Land Acknowledgement

We acknowledge the Coast Salish Nations on whose traditional territories we work to serve the communities of southern Vancouver Island and the southern Gulf Islands.

We are grateful, and may we build strong working relationships with all local nations with trust, humility, kindness, and respect where we live, work, and learn.

Impact Report

It’s made with gratitude for everyone who makes our work possible.

This year marks the 85th anniversary of United Way Southern Vancouver Island, and we have a lot to be thankful for.

Keep scrolling for our digital report, or you can click here for our full report.

IMPACT BY THE NUMBERS

children, youth and their families were able to access nutritious and
affordable food, skills training courses, housing supports, and intervention
services to help them navigate crisis situations. We are grateful to the 602
volunteers who gave over 55,800 hours of their time towards helping families
in need.

children, youth, adults and seniors accessed affordable, caring counselling
services to help them better cope with mental health concerns and emotional
challenges in their day-to-day lives. Working alongside registered counsellors,
336 volunteers and citizen counsellors provided over 30,400 hours of mental
health and emotional support to individuals accessing critical counselling
services. counselling services.

children, youth, adults and seniors with mental health challenges and
disabilities as well as those who have faced marginalization or discrimination
based on race or sexual and/or gender identity, were provided with safe,
welcoming gathering spaces and supports to maintain a healthy lifestyle while
reducing isolation.

isolated seniors and elders were provided with nutritious meals delivered
to their homes and 16,000 friendly wellness visits to ensure that they were
staying safe and healthy. Thank you to the 232 volunteers who gave over
20,000 hours of their time, delivering 50,000 meals.

Individuals accessed the free and confidential bc211 services by telephone, .
text or online. bc211 has also acted as a resource during community
emergencies and issues of public safety.

2021-2022 INVESTMENT IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES

Learn More About Our Investments

1 Agencies 1 Pr ograms 1 People Helped DONOR DESIGNA TIONS 799768 SENIORS 485330 DIVERSITY , EQUITY & INCLUSION 100000 F AMILIES 911571 MENT AL HEAL TH & ADDICTIONS 937615 1 Agencies 1 Pr ograms 1 People Helped 1 Agencies 1 Pr ograms 1 People Helped

MEET THE PEOPLE YOU HAVE HELPED

More Stories from UWSVI

BECKY’S STORY
 – More than Meals for Isolated Seniors

Becky turned 96 in August 2021. She lives on her own in a tidy, cozy home filled with artwork from her children and artifacts from the 35 years she spent in Africa. She has been widowed for 17 years.

She is fiercely independent. Like most Canadians, she wants to age in place at home. Over three-quarters of Canadians (78 per cent) want to age in their current homes. But she needs helping hands. She uses a walker, gets lonely, and has and trouble with her hands.

“My hands feel as if they are full of sand,” she explains. She can prepare her porridge in the morning but would find it extremely challenging to prepare a full meal. That’s why United Way’s More than Meals program was a lifesaver for Becky. Every Monday she gets a call to see what she would like from the menu. Frozen entrees are delivered on Thursdays together with a friendly visit. “They just come in and slip it on the counter.” Desserts are a pleasant surprise. “Last week I got a nice piece of chocolate cake,” adds Becky with a smile. United Way is proud to power More than Meals and fund other programs that support healthy aging and the wellbeing of our seniors.

TIFFANY’S STORY
– Blue Love Campaign for Mental Health

Many of us struggle with our mental health. Unfortunately, the pandemic has made things worse. The demand for mental health services has doubled since COVID disrupted our lives.

“At a time in my life when I desperately needed counselling and support, I got help,” said Tiffany. “Without it, I don’t know where I’d be or if I’d even be alive.”

Thankfully, Tiffany got help when she needed it. Like her, many other people on Southern Vancouver Island need support but can’t get it due to the long waitlists, limited service hours, or budget concerns.

