Telus launches charitable foundation to help vulnerable youth

A Telus sign is pictured at company's annual meeting in Vancouver on May 8, 2014. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press)

VANCOUVER -- Telus Corp. is donating $120 million to launch a foundation that helps vulnerable youth.

Telus president Darren Entwistle says the foundation will give grassroots charities grants that can be used to help youth build digital literacy skills, provide basic health care and mental health support to the homeless, and open up educational opportunities.

The Telus Friendly Future Foundation complements other social initiatives by the company, including Mobility for Good, which offers a free cellphone and data plan to youth aging out of foster care in B.C., Ontario, and Quebec.

It also has a program that gives nearly 30,000 low-income families in B.C. and Alberta access to a computer and low-cost, high-speed internet.

And another initiative sends mobile health clinics to communities where front-line care is urgently needed.

Entwistle says in the last two decades, the company, its team members and retirees have contributed more than $1 billion in financial support and volunteer hours but there is more to be done.