Here’s to forty years of community!

Since 1976, Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House has been serving the diverse, vibrant, and multicultural neighbourhood of Mount Pleasant in East Vancouver. It recently celebrated its 40th Anniversary with a big party at its beautiful building at the corner of Broadway and Prince Albert in Vancouver. United Way has supported this neighbourhood house since it opened its doors in the basement of a local church four decades ago. Hundreds of children, families, and neighbours attended the anniversary celebration, including George Jolly (center), a local senior who has called Mount Pleasant home since the 1970s. Eugene Harry (XiQuelem) greeted the assembly of guests by singing and drumming Chief Dan George’s prayer, the Coast Salish anthem. Meharoona Ghani, a poet and diversity specialist, performed a spoken-word dedication to her family’s experiences of immigration and empowerment. Elected representatives of government were also present, including City of Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson and MLA Melanie Mark. Many people shared their personal stories of finding a place to call home at Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House and provided touching looks into the impact the House has on the thousands of people who participate in its programs every year. Delicious barbecued burgers were served up by volunteer chefs to 300 hungry guests. The night capped off with cake and 1970’s disco, making for a fantastic dance party! Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House first began serving its community in 1976 through a local leadership youth program. It then expanded its programming to include free income tax clinics that were run out of a mobile trailer. Today, the House’s dedicated and engaged staff provide programs and services to more than 7,000 people annually. United Way has been a supporter of this community mainstay for four decades. Partners like Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House help United Way British Columbia achieve its vision of a healthy, caring, inclusive community for all. In 2016 alone, United Way invested more than $1.3 million into Neighbourhood Houses across the Lower Mainland, including Mount Pleasant NeighbourhoodHouse. For more great photos from the event, view the flickr album below.