Thanks to Marrisa Zhong’s use of her company’s corporate matching program, what began as a $15,000 Stepping Stone commitment for her daughters has grown to an extraordinary $25,000 investment in the future of Branksome Hall.

Marrisa measures impact every day in her role in Data and Insights. But at home, her most meaningful data point is the growing confidence of her daughter, Charlotte, a Senior Kindergarten student who has been part of the Branksome community since JK.

“The Branksome community has provided her with a safe, friendly environment where she is growing in confidence, exploring the world and beginning to discover her passions,” Marrisa says. Right now, that passion is unmistakably art. Charlotte feels calm when she’s drawing, capturing what she sees and feels wherever she goes.

Watching Charlotte flourish, and looking ahead to when her younger sister, Emily, will hopefully join her, Marrisa and her husband wanted to find a way to give back that felt both personal and lasting. They chose to name a Stepping Stone for both girls in the new iCAST facility. For a parent whose professional life revolves around data and technology, the vision for iCAST as a hub for innovation feels like a natural fit.

“It will be a space where future scientists, artists, musicians, writers and entrepreneurs can all take shape,” she explains, noting that the building will offer her daughters a “dedicated place with opportunities to grow and explore what they love.”

As the family made giving a yearly tradition, Marrisa stumbled upon a powerful way to make their contribution go even further. Working for a major U.S.-based company, she initially didn’t think her employer would match a gift to a Canadian educational institution. She was thrilled to discover that EA’s commitment to social impact extends across borders.

“Social impact should be global,” Marrisa says, reflecting on how her company’s matching program allowed her family to significantly increase their Stepping Stone commitment. By leveraging corporate programs—many of which match donations dollar-for-dollar, offer enhanced matching at certain times of year, or provide rewards for volunteer hours—Marrisa realized that parents can meaningfully amplify the reach of their generosity.

As Branksome enters the final push of the Make Way Campaign, Marrisa is eager to share this insight with other families. For the Zhou family, it’s about more than just a building; it’s about ensuring that the community that nurtured Charlotte’s love of learning continues to empower every girl to take her next big step.

Does your company offer employee matching? Learn more and check here.