CHANGE A LIFE
Hea Nay spent the majority of her young life growing up in a refugee camp in Thailand. She and her family, who are members of the Karen minority, escaped Myanmar fleeing civil war when she was just two years old. After 14 years in the camp, where she went to school, Hea Nay, her parents
Like so many others, COVID-19 is impacting Shannon’s life and family. For the past 12 years, the Clayton Heights’ resident has co-owned an event planning business. When events over 50 people were banned in March, Shannon and her partner lost 90% of their annual business overnight. But like many across the Lower Mainland and Fraser
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,
How does a group of Canadian newcomers shift from reading about food waste to feeding 2,500 neighbours each month? It takes five years of dedication, 365 days a year and includes 15 distribution sites, 8 participating grocery stores and 75 volunteers, including 35 drivers – from over 15 countries – to serve over 30 different families daily. The Immigrant Link Centre Society is the
Before the global pandemic, thousands of students across the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley trusted school meal programs as a dependable and necessary source of daily nourishment. Mandated school closures to curb the spread of COVID-19 meant schools needed to quickly adapt their programs to answer to escalating needs, not just from students but their
Food for vulnerable children, families and seniors during COVID-19 means food rescue and food redistribution is more important than ever. Long-time United Way community partner, SOURCES Community Resources in Surrey is building on their expertise to help ensure area residents are getting the support they need. Since June 2019, the SOURCES Food Hub has rescued
COVID-19 is leaving kitchen cupboards bare across the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley. Mass lay-offs and underemployment are affecting our friends, neighbours and family members leaving many struggling to pay rent and buy food. United Way British Columbia is responding quickly to the devastating effect COVID-19 is having on food security. By mobilizing a network of community partners, businesses and local residents, United Way is
Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6:30 pm, between 70-90 people from all walks of life gather at the Cloverdale Community Kitchen. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from – dinner is served. The meals not only nourish, they help build community and friendships among everyone who enters from single moms
Who doesn’t love a block party? They’re fun, simple, inexpensive, and a great way to get to know your neighbours! That’s precisely why residents of the Clayton Heights neighbourhood in Surrey took to the streets this weekend, for the area’s first Block Party Day. The more the merrier What helped make this weekend such a
Close your eyes and imagine your community. What do you love about it? What makes it unique? What is one thing you would add to make it better for everyone? At United Way, we love to see the deep and lasting impact local initiatives can have on our communities. Local projects like Avenues of Change, empower
Trisha Dulku is passionate about empowering the community she calls home. As the Community Projects Coordinator with Simon Fraser University’s (SFU) Surrey Campus, she works with students, faculty and staff to help organize and execute community-focused initiatives that support local newcomers and youth. Building community What inspires Trisha? The opportunity for positive change she sees
Do you believe in a world where everyone is proud of who they are? Where leaders encourage, empower and take action with others? Do you believe in the power of community? Every day, 15-year-old River helps build this reality for his classmates, his teammates, his family and his friends. A grade 10 student at Frank