Giving is Personal: 5 Stories Behind the Causes Our Team Supports

Get inspired by the 5 causes our team members support and the personal stories behind why they care.

At Charitable Impact, we believe everyone has something they want to change. We also believe that everyone has something to give, and that when we give, we get something in return. These values guide our work, and we’re excited to share how five of our team members are living them out in their own unique ways.

Each of them brings passion not just to their roles, but also to the causes they care about. Their stories are powerful reminders that giving is deeply personal and that every generous action is a way to support the areas that matter most to us.

Leo Karlovskiy: Protecting Our Natural World

As a Product Manager, Leo is committed to finding thoughtful, user-centred solutions for our platform. Outside of work, he cares deeply about animals, the environment, and mental health. Leo recently gave to the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, a Canadian registered charity that helps protect BC’s wildlife, forests, and oceans. His gift reflects his desire to preserve the natural beauty of British Columbia so future generations can enjoy it. His story highlights how giving can be a meaningful way to protect the places we love.

“Living here, I’ve seen how special this place is, and I want to make sure future generations get to experience its beauty and wonder too.” 

– Leo Karlovskiy

Luisa Velez: Honouring Legacies and Advocating for Change

Originally from Colombia, Luisa brings a global perspective to her work as our Director of Corporate Communications. She’s passionate about animal welfare, climate change, and cancer research—areas she supports through her charitable giving. Her most recent gift to the BC Cancer Foundation was made in honour of her grandmother’s legacy. Luisa’s story shows how personal experiences can shape our desire to give back to Canadian registered charities doing critical work in areas that have touched our lives.

“This donation was a way to honour my grandmother’s legacy and help those facing this difficult journey.” 

– Luisa Velez

Chantal Duchesne: Raising Awareness Through Lived Experience

As a Senior Content Strategist, Chantal helps design content that guides our users throughout the platform. She also gives back to health-related causes close to her heart. Chantal donates monthly to The Endometriosis Network Canada, a Canadian registered charity providing support and education to people affected by the disease. Her monthly gift contributes to ongoing education and advocacy efforts led by the charity and shows how lived experience can shape and inform the causes we choose to support.

“I support The Endometriosis Network Canada monthly because I’m one of the 1/10 women and girls who live with the disease.” 

– Chantal Duchesne

Rony Boban: Building Community and Compassion

In his role as Senior Business Intelligence Analyst, Rony helps our teams access the data they need to make informed decisions. Personally, he’s committed to supporting causes that foster connection, compassion, and community. He gives to The Salvation Army Vancouver Harbour Light, a Canadian registered charity offering food, shelter, and rehabilitation services in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Rony’s story reminds us that every gift to charity is an opportunity to help people in need with empathy and care.

“Their commitment to supporting vulnerable communities deeply resonates with me, as these causes align with my values of empathy, inclusivity, and creating meaningful social impact.” 

– Rony Boban

Zil Huma Khan: Supporting Health and Hope

As a User Experience Researcher, Zil ensures our users’ voices and needs shape the way we build and improve the Impact Account. Her giving reflects the personal journey she has shared with her family. After her father’s experience with cancer, she gave to the BC Cancer Foundation—a Canadian registered charity supporting research, treatment, and care. Zil also cares about mental health and education access. Her story underscores how giving can be a way to respond to life’s challenges with compassion and action.

“Going through [my dad’s cancer diagnosis] really opened my eyes to how important early detection, access to care, and emotional support are for both patients and their families.”

– Zil Huma Khan

For each of them, giving isn’t just about helping others—it’s also about connection. It’s about remembering someone they love, honouring a journey they’ve walked, or finding a sense of purpose. What they give is personal, and what they receive in return is just as meaningful.

The Power of Giving

The stories of Leo, Luisa, Chantal, Rony, and Zil illustrate that giving is not one-size-fits-all—it’s as diverse and personal as we are. The causes they care about, the Canadian registered charities they support, and their reasons for giving reflect a core truth we hold at Charitable Impact: that personal giving contributes to the collective good. We believe everyone has something they want to change, something they can give, and that through giving, we strengthen not just ourselves, but the communities and causes we care about most.

We hope their journeys inspire you to think about how you want to use your charitable dollars and to remember that your impact starts with your own story.

Each of these gifts was made through an Impact Account, making it easy to support any Canadian registered charity, all from one place.

Feeling inspired? Explore causes you care about and start giving your way, on your time. And if you’d like, share your own story, where you give, and why it matters to you. We’d love to hear it.