BCBusiness

September 2019 - Women's Work

With a mission to inform, empower, celebrate and advocate for British Columbia's current and aspiring business leaders, BCBusiness go behind the headlines and bring readers face to face with the key issues and people driving business in B.C.

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S p e c i a l F e a t u r e allowed me to empathize with others in similar situations and provide them with the tools to succeed." Creating a fund like Compassion in Action is just one creative way British Columbians with a lot to contribute can help give back to the community. Bridging the care gap Giving kids a chance to thrive: this is what Variety – the Children's Charity has been doing in B.C. for 53 years now, thanks to legacy donors from all walks of life. "Thanks to them, we're able to step in where health care ends and help children with special needs," says Variety CEO Cally Wesson. As families with special needs children can attest, this particular form of legacy giving is crucial. "As comprehensive as our health-care system is, unfortunately the government doesn't cover everything, nor do benefit plans," says Wesson. "For instance, if a child needs $5,000 worth of speech therapy, or a special wheelchair, things can get difficult – and not all families have the means." Since 2010, Variety has distributed more than $25 million in funding to families and organizations in communities all across the province, and a recent Show of Hearts Telethon offered several examples of how children benefit from the organization's intervention. One example concerned Johannes, a severe Type A hemophiliac who suffers internal bleeds in different parts of his body. When surgery was required to remove dried blood from his spinal column along with several vertebrae, Variety gave him a special brace that would help ensure the proper growth of his spine, as well as an easy-to-push wheelchair that would enable him to attend school instead of staying at home. The telethon also showcased Judah, who was born premature at just under two pounds and whose survival was credited to the Variety-funded Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit at Surrey Memorial Hospital. Variety also came to Judah's aid by providing him with a standing frame, which allows the toddler – whose fundamental muscle function is slow to grow – to develop the ability to take weight on his legs, giving him the best chance to stand and eventually walk. There are innumerable stories of how donations to Variety have positively impacted lives, and Wesson points out that "Letting kids be kids is one of the greatest gifts anyone can bestow. "Legacy givers to Variety help multiple families, not just one. We welcome all support as we look forward to another half- century of making young lives better in B.C." A new generation of donors Everyone knows the Salvation Army – or at least, that's the common perception. But as is the case with icebergs, most people only see the tip and not the huge volume beneath. That's why the Salvation Army, which has provided compassionate support and practical assistance to the public for over 100 years in over 52 communities in B.C. alone, is focusing more attention on sharing its story with younger generations. Vicki Raw, divisional director of development for the Salvation Army's B.C. divisional headquarters, explains, "Many of our donors from older generations started supporting us because their parents did so, and there was often an association with our wartime activities. By contrast, younger individuals, who are passionate about cause-based philanthropy, only know us because of our thrift stores or our Christmas Kettle drives. I think many of them would be surprised by our scope of activities." In the realm of social services alone, these activities range from hunger relief and shelters, to domestic abuse and anti- human trafficking programs, to summer camps for children and adult life-skills classes. Raw concludes, "We're very fortunate to be named in a significant amount of wills, and as the donor base ages, we're excited about millennials and others discovering our impact in their own communities." Families together — when they need it most Legacy giving has enabled Ronald McDonald House BC and Yukon to post some impressive outcomes in 2019. "Since opening our 73-room facility five years ago, we've served about 10,000 families," says Shannon Kidd, RMH BC's vice-president of external relations and development. Helping keep more families of sick children from across the province together as they undergo treatment in the Vancouver area is the core function of RMH BC, which in 2018 saw 395 volunteers help continued from pg. 55 Entrepreneur Clasina van Bemmel didn't just donate; she created her own fund C R E A T E A L E G A C Y

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