Last year, United Way Southern Vancouver Island launched the Blue Love Campaign for Mental Health raising funds for local mental health counselling, outreach and peer support programs. With donations from individuals, workplaces and
the wonderful generosity of Peninsula Co-op and CIBC Blue Heron Advisory Group, United Way was able to fund counselling, peer support and outreach services across Southern Vancouver Island at community partner organizations like the Citizens’ Counselling Centre where Tiffany got help.

LITTLE PHOENIX,
B.C.’s First Trauma-Informed Daycare

British Columbia’s first trauma-informed daycare opened its doors to provide support for children who have experienced trauma. The daycare welcomes children through referrals from social service partner agencies and from across
Greater Victoria, with the goal of integrating them and creating an environment of acceptance and support.

From the very outset, United Way, Women United, and many other donors have been huge believers and supporters of this project that touches on so many of our values as an organization, from collaboration to supporting families. We are proud to partner with the Family Services of Greater Victoria and Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society in elevating the profile and funding Little Phoenix Daycare. Thank you to all individuals, Women United members and all donors for making
Little Phoenix possible!

Meet Our Community Partners

Our Community Partners In Action

2021/22 FUNDED COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness Society AVI Health & Community Services bc211 Beacon Community Services Big Brothers Big Sisters of Victoria Capital Region BGC South Vancouver Island Bridges for Women Society Burnside Gorge Community Association Canadian Mental Health Association - BC Division (CMHA) Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria Connections Place Esquimalt Neighbourhood House Society Family Caregivers of British Columbia Family Services of Greater Victoria Farmland’s Trust Greater Victoria Citizen’s Counselling Centre Greater Victoria Psychosocial Rehabilitation Collaborative Hulitan Family & Community Services Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria (ICA) LDABC The Learning Curve Home is where We Live - LifeCycles Project Society on behalf of My FED Farm Mental Health Recovery Partners South Island MHRP-SI NEED2 Suicide Prevention, Education & Support Society Pacific Centre Family Services Association Pacific Training Centre for the Blind Parent Support Services Society of BC Peers Victoria Resource Society Rent Smart Education and Support Society Saanich Neighbourhood Place Saanich Volunteer Services Society Soap for Hope Canada Sooke Family Resource Society Sooke Transition House Society South Island Centre for Counselling & Training (SICCT) The Cridge Centre for the Family The Galiano Club Together Against Poverty Society (TAPS) Umbrella Society for Addictions and Mental Health Vancouver Island Counselling Centre for Immigrants and Refugees Vancouver Island Men’s Therapy Centre Victoria Brain Injury Society Victoria Cool Aid Society Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society (VIRCS) Victoria Native Friendship Centre Victoria Rainbow Kitchen Society Victoria Sexual Assault Centre Society

46

Funded and Powered by UWSVI

Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness Society
AVI Health & Community Services
bc211
Beacon Community Services
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Victoria Capital Region
BGC South Vancouver Island
Bridges for Women Society
Burnside Gorge Community Association
Canadian Mental Health Association – BC Division (CMHA)
Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria
Connections Place
Esquimalt Neighbourhood House Society
Family Caregivers of British Columbia
Family Services of Greater Victoria
Farmland’s Trust
Greater Victoria Citizen’s Counselling Centre
Greater Victoria Psychosocial Rehabilitation Collaborative
Hulitan Family & Community Services
Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria (ICA)
LDABC The Learning Curve
Home is where We Live – LifeCycles Project Society on behalf of My FED Farm
Mental Health Recovery Partners South Island MHRP-SI
NEED2 Suicide Prevention, Education & Support Society
Pacific Centre Family Services Association
Pacific Training Centre for the Blind
Parent Support Services Society of BC
Peers Victoria Resource Society
Rent Smart Education and Support Society
Saanich Neighbourhood Place
Saanich Volunteer Services Society
Soap for Hope Canada
Sooke Family Resource Society
Sooke Transition House Society
South Island Centre for Counselling & Training (SICCT)
The Cridge Centre for the Family
The Galiano Club
Together Against Poverty Society (TAPS)
Umbrella Society for Addictions and Mental Health
Vancouver Island Counselling Centre for Immigrants and Refugees
Vancouver Island Men’s Therapy Centre
Victoria Brain Injury Society
Victoria Cool Aid Society
Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society (VIRCS)
Victoria Native Friendship Centre
Victoria Rainbow Kitchen Society
Victoria Sexual Assault Centre Society

2021-2022 HIGHLIGHTS

We are humbled by the generosity of our community.

