Leylah Fernandez will welcome Canadian Red Cross partners and supporters into a reserved suite at the National Bank Open on 2 August, marking the first public event since she joined the charity as a Sustainer Movement ambassador.
When Leylah Fernandez signed on as an ambassador for the Canadian Red Cross Sustainer Movement in June, the partnership was built around a simple idea: meet Fernandez where she already is, on tour, in competition mode, rather than pulling her away from her season. On Sunday 2 August, that idea takes its first concrete form at Sobeys Stadium, where Fernandez will host Red Cross partners and supporters in a reserved suite from 11:30am to 4:00pm, watching Fernandez and other WTA stars compete at her home tournament.
The event will include complimentary food and beverages, and dedicated photo opportunities with Fernandez, as the Red Cross continues to build its base of monthly donors under its Sustainer Movement campaign.
Backed From the Top
Speaking on LinkedIn about the partnership, MN2S CEO Sharron Elkabas said:
“At MN2S, we believe in the power of connecting influential voices with causes that matter. Helping charities further their mission and amplify their impact is something we will always be proud to do, which is why we’re delighted to see Leylah Fernandez become a Canadian Red Cross Sustainer Movement Ambassador. Leylah has shown time and again that she understands the importance of giving back, and we’re confident her support will help raise awareness for the vital work the Canadian Red Cross does in communities across the country.”
Jessica Bernat, Senior Director of Mass Marketing at the Canadian Red Cross, echoed that sentiment:
“We are so proud to partner with Leylah, she represents generosity, perseverance, and grit, just like our monthly donors! Thank you for supporting this important partnership and work!”
A Home Crowd, A Home Cause
There’s a neat symmetry to the setting. Fernandez captained Canada to its first-ever Billie Jean King Cup title in 2023 and has built a reputation as one of the country’s most compelling comeback stories, both threads that made her a natural fit for the Red Cross’s resilience-led messaging when the partnership was announced. Hosting supporters at her home tournament gives that messaging a live, in-person moment rather than a purely digital one.
Why This Partnership Actually Fits
The strongest ambassador partnerships work when the athlete’s real story lines up with the mission, not just their profile. That’s the case here. Fernandez already runs the Leylah Annie & Family Foundation alongside her sister, a nonprofit that provides scholarships and sports grants to give young athletes access to training, competition and education they couldn’t otherwise afford. In March 2025, the foundation partnered with First Serve Miami to launch a community tennis programme at Buccaneer Park in Miami Gardens, offering free coaching, mentorship and academic enrichment to children aged 5 to 18 in an underserved area. Fernandez has also taken part in the WTA’s Come Play initiative, running clinics aimed at getting more girls and young people from underserved communities into tennis.
That’s not a one-off appearance for a good cause. It’s a pattern, built up over several years, of directing time and resources toward exactly the kind of community support the Red Cross is asking its Sustainer Movement to fund. Which is what makes the “relationship, not a transaction” framing behind this campaign feel earned rather than aspirational: Fernandez isn’t being introduced to giving back for the sake of a partnership, she’s bringing a charity with a matching track record into a partnership that already fits how she operates.
Part of a Longer Partnership
The National Bank Open suite was always flagged as the next milestone in a partnership designed to run across multiple years, alongside co-branded social content, donor storytelling and a donation matching initiative. It follows Fernandez’s June appearance at the HSBC Championships in London, and continues the approach of building donor-facing content around Fernandez’s existing competition calendar rather than separate appearances.
MN2S works with brands and organisations across sport, entertainment and philanthropy to identify and secure talent partnerships built on genuine fit rather than reach alone. Get in touch to discuss how the right ambassador could support your next campaign.