Canucks Sports & Entertainment

Most British Columbians know about the Canucks for Kids Fund, which has been active for more than 34 years, giving $64 million to charities like the Canucks Autism Network and BC Children's Hospital Foundation.

But the province's largest professional sports organization has other

community-minded endeavours in play. Take the Canucks Family Education Centre, established in 2002 with a mission to boost literacy levels on Vancouver's east side and elsewhere in the Lower Mainland. “The services it provides, to refugee families and those that don't have resources, it's just remarkable,” says Chris Brumwell, the Canucks' vice-president of communications, fan and community engagement.

Then there's the Hockey Talks mental health awareness program, launched in 2013 after the passing of former Vancouver Canucks forward

Rick Rypien. Fifteen NHL clubs now participate in the initiative, which donates significant dollars toward mental health awareness and education. “The feedback we get from fans, it's emotional,” says Canucks senior director of community and fan engagement Alex Oxenham. “Rick had wanted to help kids who suffered from depression like he did, and he didn't get the chance to tell his story, so we've been able to do that on his behalf.”