Spectrum Mothers Support Society provides respite and support to mothers of all ages on the North Shore, who have a newborn or a newborn and children under the age of three, who continue to care for their children in difficult and challenging situations.  These women often find themselves with little or no support from family or friends and often suffer from post-partum depression, have little parenting knowledge and may be coming out of an abusive relationship or addiction.

These courageous women can find it hard to manage financially and emotionally. With a little hands-on help from our Caregivers to get their lives on track, they are able to enjoy parenting.  As well as providing support in the home, our caregivers and mentors connect mothers to drop-in resources and support groups, encouraging them to connect with their community.  These services are provided free of charge.

Athletics4Kids (A4K) is a North Vancouver-based grassroots charity that allows children to participate in organized sport by paying their registration fees.  A4K’s vision is that all BC children have the opportunity to play sports and realize their full potential.  Throughout BC, hundreds of kids are denied the opportunity to play due to lack of funds.  A4K helps families bear the expense of having their children participate because they believe that all kids should have the chance to play. 

 

Basic registration fees are paid for any of the 45+ sports recognized by Sport BC.  By supporting the positive development of children through sport, A4K makes a significant difference in the lives of BC children. Since its inception 20 years ago, A4K has provided financial assistance to over 10,000 kids. Our donation will be used to fund up to 50 sports grants for North Shore kids.

Avalon Outreach Society provides support and drop-in facilities for women in recovery from substance abuse and addictions.  They provide alcohol and drug counselling and treatment, as well as being a resource for social assistance information, and provide workshops and seminars to women in recovery.   Other services include a free childcare program, a clothing give-away program, as well as a lending library of books on addiction and recovery.  

Avalon creates a community for women seeking freedom from addiction, empowering them to thrive.  They provide health and social services for women and families and for the economically disadvantaged.                                                 Our donation would go to funding the expansion of hours and counselling services.

North Shore Rescue serves the North Shore for all distress calls where search and rescue is required. It is a volunteer, community-based organization, founded in 1965, skilled in search and rescue operations. Its members are from all walks of life but share a common interest in providing an important life-saving service to the public, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. The team consists of approximately 50 volunteers skilled in search and rescue operations in mountain, canyon and urban settings.

In 2021, there were 227 callouts serving 182 individuals, totaling 9200 volunteer hours. Annually, they provide 30,000 volunteer hours.

Our donation will be used to purchase 3 video-guided laryngoscopes which facilitate safer endotracheal intubations in challenging environments, such as a rescue situation, for unconscious patients who needs assistance breathing.

West Van United Church’s refugee sponsorship program helps refugees begin a new life in Canada. Efforts were revitalized in 2015, sparked by the photo of young Alan Kurdi being pulled from the Mediterranean waters where he perished, along with his mother and brother. Since then, they have walked beside several families as they began their new lives in Canada. They have also supported other community and church groups to bring more than 20 people to safety.

 

WVUC serves refugees who have their UNHCR status (UN High Commission for Refugee), and once a family is selected, they work on bringing them to Canada.  As all of their work is done by volunteers, our 100WWC donation will be put toward living expenses for the families, including food, shelter, clothing and transportation.  WVUC is committed to provide these expenses for one year.

Backpack Buddies' mission is to ensure food security for vulnerable children in BC. Many children rely on school meal programs, but over the weekend may not eat at all. They help fill the weekend hunger gap - a time when children go without the support of school breakfast and lunch programs - by providing meals and snacks for the weekend directly to those who need them.

The program is coordinated through teachers, administrators and parents who advise them on the needs of their students and help identify the children who could benefit most from receiving a bag of food for the weekend. Through our Buddy School Program, we connect with schools in Metro Vancouver that have capacity to fundraise and volunteer to pack bags of food for children in need.

 

Last year they delivered over 49,000 backpacks of food to children across BC who would otherwise not have eaten on the weekend.   Backpack Buddies currently supports 104 students across 5 North Vancouver schools.  Our $10,000 donation will sponsor the cost of 648 backpacks, totalling 5832 meals.  It would enable 18 students to receive year-round support. 

Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCMSAR) is a not-for-profit volunteer-based organization that operates more than 30 marine rescue stations along the coast of British Columbia from Vancouver’s busy harbour to the remote waters of the North Coast. RCMSAR is a key part of the marine search and rescue (SAR) system, working in one of the most challenging search and rescue regions in the world. Our 900 volunteers are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, ready to immediately respond to marine emergencies at a moment’s notice. Station 1 and 2 support the North Shore from Britannia Beach to Indian Arm and all waters in between with roughly 75 volunteers                                                                    

There are no staff costs and no overhead.  99% of the 2020 expenses were for equipment and supplies. Donated funds would be used to acquire rescue equipment and gear, including person-in-water rescue recovery systems.