While we have seen the devastating toll on the most vulnerable in our own community due to COVID-19, we have also seen innovation, new partnerships, and generosity. Despite the challenges, our community came together and showed their local love.
There are many things that remain constant on Southern Vancouver Island: how we care for one another, our strong sense of community pride, and our love for everything local. We are deeply grateful for the support we have received from our generous and caring donors, from local businesses, from labour, from government.
Here are the local community organizations that we are supporting this year due to donors’ dollars. We are proud to invest in these local non-profits that assist us in delivering on our areas of action: helping families in need; helping isolated seniors; creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive community; and supporting individuals with mental health challenges and/or addictions.
*The following directory is best viewed on a desktop computer. To find individual agencies, please scroll using the gray arrows in the section titled “Funded Community Partners.”
Inter-Cultural Association (ICA)
Tools for Equity – ICA Equity Training Program and Community Partnership Network
Victoria is a diverse city with 18% of residents being immigrants to Canada. Almost 5% of the population are Indigenous. A recent report on racism conducted by the Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria (ICA) revealed that 71% of Indigenous, Black, Asian or other Persons of Colour report that they have personally experienced racism in the last five years. Tools for Equity has been designed to support businesses and organizations address issues of systemic racism through training and organizational coaching.
Community Partnership Network (CPN)
The Community Partnership Network (CPN) is a network of more than 300 member agencies, businesses and institutions committed to building diverse, welcoming, and inclusive communities in Greater Victoria. ICA coordinates the CPN and works with members to develop their organizational capacity to welcome diversity, enhance inclusivity and address systemic racism and discrimination. CPN members work to develop their capacity by exchanging knowledge, sharing resources and information aimed at promoting and supporting their organizations and communities to engage with our increasingly diverse region more effectively.
Beacon Community Services
More than Meals Program
Seniors over the age of 65 make up close to 18% of the population of Victoria. Many seniors in the CRD experience extreme loneliness and isolation, malnutrition or food insecurity, mobility issues and limited income that greatly impacts their physical, mental and emotional well-being. More than Meals is a coordinated approach to address food insecurity and social isolation through weekly meal delivery to over 500 seniors in the CRD.
The original partners involved in the initiative were Beacon Community Services, James Bay New Horizons Society, Oak Bay Volunteer Services and Silver Threads Service for Seniors.
Family Caregivers of BC
Focusing on Family Caregivers: Reducing the Impact of the Pandemic on Mental Health and Well-Being
Focusing on people in the CRD who are caring for a family member or friend because of chronic disease, mental health challenges and frailty due to aging.
