CHANGE A LIFE
When there’s work to be done, you can count on Labour volunteers to roll up their sleeves and lend a hand…or 24. On September 19, a dozen volunteers, including members from United Way British Columbia’s Campaign Cabinet Labour Committee and the Labour Participation Department, as well as several Labour Campaign Associates, spent the day painting,
How do you inspire change? You lead by example. United Way Pacesetters set a standard for leadership and community support by making an early commitment to United Way. They are helping to create a world of endless possibilities for everyone. Over 80 organizations have committed to an early gift or an increase of 10 percent
Statistics Canada is projecting that British Columbia’s senior population will comprise between 24 per cent and 27 per cent of B.C.’s population in 2038. This is nearly five-per-cent higher than the Canadian average. According to the data released this week and published in The Vancouver Sun, the number of seniors living in B.C. is expected
What makes people happy? Being social. And giving. It’s a pretty simple formula as presented by author of the book Happy City and urban experimentalist Charles Montgomery at the RevUp event held yesterday. A room of over 250 enthusiastic volunteers comprised of United Way Board of Directors, Campaign Cabinet, Employee Campaign Chairs, and Campaign Associates
Incredible things happened this weekend – 12 teams of 15 people each pulled a 757-200 jet weighing 127,900 pounds 50 feet down the tarmac at the UPS Jet Pull for United Way with just a rope, elbow grease and teamwork. Kudos to UPS for organizing the event and to Teamsters Local 31 for providing on-site
From arugula to zucchini, the annual Vegetable Contest brought out an impressive variety of edibles. The contest, part of the Harvest Festival hosted by Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House last week, invited home gardeners from the Hastings-Sunrise community to show off their vegetables for a chance to win prizes. United Way British Columbia funds both the
It can be the smallest action, like voting, that can create change, something British Columbians will be doing in the upcoming municipal elections. Unions are an important force for democracy, not just in the workplace, but beyond. Unions advocate for better social, economic and environmental policies. International studies have shown that the countries in which
The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) estimates at least $2.3 billion a year could be used more effectively for seniors’ care. In a Saskatoon Star Phoenix article, CMA President Louis Hugo Francescutti said that our system is “not oriented toward taking care of people who are living longer.” A survey released by the CMA said that
You get a call from the hospital: your father has suffered a stroke. Or your aunt has fallen and broken her hip. Or you can no longer care for your loved one due to the advancement of dementia. What next? As their son or daughter or caregiver, these kind of events often necessitate a change
Every neighbourhood in the Lower Mainland is unique, and each faces its own set of challenges. To address these challenges, solutions specific to each neighbourhood need to be developed. Enter United Way My Neighbourhood, My Future (MNMF), a bold new initiative that recognizes the power of a place in shaping the lives of its residents—particularly
It’s Pride Week in Vancouver. The 36th annual Pride Parade takes place Sunday, August 3, starting at noon at Robson and Thurlow Streets in Vancouver and is expected to attract a crowd of 650,000 people. The Parade is put on by The Vancouver PRIDE Society, a non-profit organization that brings together members of the Lesbian,
The Surrey Board of Trade is presenting a business case for a national child-care program to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce convention in September. As reported in The Vancouver Sun, the board recommends “that the federal government work with the provinces and territories to develop, improve and expand access to a Canadian child-care program that
A recently released survey found that children are under-reporting cyberbullying to their parents. Nearly 90 per cent of parents surveyed in the Protecting Canadian Families Online survey released last week thought their children would tell them if they were cyberbullied, yet the survey shows that only eight per cent of youth do. Why? “One of
Recently, MLA Michelle Mungall introduced a private member’s bill proposing a B.C. Poverty Reduction and Economic Inclusion Act. As reported in the Kelowna Daily Courier, the bill asks that the government develop a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy within one year, and legislate specific targets and timelines to reduce the breadth and depth of poverty. One
The fourth cohort of United Way’s Public Policy Institute (PPI) graduates with flying colours! View photos from the graduation event. PPI is a training program for leaders in the non-profit sector in BC whose organizations want to better understand and influence the public policy process. Returning for the fourth year, lead faculty was former Premier
Given Spectra Energy’s interest and history in supporting health and human services and well as programs that contribute to their community enhancement, we were so blessed to have team of volunteers on Thursday June 12th. Through Spectra’s contributions, our Food For Families Program was able to purchase proteins and serve additional wholesome and nutritious items
On June 13th, the 10th annual Union Counsellors’ Agency Tour took activists from many unions to visit three United Way-funded agencies: Langley Seniors Resource Society, The Centre for Child Development and the Alexandra Neighbourhood House, both in Surrey. The 10th Annual Union Counsellors’ Agency Tour was presented by Vancity and led by George Davison, co-chair
Making our community a better place is a big job. United Way British Columbia couldn’t do it without the support of unions and their members in workplaces throughout Metro Vancouver. Labour and United Way have long been partners in social change supporting the families and communities where they are located. Labour’s contributions help United Way
A new online memory test designed by Toronto’s Baycrest Health Sciences was launched today and could help in the early detection of dementia. The online test takes about 20 minutes to complete and provides a ranking of your results against others in the same age range with similar education level. The test is designed for
May 5 – 9 is Hunger Awareness Week. The event,put on by food banks across Canada, raises awareness about the issue of hunger in Canada. Food banks have been helping more than 700,000 people every month for the better part of the past 15 years. In 2013, close to 833,000 people were assisted each month