CHANGE A LIFE
stories, news, and other happenings in our community
When people come together to lend a hand, it has the potential to change everything. This past week during National Volunteer Week, United Way donors and volunteers showed their true colours helping some of the many community agencies and programs funded by United Way across the Lower Mainland. All of the events were Vancouver Sun United Way
She was always a trailblazer. In the 1960s, when Betti Port was just 23, she embarked on a world tour from her native Australia, settling in Vancouver. Not long after, Betti joined CN Rail, breaking new ground to become one of CN’s first female sales managers, first senior managers and eventually, one of its first
Across Canada, April 28 has been designated the Day of Mourning. This day provides an opportunity for workers, families, employers, and communities to come together at ceremonies held around the province to remember those who have lost their lives to work-related incidents or occupational disease, and renew our commitment to creating healthy and safe workplaces.
The bright green bookshelves are filled with new books. The walls are painted with palm trees, fluffy clouds and blue skies. Colourful comfy chairs await kids.The United Way Reading Oasis is ready for kids to have fun and learn! A gift from an anonymous United Way donor and a partnership with New Westminster School District
April 23-29th is National Volunteer Week in Canada and we can’t thank you enough! At United Way, we are grateful for thousands of volunteers like you that help make a difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of children, families and seniors in the Lower Mainland. From individual employees who run our fundraising
Luis Gonzales from MoveUP wants to change the world. Now he knows how after attending the Unions in the Community course as part of the Labour Community Advocates training program last February at the CLC Harrison Winter School. “I’m passionate about making my community stronger. Through the Labour Community Advocates program, I learned how to
United Way and supporters welcome refugees United Way and our supporters have a long history of helping newcomers and refugee families settle in the Lower Mainland. Together we partner with agencies that help refugees find homes, learn a new language and culture, and access education and employment. Syrian Refugees in Canada is a special reporting partnership
United Way strives to make the Lower Mainland a place where everyone can access opportunity and reach their full potential, no matter where they live or where they’re from. In the Tri-Cities (Anmore, Belcarra, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody), United Way invested $2.0 million dollars in 2016 to support 60 programs and 42 agencies.
United Way strives to make the Lower Mainland a place where everyone can access opportunity and reach their full potential, no matter where they live or where they’re from. In Vancouver, this means United Way invested $5.0 million dollars in 2016 to support 92 different programs in neighbourhoods from Marpole to the Downtown Eastside. Together,
For the third consecutive year, McMillan LLP are supporting Corners for Kids with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Here’s how the campaign works – for every ‘Caps corner kick taken at a Whitecaps FC home match, McMillan will donate $100 to United Way! An additional $500 will be donated each time Whitecaps FC scores a goal
A free community event hosted by United Way’s Avenues of Change in Guildford West attracted 90 neighborhood families to eat, talk food, and learn about Aboriginal culture. What Nourishes Us was billed as an Aboriginal celebration of food, land and culture. Salmon burgers, three types of soup (turkey and wild rice, buffalo, and vegetarian tex
As reported in a special feature on Global News, United Way actively works to fight hunger in the Lower Mainland while at the same time building community. When budgets are tight, people often forgo fresh produce and protein and choose less expensive, less healthy food. In a report published by the BC Provincial Health Services
Today in BC, in more than two-thirds of families, both parents work. The statistics are even higher for single-parent families. That means that many school-age children have no-one to go home to after school before parents return home from work. Most youth crime happens between 3 and 6 pm. The way children spend their time
“I was able to ride the wave, as opposed by being hit by it.” Margaret Catley-Carlson is referring to the beginning of her work career in the 1960s and 70s during a time where there was a “concerted effort to create career opportunities for women.” Margaret’s analogy is appropriate given that her professional passion now
Periods are a fact of life. For women living in poverty, there is an added challenge of being able to afford monthly feminine hygiene products. For women who are experiencing homelessness, it is an even bigger challenge. This year, as we prepare to celebrate International Women’s Day, United Way British Columbia’s Labour Participation Department and
Afternoons Monday through Friday, kids stream out of Tillicum and Hastings Schools in East Vancouver. Some go home with their parents, while others ‘hop on’ the walking school bus for the 10 to 20 minute walk to Kiwassa Neighbourhood House. There these six to 10 year olds get a healthy snack then they are off
BCAA is dedicated to the safe transportation of children. And United Way works to make sure that kids grow up great. For the past four years BCAA, has donated more than 7,000 new child car seats to families in need across B.C. through the Community Child Car Seat Program, in partnership with United Way Lower
“When my mother told my father she was pregnant with me, she ended up in the hospital,” says Amanda. “You see, they’d only been together a few times and when he found out, he beat her up. He wasn’t interested in a child and that’s all I know of him.” Amanda is matter of fact
We did it together! In 2016, $25.1 million was raised across the Lower Mainland to help people in need. Those funds will now go to work in the community helping more than 400,000 children, families and seniors across Metro Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. The money raised through the generosity of donors means that United
This year’s Scotiabank and United Way Community Spirit Awards will be amazing! The event takes place Tuesday, February 21, and recognizes and honours organizations, unions and individuals that have helped to make incredible things possible for others and worked hard to strengthen our community over the past year. Scotiabank returns as the event’s title sponsor