“Your next phone upgrade lowers your bill and supports kids in your own community through the Tom Harris Fund for Families.”
Shop Local With Tom Harris
When you walk into your local Tom Harris store, you do not pay more because you choose to shop close to home. You receive the same TELUS and Koodo pricing you expect from a national brand. The difference sits in the destination of your support. Your purchase helps fund real programs for kids and families in communities you live in.
Tom Harris locations follow national offers, seasonal promos, plus in-market pricing, so you still see competitive deals on phones, plans, and eligible home services. A local visit adds one more benefit. Your everyday purchase helps power the Tom Harris Fund for Families and community projects across B.C. and Alberta. Learn more about the fund here.
This blog explains what “shop local, choose community” looks like in practice, and how simple actions in store, like recycling a phone or rounding up a bill, turn into support for local kids.
Start With Your Community
To see what this looks like in real life, start with three communities.
Edson. Revelstoke. Courtenay.
On paper, these places look like smaller communities on in Western Canada. In daily life, they show how your choice at the counter reaches further than a receipt.
Edson
The Edson team helped organize an online auction with support from local partners and customers. The event raised about three thousand dollars. Funds went to the Edson Library plus the Edson LEAP Centre, which created more room for local children and families to access programs and resources.
Bids flowed in from people who already knew the Tom Harris team through regular visits for mobility and home services. A phone upgrade or plan change turned into support for local learning spaces.
Revelstoke
In Revelstoke, a charity barbecue and Fund for Families silent auction supported youth and family programs in the area. Items donated by partners and community members turned into direct funding for kids.
Many supporters started as customers. They visited a Tom Harris store for phones or internet. Later, those same people donated items, bought auction packages, or shared event details with friends.
Courtenay
Grinchmas photo sessions at 40 Knots Winery in Courtenay turned holiday photos into support for families. Guests booked a festive photo experience. Proceeds from those sessions flowed into the Tom Harris Fund for Families, then back into youth programs close to home.
Families left with photos plus the knowledge their booking helped local kids. One outing supported memories for more than one household.
Each event shares one story. The Tom Harris Fund for Families stood behind the scenes, powered in part by people in those same communities who chose to shop at local Tom Harris stores. You see a bill. Kids see camp weeks, programs, and safe places to grow.
Same Price, Local Impact
Many people still wonder if “shopping local” means paying more. At Tom Harris, this concern does not apply.
Your local Tom Harris location follows the same TELUS and Koodo pricing you see online or at corporate locations. You receive competitive in-market offers on TELUS and Koodo mobility, plus access to eligible home service offers tied to your address. Network quality and 5G speeds stay the same as any other TELUS point of sale.
You do not pay a premium because you choose a local store. The difference appears after the sale.
Part of the focus and investment from Tom Harris flows into the Tom Harris Fund for Families and community partnerships. Your bill still reflects a standard TELUS or Koodo offer. Impact from that bill reaches kids and families in towns and cities across B.C. and Alberta.
What the Tom Harris Fund for Families Supports
The Tom Harris Fund for Families began in 2018 to honour Tom Harris as a family man and community leader. The goal stays simple. Help create lasting childhood memories for local kids from families in need.
Since launch, Fund for Families has raised more than $180,000. Support from customers, staff, and partners has helped over 1,000 children attend camps and youth programs across B.C. and Alberta. Find more details here.
Behind every dollar stands a real experience. A week at camp with new friends. Time in a program that offers a safe place to learn and move. Relief for a family during a season with tight budgets.
When you choose a Tom Harris store in your community, support stays close to home. Funds raised through local events and programs flow back into the regions where customers live, work, and raise their own families.
Recycle for Families
Every Tom Harris store offers a simple way to support Fund for Families while solving a common problem: old phones in drawers.
Recycle for Families turns those unused devices into help for kids.
Bring an old phone into a participating Tom Harris location. Staff wipe, sort, and send devices through proper recycling channels. Proceeds from recycling flow into the Tom Harris Fund for Families. Program details appear alongside other fund information here.
One visit clears clutter, keeps electronic waste out of landfills, plus supports youth programs in your region. One action, three direct benefits.
If you feel unsure about device condition, ask staff in store. Team members explain which phones qualify and how the process works from drop-off to funding.
Round Up for Families
Round Up for Families offers another clear path for support at checkout. When you complete a purchase, staff may ask whether you want to round your total up to the next dollar. That extra amount goes directly to the Tom Harris Fund for Families.
For a single visit, the difference on your receipt might feel small. Across many days and many stores, round ups add up. More program spaces. More camp registrations. More room for kids from families in need to participate.
Recycle for Families and Round Up for Families share one idea. Core pricing stays aligned with TELUS and Koodo offers. Extra programs give voluntary ways to help local kids without changing your rate plan or device cost.
Same price, bigger impact.
How to Take Part on Your Next Visit
Your next visit offers a chance to support your community through steps you already plan to take.
Plan a few simple actions.
- Bring old phones from home and drop them off for Recycle for Families at a nearby Tom Harris store.
- Say “yes” when staff ask whether you want to round up your purchase for Round Up for Families.
- Ask your local Tom Harris team which recent Fund for Families events ran in your area.
- Share those stories with friends, family members, or co-workers who plan phone or internet upgrades.
When you need service or a new device, start with your community. Visit your local Tom Harris store, talk through your options, and see how your choice supports kids and families in your region.
Same price. Bigger impact. Shop local, choose community.
FAQs
What is the Tom Harris Fund for Families?
Tom Harris Fund for Families started in 2018 to honour Tom Harris as a family-focused leader in B.C. and Alberta. The fund helps create strong childhood memories for kids from families in need by sending them to camps and youth programs. Since launch, support has passed one hundred eighty thousand dollars and helped more than one thousand children across both provinces. You can read more about the fund, partner groups, and past events here.
How do Recycle for Families and Round Up for Families work?
Recycle for Families turns old phones into support for local kids. You bring a retired device to a Tom Harris store. Staff wipe, sort, and route devices through proper recycling channels. Proceeds flow into Tom Harris Fund for Families. Round Up for Families sits at the till. You choose to round your total to the next dollar, and the extra amount supports the same fund. Both options sit on top of normal TELUS and Koodo pricing, so your plan cost stays the same while support grows.
Which communities benefit from these programs?
Fund for Families supports kids across B.C. and Alberta, with local focus in each region. The fund reaches many other communities as well, always with support guided through. Learn more about which communities are supported here.
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How do I take part the next time I visit a store?
Start with simple steps. Bring any old phones from drawers at home and drop them off through Recycle for Families. Say yes at the till when staff ask whether you want to round up for Round Up for Families. Ask the team which recent Fund for Families events ran in your area. To find a nearby store visit Tom Harris.