Recent ABC Social Purpose Projects
ABC at the Whey-ah-wichen Canoe Festival
ABC was proud to support the Whey-ah-wichen Canoe Festival on July 8-10, as a sponsor and through volunteering. Every July, Tsleil-Waututh Nation holds an annual canoe race out of Whey-ah-wichen/Cates Park in North Vancouver. Teams compete against other First Nations from all over Coast Salish territory: the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, and Washington state. All teams camp and race at the park. Races include youth categories, women’s, men’s, and masters for 50 and older. Traditional dugout racing canoes are used which are very sleek, narrow and fast. Thank you to our team members, Warner Fong, Parv Hothi, Arjan Hothi, Lynn Sitanimezi, Sam Sladich and Diana Trasolini for volunteering to help make this event a success. Nathan Brandt, ABC Surrey’s Social Purpose Ambassador, and Lance Pearson recently spent an afternoon in Hi-Knoll Park cleaning up garbage, including around 200 cigarette butts
Partnership with Foundations for Social Change
ABC has developed a partnership with Foundations for Social Change, in support of the New Leaf Project—a bold idea about homelessness. The focus is on an important and significant part of the homeless population: people who are not entrenched in homelessness (not chronically homeless) and not experiencing significant levels of substance use, alcohol use, mental health symptoms, or gambling behaviour. The project is partnering with Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society and Metis Nation British Columbia. New Leaf Project disburses cash transfers to support individuals to move beyond homelessness with choice and dignity. Individuals are also supported by a range of non-cash resources including a no-fee bank account, cell phone, ID replacement, honorariums, and goal setting workshops and coaching