Homecoming FAQs

Please register for Homecoming in Bamboo. Log into Bamboo through Okta > Go to the "My Info" tab > Scroll down to the bottom of the "Personal" page > Fill in all required information > Click save. 

Yes, please use the registration page in Bamboo to inform us if you're not able to make it to Homecoming this year. 

Please attend the events that you are able to.

We understand that traveling isn’t possible for everyone. While Homecoming is an in-person event, the Hug and the Critter Awards will be live streamed for those that are unable to make it in person. We will also have a virtual meetup on the Thursday morning.

We recognize that we all have commitments outside of Benevity, and some teammates may have already made plans before this year's dates were announced.

As always, please connect in with your leader when requesting time off. 

Similarly to how teammates travelling in for Homecoming have prioritized community and connection with other Benevity-ites the week of Homecoming, we ask that Calgary teammates make their best effort to attend and join in for the activities we have planned.

Yes, we have mindfully created the agenda to allow for company time, team time, work time and even some downtime! New this year is 'Team Day' which will be held on the Wednesday of Homecoming for teams to get together in a way that works best for each respective team. Stay tuned for more information from your leader & EA on the plan for this day! 

While we agree that more is merrier (in most cases) Homecoming is a Benevity-ite only event. 

This will be an opportunity for us to gather at HQ in our various communities, interest groups or teams to hold "meet ups/sessions" across a plethora of topics. 

For example, whether you’re involved in an ERG, PI Time Group, Slack interest channel or team, this is your chance to get together to learn, connect or celebrate! 

Check out this video to learn more! 

All Travelling Benevity-ites are able to expense their meals during the recommended travel dates while at Homecoming. Local Calgary Benevity-ites are able to expense meals that are with fellow Benevity-ites during Homecoming. 

For meals that a catering option is provided (e.g., lunch at the Hug), we ask that you do not purchase additional meals on top of what has been provided. For those that are staying at Homewood Suites, we ask that you take advantage of the complimentary breakfast.

To enable us to manage Homecoming expenses, please limit alcohol expenses to one per dinner. 

As always, please treat Benevity's money like it's your own and do the right thing. 

We have a broad range of over 10 different activities to choose from! The descriptions and details for each can be found here.

The sign up form is found here. You can sign up until September 6. 

No need to formally register! You secure your "ticket" to Rock the Causebah by donating to the give-opp which you can find through MyGoodness.

You do not need to verify that you donated for entrance but we trust that you do the right thing as we raise money for Causes closest to our teammate's hearts.  

We're excited that you're interested in hosting one of our Community Meet Ups on Thursday, September 14. 

Please note sign up to host a meet-up is now closed but we hope you come with conversation ideas to spark connections!

We have over 125 Homecoming volunteer shifts available to sign up for in MyGoodness. 

Take a look through the different days and choose a shift that best works for your schedule! 

Check your Google Calendar invite for the detailed agenda! You can reach out to Paula Blackmore-White for any questions related to the Leadership Summit. 

You can register for a Thursday lunch option through MyGoodness. This will close on September 6. 

No! For the dates of Homecoming we have already secured the rooms for you and the People Experience will be working through the hotel bookings in the coming months. Please do not book a hotel room yourself. 

• Overseas People Leaders: Benevity will cover your hotel stay from Saturday, September 9 – Friday, September 15 (6 nights)
• Overseas Individual Contributors: Benevity will cover your hotel stay from Sunday, September 10 – Friday, September 15 (5 nights)
• Canada + US People Leaders: Benevity will cover your hotel stay from Sunday, September 10 – Friday, September 15 (5 nights)
• Canada + US Individual Contributors: Benevity will cover your hotel stay from Monday, September 11 – Friday, September 15 (4 nights)

No. If you choose to stay in a hotel, you must stay at one of the two designated hotels. Benevity has signed contracts with these hotels to reserve room blocks at a reduced rate, and we are being billed directly for these rooms. 

No problem! As long as the airfares are similar to what they would have been otherwise (within a $200 difference), feel free to extend your trip in Calgary, or to travel somewhere else after the end of Homecoming.

You will be responsible for any food, accommodation, or travel expenses for the additional time. Please see the FAQ below for the process on how to extend your hotel stay.

In the event your travel is cancelled or rescheduled, Benevity will not be responsible for any credits and/or refunds issued by airlines for any family members/guests, or for the personal portion of your travel — you'll need to handle this with Corporate Traveller directly.

As always, if your personal travel plans affect your usual work schedule, be sure to check with your people leader about it!

For those that are hoping to extend their stay in Calgary outside of our Homecoming dates, you are able to secure our group rates at both of our preferred hotels, Alt Hotel and Homewood Suites/Hilton Garden.

Note: This is only required for those extending their trip for personal or team time. Everyone else has already been booked a hotel by our People Experience team and we will communicate reservation details at the beginning of August.

Please only connect with the hotel that you selected in Bamboo. If you are unsure of which hotel you selected please reference your Bamboo registration. For those that selected no hotel preference, you will be staying at Homewood Suites/Hilton Garden.

