CHANGE A LIFE
Twenty-seven-year-old Sage is a Ceramics student at Selkirk College’s Kootenay School of the Arts in Nelson in Southeastern BC. As a former youth in care, she held off pursuing post-secondary education for many years. “When it came to college and university, I kind of freaked out. School is so expensive, it didn’t seem like a realistic option for me,” she says. Along
Nineteen-year-old Jodi loves school. She’s learning new things, meeting new people and planning for a bright future as she pursues her degree through the Child and Youth Care program at Douglas College in New Westminster. It was something that was almost unimaginable for her as a child. “I knew when we had no food. I
Making the lives of older British Columbians better strengthens the social fabric that creates healthy, caring, and inclusive communities for all ages. At no time has this been clearer than in the face of the devastating COVID-19 global pandemic. When the crisis hit, British Columbians readily stepped up to support seniors. From volunteers to community organizations
On a recent July Saturday Evena visited a Guildford school parking lot, one of four designated Local Love Food Hubs especially for children and families attending inner city schools in Surrey. She was there to pick up much-needed supports from volunteers at the City Dream Centre – a grocery hamper filled with bread, fresh produce,
Over 350 advocates are set to descend in at the Provincial Summit on Aging November 6 to 8, hosted by Healthy Aging by United Way and the Community-Based Seniors’ Service Leadership Council. The second biennial summit will bring together leaders from local organizations, older adults, family and friend caregivers, academia and government. The diverse group
United Way British Columbia is investing an additional $150,000 in the Youth Futures Education Fund, so more B.C. youth who have aged out of foster care can thrive at school – and in life. When starting college or university, most young people have support from their families to cover living expenses like rent, food and
Congratulations to the class of 2019! Twenty-one changemakers from the non-profit sector in B.C. have all just graduated from this year’s United Way Public Policy Institute (PPI). The Institute is a professional development program designed to help leaders from the non-profit sector create lasting social change. Through PPI participants to deepen their understanding of public
United Way British Columbia is providing an additional $70,000 to gang-prevention program In It Together, operated by Abbotsford Community Services. Yves Trudel made the announcement at the Fraser Valley Community Spirit Awards May 7. The event recognized United Way donors and the impact their generosity is having in the Fraser Valley. “United Way is proud
Social purpose isn’t a business trend. It’s a business must. This is why we launched the Social Purpose Institute at United Way. We empower businesses to identify and adopt a social purpose, for the benefit of both their company, and the communities they serve. And now we’re proud to share the Government of Canada is
When Laurie Brondgeest was a little girl, fresh fruits and veggies were just steps away in her family’s backyard garden. “I remember being with my dad, picking the carrots,” she says. “We’d just brush the dirt off and start eating them. It’s such a fond memory.” But as Laurie explains, home-grown carrots provide more than
In an historic decision, the Board of Education for New Westminster Schools voted to supply free pads and tampons in school bathrooms. The decision will improve access to menstrual products for local students, reducing the vulnerability and isolation caused by period poverty. Trustees also voted to endorse the Period Promise campaign by United Way British
LafargeHolcim believes in building great communities. As the world’s largest building materials company, it supplies essential product – concrete, asphalt, cement – to job sites across the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley. Besides the physical construction of many civic, commercial, and residential structures used throughout our community, Lafarge offers innovative products and building solutions with
How do you define the word ‘community’? For some, it may be the street on which they live; for others, it’s the people, programs and businesses that make up their city. For many, a community is made up of the people that they work with every day. After all, we spend more than 90,000 hours
Ask any local business owner or entrepreneur and they’ll agree: if you want to succeed and grow your business, offering the best product just isn’t good enough. Your business itself has to be good, too; good for your customers, for your employees, and for your community at large. In short, you need a Social Purpose.
When it comes to a strong commitment to its community, McMillan is pitch perfect. The international business law firm based in downtown Vancouver is a long-time champion of the United Way, and since 2015 has supported local youth through its Corners for Kids program with the Vancouver Whitecaps. “For every ‘Caps corner kick at home,
When we build better workplaces, we build better communities. This is why for the past 44 years, the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) has hosted an annual Winter School for union members from across British Columbia and the Yukon. Courses offered explore critical issues relevant to today’s workplace and political climate, including increasing the number of
This week, we bid farewell and thank our energetic and passionate group of 31 Campaign Associates. Every year, local companies, organizations and unions generously sponsor or loan individuals to help United Way raise millions of dollars to help those most in need. Campaign Associates are essential to the on-going success of our organization. They help
When we work together, amazing things are possible. Working together makes strong communities. Today at the 2017 Community Partner Awards Lunch, United Way British Columbia celebrated another year of amazing things, recognizing its important, impactful and inspiring community partnerships in the cities and neighbourhoods we are honoured to call home. Keynote speaker Alia Sunderji, SFU
Congratulations to Joe and Rosalie Segal and family! The prominent philanthropists have been recognized with the Association of Fundraising Professionals Lifetime Achievement Award. The award recognizes an individuals’ extraordinary contribution and dedication to the fundraising profession. They were also lauded with The Giving Heart award in the category of Outstanding Philanthropist to an Organization Raising over
Traditionally, a business’s success has been defined by money: how much it’s making; how much it’s investing; how much is being used to expand operations and roles. But as we move into an age focused less on the bottom line, and more on social responsibility and sustainability, our definition of success is shifting. Increasingly, we