In 2021, we launched the Blue Love Campaign for Mental Health with a generous gift of $100,000 from Peninsula Co-op to offer counselling, peer support and outreach services. Individual donors, corporations and matching partners helped us make Blue Love even stronger. As a result, we are now funding 26 local programs that deliver mental health supports across the region.

Thanks to the matching gift provided by the Blue Heron Advisory Group of CIBC Wood Gundy and individual donors who took advantage of the match, $500,000 has been raised to improve mental health and the lives of local children, youth and families who need it the most.

In 2021, the second Capital Daily Holiday Donation Drive surpassed its original goal of $150,000, raising more than $170,000 for local families in need, as part of our strong collaboration with Capital Daily to benefit Neighbourhood Houses in Greater Victoria. Thank you to Capital Daily, individual donors and matching Victoria-based organizations: the Tiny Foundation, Lake Family’s All One Fund, Heart Pharmacy, the Jawl Foundation and Lochside Software, Inc.

We are excited to be the winner of this year’s Non-Profit of the Year Award from the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce.

The award honours an organization that provides outstanding contributions to the community and has demonstrated leadership and resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic.

COMMUNITY IMPACT STRATEGY 2022-2025

Throughout the pandemic, United Way Southern Vancouver Island leveraged its local knowledge and demonstrated its ability to shift and focus on the areas of greatest need and impact. We truly know and understand the local needs of the communities we serve.

Our Journey Continues
United Way Southern Vancouver Island amplifies community impact, leading and effecting meaningful change in the charitable sector. Our impact means that we continue to meet needs brought forward by our community with local solutions, focusing on the areas of greatest need.

AREAS OF ACTION

Learn More

We focus on initiatives, programs, and projects that integrate and make a significant, positive change in people’s lives.

As society recovers and rebuilds, our local knowledge and focus on areas of action will best serve the community.

SENIORS

helping connect isolated
seniors to healthy meals
and companionship

FAMILIES

helping connect isolated
seniors to healthy meals
and companionship

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

helping connect isolated
seniors to healthy meals
and companionship

MENTAL HEALTH & ADDICTIONS

providing counselling, outreach
and peer support services and
ways to improve system navigation

COMMUNITY IMPACT

Learn More

When you give to United Way, you make the greatest impact by transforming the lives of your neighbours who need it most. Even in the hardest times, we have shown our ability to offer solutions through evidence-based programs and initiatives while encouraging innovation that addresses residents’ most pressing social issues in our 13 municipalities, 11 First Nations and Southern Gulf Islands.

In 2022-2023, United Way Southern Vancouver Island powers 99 programs, services and special initiatives across the region. See on the map the impact and the reach of these programs and initiatives delivered by 73 community partners.

Land Acknowledgement

United Way Southern Vancouver Island serves communities located on the traditional territories of the Coast Salish people, including the Lək̓ʷəŋən (Lekwungen) people, today represented by the Songhees Nation and the Esquimalt Nation, the W̱SÁNEĆ people,the Scai’new (Beecher Bay), T’souke, Pacheedaht, MÁLEXEŁ (Malahat) and Penelakut Nations. We are honoured to live, learn and work on their territories every day.

201-633 Courtney Street, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada V8W 1B9 | 250.385.6708

©2022 United Way Southern Vancouver Island | CBN#119278224RR0001 | Design by Caorda

Change a life. Donate.