CHANGE A LIFE
stories, news, and other happenings in our community
Last week, dozens of labour activists from multiple unions and municipalities came together for the annual United Way British Columbia Labour Day of Caring with a full day of activity with SHARE Family & Community Services in Coquitlam. Volunteers worked at a social housing complex doing a variety of tasks including repairing two playgrounds, clearing
Angie always thought of herself as active and social. But the unexpected death of her husband—followed by personal health problems, mobility issues and limited income—left her feeling isolated and alone. “You wonder, Where do I go from here? What do I do? What do I have to look forward to?” Then Angie found the answer:
Parents of children aged 6 to 12 report benefits from enrolling their kids in out-of-school-time programs, a new poll by Insights West conducted in partnership with the United Way British Columbia has found. The poll was conducted through an online survey. A representative sample of parents in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley were surveyed.
On September 21, 2017, United Way British Columbia celebrated its first annual United Way Day! The Day was proclaimed in 13 communities served by United Way: Anmore, Belcarra, Burnaby, New Westminster, City of North Vancouver, District of North Vancouver, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Richmond, Squamish, Surrey, Vancouver and Whistler. To celebrate, we asked individuals to
As society moves away from handwritten and verbal communication towards emailing, texting, and social media, many seniors like Richmond grandmothers, Ozra and Zohreh, are left behind. In a digitally connected world, the elderly are often left out leaving them isolated and alone. When Ozra met friends, she wasn’t able to share photos of her
On September 29, 2017 members from Vancouver’s thriving tech community found a new way to interface by participating in United Way’s Tech Grind. Teams raced to the top of Grouse Mountain and the infamous Grouse Grind, all while raising funds for United Way British Columbia. In total, almost $30,000 was raised for life-changing programs and
From mom-and-baby classes to post-kindergarten playdates, there’s lots of stuff for little kids to do to keep them busy and socially engaged before nap time. But once they start school, opportunities for extracurricular engagement start to drop. “There’s a complete mismatch between the end of the school day and the end of parents’ workdays,” says
Twice a month, Wes, Adam, Michael and Dave meet up as part of the Dads on the North Shore peer support group. The first time they meet, it’s just the guys, but the second time, it’s the dads and their young children. With almost 50,000 families on the North Shore, this unique United Way-funded
United Way is one of four charities that HSBC Bank Canada (HSBC) is supporting through an $11 million funding commitment from 2014 to 2020. The three other charities are Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada, Indspire and Pathways to Education Canada. Through this combination of charitable organizations, HSBC is funding wraparound support to Indigenous youth,
Being kind to one another is contagious and feels good! So does making connections. Yesterday, almost 200 enthusiastic volunteers and supporters connected with each other at RevUp, United Way’s annual training and kick-off event. United Way Employee Campaign Chairs, Leadership Chairs, Board of Directors, Campaign Cabinet and Campaign Associates all took part in the networking
For over 87 years, United Way has been supporting individuals of all ages and backgrounds across the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley. We fund over 174 agencies to deliver more than 350 programs that help children, families and seniors. Last year alone, we supported 400,000 people.
Changing lives. Building community. It all starts on United Way Day, September 21 when volunteers from across the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley help kick off United Way’s 2017 campaign at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. The theme of United Way Day is being kind to one another. Volunteers will be out across downtown Vancouver early
Labour Day is more than a well-deserved day off. Labour Day celebrates the achievements that make our society a stronger more equitable place because of Unions. The labour movement is an important force for democracy, not just in the workplace, but beyond. Unions advocate for better social, economic and environmental policies. Today, in Canada, we
Last month, Tai, a housekeeper with United Way’s Better at Home in Ashcroft, BC, stepped out from her mobile home for a short trip to purchase groceries. What unfolded during next hour was a nightmare beyond her imagining. “When I left to return home I was told that the highway was already closed,” recounts Tai.
Diversity, inclusion, celebration, love – these are the elements that define the communities and neighbourhoods United Way is proud to support, and honoured to call home. They make our cities vibrant and beautiful. They provide strength to us all, no matter our age, gender, ethnicity, culture, religion, sexual orientation, or ability. They build great todays
Diversity, inclusion, celebration, love – these are the elements that define the communities and neighbourhoods United Way is proud to support, and honoured to call home. They make our cities vibrant and beautiful. They provide strength to us all, no matter our age, gender, ethnicity, culture, religion, sexual orientation, or ability. They build great todays
The challenges facing today’s high school students are numerous and diverse: bullying, social media, cliques, grades, familial pressure – the list seems to grow every day. For many students, the high cost of transit is another large hurdle they must overcome every month. Which is why United Way, in partnership with TransLink, has been collecting
This is a guest blog by Geralyn Alain, Director of Marketing & Communications, United Way Thompson Nicola Cariboo. “I am extremely anxious. I don’t know what to expect, and what if we’re denied for any help? What then? I’ve been crying a lot.” Social media posts like this have been common over the past month
This is a guest blog from Gordon Neighbourhood House. Gordon Neighbourhood House’s mission is to make the West End a better neighbourhood in which to live and grow. The community hub offers a wide range of programs and services to people living in the neighbourhood including programs for children and families, programs for seniors, and
On July 20, 100 of the coolest people with the warmest hearts gathered on the spectacular TELUS garden rooftop for Impact Red. This is the second annual Impact Red: Rooftop Social presented by TD Bank Group and hosted by United Way British Columbia’s GenNext Cabinet. The GenNext Cabinet harnesses the vision, energy and generosity of