Charity Spotlight

February ’11 Charity Spotlight: Semiahmoo House Society

Monday, January 31st, 2011

It’s a brisk winter day in Whistler as a group of teens enjoy tubing down the mountainside. Peals of laughter punctuate the swooshing sounds of the tubes carrying their human cargo to the course’s end. But a closer look reveals these aren’t your average teenagers; they are developmentally disabled individuals on an outing offered by White Rock’s Semiahmoo House Society.

First established in the late 1950’s, Semiahmoo House Society (SHS) provides critical assistance and support to some of society’s most vulnerable people—the men, women and children who live with mental handicaps, and their families. “We believe that all our community members have a right to services such as ours, allowing them to participate in the same activities in life as their non-handicapped peers,” says Director of Development, Zena Peden.

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January ’11 Charity Spotlight: Chilliwack Animal Safe Haven Society

Saturday, January 1st, 2011

Each year, hundreds of cats and kittens are abandoned in Chilliwack alone. But thanks to Ena Vermerris and the Chilliwack Animal Safe Haven Society, many of those furry little creatures have a second chance.

“I’ve always loved animals,” says Ena, who is the President and a cat-care provider of Safe Haven. Rather than sit around after retiring from nursing eight years ago, Ena decided to establish an alternative to the SPCA. “We formed a society, bought a property and started Chilliwack Animal Safe Haven in 2003,” she says.

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Make a Difference This Holiday Season

Monday, December 6th, 2010

The holiday season can be a tough time for those of us on a tighter budget. This holiday season, the Fraser Valley Pulse family is coming together to help make a difference to those less fortunate around us – and we encourage you to do the same! Many local charities and organizations are in dire need of help this time of year, and certainly appreciate any form of generosity.

Not only is giving back a great way to spend a few hours (even with family and friends) this holiday season, it is also a deeply humbling experience. Use these suggestions to start a new tradition this year that makes a difference, or share some of your own ideas with us!

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Aldergrove Neighbourhood Services

Friday, November 5th, 2010

Something great about local organizations is that you can see the impact you make first hand in your own community. If you’re looking to support kids and teens in Langley, then Aldergrove Neighbourhood Services is a great organization to check out. The services they provide are plentiful and include programs for homeless teens and young parents.

I recently spoke with Loren Roberts, the Langley Youth Homeless Coordinator, and he told me the great thing about working with the organization is the grassroots programs they get to offer to those in need.

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Charity Spotlight: Matthew’s House

Friday, October 1st, 2010

Very rarely does a blog move me to tears. As I was looking into Matthew’s House though, his Mom Andrea’s blog did just that.

I have no real experience with disabled children, but reading through accounts from different perspectives on what it’s like to have a child with physical and mental challenges opened my eyes to the battle these families face. These children are loved by so many, yet it’s difficult for families to get the support and funding they need to care for them properly. That’s where Matthew’s House comes in.

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September Charity Spotlight: Hope International

Tuesday, September 7th, 2010

There are two reasons you should support Hope International. The first is very basic, but very forgotten in our present culture: most of the rest of the world is poor. We are rich. In my view, this predicament infers a responsibility on our part. I hear a lot of people talking about how lucky we are, how we need to be grateful because we have so much. What about how we have a responsibility to share with those less fortunate? As I see it, being more fortunate gives us the opportunity to give, not the right to hoard.

The second reason is that Hope International has a very low percentage going to administrative costs. Looking into more and more charities, I see this as a big problem. No one at Hope International is getting rich, and that’s the way it should be.

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August 2010: Eenie Meenie Miny Mo

Sunday, August 1st, 2010

With so many charities operating in the Fraser Valley, how do you choose which one to support? What percentage of your income do you contribute yearly? Do you volunteer your time anywhere? If so, how much?

Everyone wants to contribute something to a non-profit, the tough part is choosing which one. The summer holidays are a perfect time to evaluate your charitable giving and make a plan for the coming year. Here are a few things to consider when you select an organization to support.

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July 2010: Elizabeth’s Wildlife Center

Friday, July 2nd, 2010

Mahatma Ghandi once said that “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated”. The Fraser Valley then, can rest assured that our moral progress is quite far along when a place like Elizabeth’s Wildlife Center exists. Elizabeth and her volunteers work tirelessly to save and rehabilitate small animals that many of us may not think twice about. We can all be grateful that she has followed her calling and created a haven for these defenseless creatures in our community.

Elizabeth is a Registered Nurse with a love for animals and a heart for the hurt and abandoned.

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June 2010: Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep

Tuesday, June 1st, 2010

Most of us either know someone, have a friend of a friend, or have actually experienced the loss of a newborn baby. It’s an incredibly heart-wrenching to go through, or to watch a loved one go through. It’s especially hard to talk about after the fact. A few months ago I had the privilege of attending a fundraiser in Aldergrove benefiting Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep, aka NILMDTS. I had no idea what I was in for. From the moment the lights were dimmed and the multi-media presentation was shown to explain the purpose and mission of NILMDTS, I was crying my eyes out.

NILMDTS works with parents all over the continent who have lost their precious babies. When it’s too late to do anything else, the photographers from NILMDTS come to the hospital to take keepsake photos of the child either alone, with the parents, or both.

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May 2010: Swan Charities

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

Now that Spring is in full fling, many of you are either riding motorcycles, or wishing you were riding motorcycles. Whichever category you find yourself in, you can get the season started right by supporting a group of Fraser Valley motorcycle enthusiasts who raise money for burn victims. Swan Charities started in 2007 with 4 young and energetic founders: Lee, Dallas, Lori and Stephen. Inspired by the Flying Swan Hot Chicks and the motorcycle community that has given them all so much support and camaraderie, the four decided to start giving back in the form of fundraising for burn victims. Other groups do charity rides to raise money, but these four wanted to make something more lasting; a motorcycle calendar with pictures of mostly ladies on bikes. The pictures are tasteful and have proven to be a big hit within the motorcycle community. The models are all licensed motorcycle riders and the buyers were 70% female the first year out. Swan Charities continues to grow, with a goal this year of $20,000 to help send kids to burn camp.

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