Community Initiatives

 As a Yellowknives Dene-owned company, Det’on Cho seeks opportunities to improve the lives of Yellowknives Dene members and Yellowknife-area residents. Working closely with our Board of Directors and community organizations, we are honoured to support these programs.

An elderly man wearing a black winter coat, black gloves, and a black baseball cap with an eagle embroidered on it, standing indoors in front of a black-and-white mountain photo.

Coats for Elders

Det’on Cho provides a warm winter parka to every Yellowknives Dene member in the Northwest Territories when they turn 65.

We partner with Weaver and Devore, a local Yellowknife outfitter, so Elders can choose their own parka.

Since 2021, we have given over 115 parkas to YKDFN Elders, contributing more than $100,000 to this program.

Business card for YKDFN Career Centre featuring the organization logo with a moose head and a campfire, and contact information including email and phone number.

YKDFN Det’on Cho Career Centre

In 2022, Det’on Cho opened the Yellowknives Dene Det’on Cho Career Centre to help Yellowknives Dene and other Indigenous job seekers find work. The Career Centre shares job opportunities and helps remove barriers to employment.

A Community Liaison runs the Career Centre and helps job seekers with services including writing resumes, filling out job applications, and helping them navigate processes such as applying for driver’s licenses. Det’on Cho is proud to support this program and works closely with the Community Liaison to find candidates for jobs within the Det’on Cho Group of Companies.

A digital graphic showing headshots of thirteen scholarship recipients for 2024/2025, arranged in two rows with their names below each photo. The background is blue, and the title "2024/2025 Scholarship Recipients" is centered at the top.

Scholarships for Students

Each year, the Det’on Cho Group of Companies gives up to 17 scholarships to YKDFN members attending college, university, or training programs. To learn more and apply, visit our Scholarships page (INSERT LINK).

Group of smiling people gathered in a meeting room, some seated at the table and others standing behind. There is a window with a snowy landscape outside, and a clock on the wall showing 12:15.

In 2024, Det’on Cho launched a monthly meet-up with Yellowknives Dene Elders. Working with YKDFN Health & Wellness, Det’on Cho organizes a monthly activity for YKDFN Elders.

Recent events have included a tour of Giant Mine to see the remediation process underway, a presentation by Det’on Cho Environmental team members of their work, and Bingo. These gatherings help us stay connected with Elders and learn from their wisdom.

Elder Events

A man demonstrating a device to a group of women and a woman in a wheelchair seated around a conference table with food and drinks, in a room with a whiteboard and storage cabinet.
Four women and one man gather around a table with a variety of cut fruit and vegetables in a living room with beige sofas, a lamp, and artwork on the wall. The women are serving themselves, and one woman is looking at her phone.
Group of young people gathered around a large bulldozer on a construction site with trees and a clear sky in the background.

School Programs

Det’on Cho creates connections with local schools to build links with students. At Det’on Cho, we recognize the importance of supporting students throughout their educational journey. 

We work closely with local schools to build programs, including tours of Det’on Cho facilities to learn about jobs available in the North, in-class presentations, and holiday celebrations. 

Det’on Cho is also excited to participate in a program with Sir John Franklin, which helps high-school students gain workplace experience as part of their education.

Group of four young men standing outdoors, holding drums and a rattle, engaging in a cultural activity, with a blurred green forest background.

Community Gathering

In August 2024, Det’on Cho hosted a YKDFN Community Gathering at the Yellowknives Dene Wiiliideh site by the Yellowknife River.

The event included an Opening Prayer, food, games, prizes, and a traditional drum dance. Our joint-venture partners, clients, and suppliers helped make the event a success.

This gathering celebrated Det’on Cho being named the 2024 Indigenous Development Corporation of the Year by the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business. We are already planning the 2025 event!

A group of people, including children, standing and walking on a wooden platform outdoors near a forested area with tall pine trees. Musicians are performing with drums to the left, and white tents are set up in the background.
Group of six men singing and playing drums outdoors in a forested area.
Group of people participating in a bingo game inside a white tent outdoor setting.
Wooden display shelf with fresh vegetables including pumpkins, green onions, and leeks at a grocery store.

Grocery Gift Cards for Families

Det’on Cho has partnered with YKDFN Health & Wellness to distribute grocery gift cards around the holidays. Det’on Cho contributed $60,000 as part of this program in 2023.

A group of children and adults gathered on a snowy landscape, with children wearing numbered bibs, appearing to be part of a winter event or race. An adult is pointing, and there is a sled in the foreground, with cars and a cloudy sky in the background.

Community Event Sponsorship

We know how important community is to our shareholders, so we are happy to sponsor YKDFN events like the Spring Carnival, Sober New Year’s Eve Party, and community assemblies. Det’on Cho also sponsored a snow machine as a raffle item for a YKDFN vaccination campaign during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

A young man with a prosthetic leg standing in front of an audience in a community room, listening to a man in a gray hoodie giving a presentation, with a table of supplies including paper towels and paper on it.
Group of people standing in snow in front of a banner that reads 'Welcome to the YKDFN Spring Carnival Sled Dog Race'. The scene is outdoors with snow-covered ground and vehicles in the background.
Group of people gathered outdoors in snowy weather, cooking burgers on a grill.
Group of seven people standing outside near a blue building, holding a large black trash bag and smiling

Spring Clean-Up

Annually, Det’on Cho supports a community-led clean-up in Ndilo and Dettah. Det’on Cho Kavanaugh provides dumpsters and covers dumping fees, while Det’on Cho Group of Companies gives out trash bags, gloves, and thank-you gifts for volunteers who participate in the clean-up.

A woman speaking at a podium during an International Women's Day event, with banners behind and an audience listening.

Supporting Local Organizations

Det’on Cho is happy to support local non-profit organizations and events, including an employee-directed giving campaign. Local groups we have supported include the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce, NWT SPCA, HomeBase YK, and the Yellowknife Women’s Society.

We are honoured to support our community and look forward to continuing these programs!

A group of people standing in front of a white van with a person pushing a shopping cart logo. The group includes men and women, some wearing red aprons, some in casual clothing. One person is handing over a check to another. The background shows a chain-link fence, industrial buildings, and a blue sky with some clouds.

Det’on Cho Midnight Golf Classic

Since 2024, Det’on Cho is pleased to be the title sponsor of the Midnight Golf Classic, a 3-day golf tournament held during the solstice and offering golfers the unique opportunity to tee-off at midnight. Proceeds from this charity tournament support Food Rescue Yellowknife, which redistributes safe, nutritious, and useable food from grocery stores to non-profits, schools, and daycares in Yellowknife.