Pattison Outdoor has announced the seven organizations that will be receiving more then $1 million in media space as part of its “Elevating Voices” media grant program.

The purpose of “Elevating Voices” is to provide a platform to organizations dedicated to serving and supporting ethno-cultural groups, the 2SLGBTQI+ community, women’s equality, those with disabilities and other groups that promote diversity, equity and inclusion.

The first-ever recipients of the grant are made up of three national partners and four regional partners for the Eastern, Central, Prairies and Pacific regions.

The national partners are Artists Against Racism, the Canadian Mental Health Association and The Forum that serves self-identified
women entrepreneurs.

The Central regional partner is Outside Looking In, an Indigenous-led organization that supports and empowers Indigenous youth from high school to their career path of choice.

Montreal’s The Refugee Centre is the Eastern regional partner. The organization’s mission is to create long-lasting, self-sustainable and creative solutions to refugee integration.

The Prairies partner is the Fruit Loop Society of Alberta, which was established in 2013 to help raise funds for local community organizations in the Edmonton area dedicated to supporting and promoting non-profit groups within the LGBTQ2S+ community.

The Pacific region partner is H.O.P.E Outreach, which offers programs and services that support sex-trade workers, including cis-gender and self-identifying women and girls, 2SLGBTQ+ and Indigenous peoples living at-risk lives who may experience vulnerability on a journey to living a safe and healthy life.

The grant program will leverage the reach and inventory of OOH advertising, giving recipients an opportunity to expand their outreach and impact in their respective communities.

Pattison says it received dozens of applications came from across the country, which were assessed by Pattison’s employee-run DEI committee.