FOOD INTENTIONS: Children continue to go hungry in our city. Many are supported through school breakfast, snack and meal programs. Still there are kids who go home from school for the weekend who won’t have anything to eat until they come back to school on Monday. Thanks to the efforts of Joanna Griffiths, along with her daughter Emily-Anne, the Backpack Buddies program was born to help feed hungry children over the weekend. The pair started distributing bags of food to three inner city schools two years ago with the help of volunteers — other school kids. Today, they distribute more than 300 bags of nutritious food to children in need. The Community First Foundation, which runs the backpack program, staged its inaugural Food for Thought Gala at Science World. Sponsored by the Vancouver Courier, guests gathered for the $250-a-plate dinner and cocktail party in support of our community’s most vulnerable.
BIG RIDE: Clara Hughes received a hero’s welcome on the Vancouver stop of her 12,000-km cycle across Canada to build awareness, educate and raise funds for mental health. While here the Olympian fronted a fundraiser in support of the Kettle Society’s community mental health programs. The six-time Olympian took time out of her grueling and physically challenging schedule to meet with attendees and deliver an emotional and inspiring keynote touching on her own personal experiences with mental illness.
HOME FOR LIFE: A new $18.5-million alumni centre will open at UBC in spring 2015. The 4,000 square feet, multi-level centre will be named after prominent B.C. business leader and philanthropist Robert H. Lee in honour of the many contributions he has made to the university. Located in the heart of the Point Grey campus, the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre will serve as a resource for UBC’s 300,000 alumni, providing a place to network and participate in intellectual, cultural and social programs. Lee, along with his family, were on hand for the official unveiling at a Raising the Roof party hosted by UBC president Stephen Toope and alumni UBC executive director Jeff Todd.
FREEDOM JEWELS: Not Abandoned is a Seattle-based non-profit organization with a mission to combat sex slavery through prevention, intervention, employment and restoration. One of their projects is a line of jewelry called Freedom Stones with a unique mandate: to create beautiful accessories while transforming impoverished individuals and communities by providing skills development and social entrepreneurship. The handmade jewelry were showcased at a night of fashion and fundraising presented by local spa SKOAH and sustainable fashion designer, Nicole Bridger.
