responsibility to invest in the communities in which we operate. As business owners, we learned early on how important a strong community is. Although we contribute to community organizations in traditional ways, we also look for creative ways to give back. At Skyline, we understand the value of our people and their expertise when it comes to community service. We tap into our human resources as much as our dollars. If a charity needs advice or service, and we have the capabilities, we enthusiastically lend our time and years of practice. In some cases, we use our audiences to bring awareness and help spread the message of organizations like the Children’s Foundation. With homelessness, hunger and mental health concerns on the rise, all businesses can get involved in whatever way they’re able.”

- R. Jason Ashdown, Co-Founder & Chief Sustainability Officer, Skyline Group of Companies