CHANGE A LIFE
More than 200,000 children across the Lower Mainland have now either started or settled back to school. For many working parents, it’s a real struggle to find and afford after-school arrangements. Many BC families are challenged to find childcare especially with family debt at historic levels and growing. Many kids don’t have access to quality
It’s National Seniors Day on October 1st and for the first time ever, there are more seniors than children living in Canada. According to Statistics Canada, in July, the country’s population reached 35,851,774, and people over 65 accounted for 5,780,900 or 16.1% of the total. By comparison, 16.0% or 5,749,400 were children age 14 and
Colin was in trouble. He was depressed. He was isolated. He spent his days and nights on social media, turning down invitations to visit friends. But a conversation a day changed Colin Easton’s life. In 2014, Colin talked to a stranger every day of the year and blogged about it. The compilation of posts
We live in busy times and in a wired world. There are fewer opportunities for children to just play, increased technology use in families, and busy parents — how is this affecting children? It’s a challenge that is explored in a report that investigates rising child vulnerability in five nieghbourhoods on the North Shore. According
As sure as kids go back to school, the leaves turn red and gold, and the rain returns, every fall hundreds of enthusiastic volunteers help raise awareness and funds for United Way. United Way’s mission is to build strong communities, to move people from poverty to possibility and to help kids be all that they
Who lives in the Lower Mainland’s fastest growing city? In a comprehensive profile published by United Way today and featured in The Vancouver Sun, data exploring population, economic and social data is broken down for Surrey’s six communities and for the city of White Rock. United Way invests $2.89 million into programs and services in
“Higgeldy-piggeldy bumblebee, won’t you say your name for me,” sings three-and-a-half-year-old Hannah during a lively session of Mother Goose in Port Coquitlam. This popular program uses songs and rhymes to foster early language skills and help parents connect with their babies and toddlers. Watching Hannah flash a big smile at everyone she meets and sing
In today’s age, we “vote” for things we like all the time: who wore it best; who sang it best; which cat video is the best. We “like” posts on Facebook, we sign online petitions, we show support by retweeting tweets or following people on Twitter. Yet during the last federal election in 2011, only
The British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) and United Way British Columbia are pleased to announce an innovative partnership that will award participants in United Way’s Campaign Associate Program academic credit for hours worked, volunteer time and training. Every year, United Way recruits and trains up to 40 individuals for its Campaign Associate Program. Campaign
Strong communities fuel our lives, support our development and keep us healthy and strong. With the biggest storm since 2006 walloping Metro Vancouver neighbourhoods this past weekend, many Lower Mainland residents reached out to friends, family and neighbours and proved that strong communities really do nurture the people who live there. Here are a few
Student unions across B.C. are struggling to keep up with demand as reported in The Province newspaper. At UBC, the Alma Mater Society operates the food bank. As reported in the story, volunteer Alex Kwok said that he used to associate food banks with the poor and the homeless. “It’s tough to hear their stories,”
We all choose to live in different areas of the Lower Mainland for various reasons. Now The Vancouver Sun has published a report that shows which cities are good places to grow old in Metro Vancouver. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an age-friendly city should have accessible green space, health care, public transit,
The Clearwater & area Success By 6 initiative has received a grant of $137,300 to help build a splash park for children and families. The funding was announced last week by Cathy McLeod, MP for Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo and is part of ‘Canada 150,’ a federal program that supports infrastructure projects in communities as a way of
Kahir Lalji is the new provincial Program Manager of the seniors program Better at Home. Better at Home is a program that helps seniors with simple day-to-day tasks so that they can continue to live independently in their own homes and remain connected to their communities. The Government of British Columbia funds the program, United
The North Shore’s Hollyburn Family Services Society, funded in part by United Way, receives 400 phone calls each month from emergency service providers, hospitals or neighbours concerned about a homeless senior or a senior at housing risk. Up until now they weren’t always able to help. Now thanks to a The Vancouver Sun United Way Day
Brenda Aynsley is United Way British Columbia’s new Vice President of Resource Development. She starts on August 24th. Brenda joins United Way British Columbia after having been the Executive Director of Thompson Nicola Cariboo United Way for the past 11 years. In that role, she built strong partnerships with community, government, media and donors positioning
Congratulations to the class of 2015! Twenty-three community leaders have all graduated from United Way’s innovative professional development program, the Public Policy Institute (PPI). Graduates walk away with new knowledge, skills and tools so that they are better able to understand and influence the public policy process. Leaders from a wide range of organizations from
Homeless seniors. These are two words that don’t sit comfortably together. Yet every month, the North Shore’s Hollyburn Family Services Society, funded in part by United Way, receives 400 phone calls from emergency service providers, hospitals or neighbours concerned about a homeless senior or a senior at housing risk. Up until now, explains Nanette Taylor,
Making you good money by putting money to good. That is Vancity’s commitment to its 500,000 plus members. This forward-looking, values-based financial co-operative is committed to transforming how banking is done to better help their members and their local communities thrive— financially, socially, and environmentally. How is Vancity accomplishing all this? One key way
At the 85th AGM of United Way British Columbia held last night, two new community leaders joined the 2015/16 Board of Directors: Catherine Lappe, Director General, Citizen Services& Program Delivery, Western Territories Region, Service Canada Ratana Stephens, Co-CEO, Nature’s Path Lappe and Stephens join a distinguished list of returning board members: Jim Belsheim, President,