Alt Hotel: Please reach out directly to our wonderful sales coordinator Rob who will add the extra nights you’d like to your reservation. Please note, Rob will require a personal credit card authorization for you to book which he will charge only to the additional nights. All Homecoming nights have already been paid for. Rob's email is: rderochie@germainhotels.com

Homewood Suites/Hilton Garden: Please fill out this Google sheet form with the exact nights that you are requiring a hotel room inclusive of our Homecoming dates. We have included three lines with comments as examples on how to ensure you are filling out the form correctly. We will be submitting this to our sales coordinator who will add the additional nights to your reservation. Upon check-in, you will be required to provide a personal credit card which will be charged for the additional nights you’ve requested. All Homecoming nights have already been paid for.

The deadline to extend your stay at either hotel is July 28th. Any request after the 28th will not be able to be accommodated as we have to submit the rooming lists to the properties.

Any questions - please fill out this Asana form.

For these types of tickets, you will need to contact farhana.ahmed@corporatetraveller.ca 

Please reach out to Corporate Traveller to change your flight. Only business critical or emergency flight change expenses will be approved and billed to Benevity. All other flight change costs will be the responsibility of the traveller. 

Your main travel costs (your flight and accommodation) will be billed directly, but anticipated additional expenses could include meals, checked bags, cell phone roaming charges for international travellers, and taxis/Ubers. 

Any expenses included within the Homecoming agenda including transportation, meals, etc. can be expensed to the expense code 535 (People Experience). Any team events that are being organized outside of the Homecoming agenda need to be flagged to your leader and then can be billed back to your team. 

Please refer to the Homecoming expense page for additional information. 

Yes! An app called Smart Receipts can help you keep track. Check out the Expenses’ page for further info. 

As soon as you know you can't attend, please fill out this Asana form to support you in cancelling registration and your accommodations. 

• Appropriate clothing. There is no dress code, but you'll want to be prepared for Calgary weather, which can be unpredictable in September. 
• Comfortable walking shoes. 
• All personal IT equipment. Please bring an international adapter if you are located outside of North America! 
• A reusable bottle for water in the office.
• A lanyard for your name tag
• ...any additional items listed for international travellers!

We know there are a lot of reasons people might be nervous about travelling. Some things you can do to prepare could include travelling with a trusted teammate, reviewing airport maps ahead of time so you know where you're going, and giving yourself plenty of time to deal with unexpected hiccups.

For more personal concerns, please connect with your leader! 

We allow Benevity-ites to book Air Bnb's both from a comfort standpoint for those that want to cook their own meals as well as an expense standpoint as they tend to be cheaper than hotel rooms!

The maximum allotted is $200/per person/per night; however, many condos in and around HQ go for much cheaper than this in September so please try and do the right thing for Benevity. 

We ask that you do not expense any additional cell phone charges. Wifi connection is frequent in Canada including accessible wifi in the office, hotels, event venues and all restaurants. 

If there is a business reason for why you need to upgrade your cell phone plan for Homecoming please connect with your People Leader. 

All hotel reservation confirmations were posted on the #homecoming2023 slack channel and sent by email on August 28th. As of September 1st all hotel reservations are final.

You either need a visitor visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) to fly to, or transit through, a Canadian airport. You only need one or the other, not both. Most Benevity International employees will only need an ETA — if you are a European citizen, you do not need any special visa to enter Canada. You can apply for your Canadian ETA online HERE. Once approved, you will receive an important email about your electronic travel authorization.

Please note, if you attended Homecoming last year your ETA is valid for five years so you will not need to obtain another one. If you received a new passport in the last year you will need to apply for a new one. 

For expenses related to ETAs or Visas, you can submit them on your expense sheet. While these expenses can be submitted immediately, all other Homecoming-related costs will need to be submitted after the event. Please contact laura.alburquerque@benevity.com directly for support with anything related to visas. 

An ESTA is required for transit in the U.S.. Travellers without a visa are required to obtain an ESTA when visiting the U.S. — it is also required when transiting through the country.

If you are not leaving the airport, you do not normally need to pass through immigration. However, you must still apply for an ESTA in these situations, as it is considered as “entry to the U.S.”.

You can find the application here.

We recommend that all international Benevity-ites travel with a letter of invitation from Benevity, in case customs requests it when asking your reason for entry.

When you enter Canada, you will need to mention that you are travelling for work — specifically, to attend a meeting. 

If you have any further questions, you can reach out to Laura Alburquerque, the People Experience Coordinator for Benevity International.

Yes. All costs that are required to obtain a visa for those travellers that require one will be covered by Benevity.

This includes application fees, processing fees, transportation fees and other expenses incurred while applying for a visa.

You are able to submit expenses related to your Visa before Homecoming. All other expenses we ask you submit one expense report after Homecoming. 

Yes! Corporate Traveller is adding medical/travel insurance onto every plane ticket that is booked. 

When booking through Farhana this is automatically added if you are located outside of North America. 

For those located in Canada and US, our Benevity benefits include travel insurance. 

As of October 1, 2022, proof of vaccination is no longer required to enter Canada, or board a plane or train in Canada. This applies to travel within Canada and flights or trains leaving Canada. Find more information on the Government of Canada website here. 

Please fill out this Asana form and select remote work request. 

1.  You are registered via Bamboo > My Info > Personal
2.  You have booked your flight through Farhana at Corporate Traveller 
3.  You have proof of your work medical insurance.
4.  You have downloaded and edited the letter of invitation (you may be asked for this letter at customs when you enter Canada).
5.  You have purchased your ETA or have applied for the visa if needed and printed out a copy to carry with you.
6.  You have read the ETA email and gone through the requirements.