Community Update

With COVID forcing us to cancel the North Shore Waterfront Gala again this year, we’ve shifted our annual fundraising efforts online to ensure issues of food insecurity and youth homelessness here on the North Shore can continue to be addressed. The Gala's founding partners Fibreco, Neptune Terminals, Pembina, Seaspan and Western Stevedoring have jointly committed half of the $100,000 fundraising goal and the Port of Vancouver has come on as a Major Sponsor. We’re calling on others on the North Shore to help us make up the difference.

There are two non-profit groups sharing this year’s funds equally, both of whom play an indispensable role in our community. We’re so pleased to be able to support their work:

• Sharing Abundance has been operating a community meal program on the North Shore for over a decade, serving more than 7,000 meals a year. In 2020, the pandemic meant they had to shift their service model to take-out meals, but this hasn’t slowed them down. They are currently offering a “dinner to go” at North Lonsdale United Church on Tuesdays and bag lunches at the Lonsdale Legion on Wednesdays.

• Hollyburn Family Services Society's Youth Safe House has also continued to operate throughout the pandemic, ensuring at-risk youth continue to receive the support they need. With the pandemic forcing the cancellation of most fundraising events, Hollyburn's programs are all challenged for funding. At the same time, the pandemic is making marginalized individuals even more vulnerable, and the number of people affected economically creates growing demand for Hollyburn's services.

If you’d like to help support these important causes on the North Shore, check out our online auction which runs May 17-20. To make a direct contribution, please contact ssherman@neptuneterminals.com. The Gala has raised over $1 million since its inception, and the founders are feeling optimistic that this will be a successful year.