CHANGE A LIFE
If all the children in B.C. who live in poverty were gathered together, they would form B.C.’s fifth-largest city with a population of 153,300. That city would be disproportionately populated with First Nations kids, visible minorities, recent immigrants and children of single parents, according to a newly released BC Child Poverty Report Card by the
We’re so excited, and we just can’t hide it! On November 28 we are celebrating Giving (Props) Tuesday. That’s right – this year, we’re putting a new spin on Giving Tuesday. We’re using the day to just to say thanks and share kudos – to give “props”, if you will. It’s Giving (Props) Tuesday! It’s a
Traditionally, a business’s success has been defined by money: how much it’s making; how much it’s investing; how much is being used to expand operations and roles. But as we move into an age focused less on the bottom line, and more on social responsibility and sustainability, our definition of success is shifting. Increasingly, we
Residents of East Vancouver’s Strathcona neighbourhood face many challenges, including poverty, access to affordable housing and high childhood vulnerability rates. Linda Day, Executive Director of the Aboriginal Mothers Centre Society (AMCS) sees in particular how these issues affect Aboriginal mothers and their children living in the area. “There are many challenges facing Aboriginal women
98% of seniors living in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley say their quality of life is “good” or “very good” – if they attend community-based programs. Seniors participating in these activities show a higher level of satisfaction with their quality of life and social interactions than those who do not, a new poll by
Sheila Ross, a long-time community supporter has been recognized with the 2017 Joseph and Rosalie Segal United Way Community Vision Award. She received the tribute Tuesday night surrounded by family and friends at United Way British Columbia’s annual recognition event for major gift donors, the Pathfinders Dinner. The Community Vision Award recognizes individuals or families
Gloria loves helping her neighbours in Burnaby – so much so, that in 2010, she was the recipient of the City of Burnaby’s ‘Citizen of the Year’ award. While she has spent a lifetime giving back to her community, she now finds herself on the receiving end. “I do have mobility problems now,” says
Seven unions and 11 maritime organizations from the regions’ working waterfront have united together to raise funds for United Way. Over the past four years, Waterfront United has raised $2.28 million to provide a safe harbour to children, families and seniors in need across the Lower Mainland. Walter Gerlach, IAMAW – Northwest District 250, Bob
Social inclusion — sometimes referred to as a sense of belonging — is the act of making all groups of people within a society feel valued and important. United Way British Columbia and four other United Ways – Calgary, Guelph, Hamilton and Ottawa – have partnered with Mitacs, a national not-for-profit research and training organization,
Every year across Metro Vancouver, residents throw out more than 100,000 tonnes of food. To put that in perspective, each day residents across our communities send more than 15,000 heads of lettuce, 40,000 tomatoes, 80,000 potatoes, 32,000 loaves of bread, and 70,000 cups of milk to the landfill. Sustainability advocate and SFU lecturer Alia Sunderji
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:
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
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
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.
Today is Orange Shirt Day. Orange Shirt Day is a legacy of the St. Joseph Mission (SJM) residential school commemoration event held in Williams Lake, BC, Canada, in the spring of 2013. It grew out of Phyllis' story of having her shiny new orange shirt taken away on her first day of school at the