10 deserving Metro Vancouver charities to support on Giving Tuesday

10 deserving Metro Vancouver charities you can support on Giving Tuesday

VOKRA | Dragana Gordic/Shuttershock

Now that the dust has settled on another Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it’s time to shift the focus away from consumer spending and toward giving back to those in need.

Today is Giving Tuesday, a day dedicated to helping non-profits support those who can use a little extra help in our community.

To help continue the momentum for the world’s largest generosity movement, we’re shining a light on the meaningful work being carried out by these Metro Vancouver-based charities.

Of course, there are many more deserving charities around the region who need our help. Let us know your favourite ones to support in the comments.

Greater Vancouver Food Bank

Greater Vancouver Food Bank warehouse and distribution hub at 8345 Winston Street, Burnaby. (Greater Vancouver Food Bank)

The Greater Vancouver Food Bank assists over 16,000 individuals and families every month, all without recurring government funding. In 2023, it distributed nearly six million pounds of healthy food to its clients and over three million pounds of food to its community agency partners, and the need is increasing each year.

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Thank Dog I Am Out

Thank Dog I Am Out (TDIAO) is a volunteer-based animal rescue society. The foster-based organization rescues and rehomes dogs who are at risk of being euthanized, surrendered, abused, or neglected.

TDIAO also regularly hosts Furbaby Food Banks to provide pet food and supplies to those in need, none of which are provided to the organization for free.

St. Paul’s Foundation

St. Paul’s Foundation raises funds for equipment, life-saving research, community programs, and other essential services at St. Paul’s as well as other Providence Health Care hospitals and long-term care homes in BC. Its annual Lights of Hope campaign has returned for its 26th year in Downtown Vancouver, with hundreds of thousands of patients and residents impacted by donors’ generosity.

Regional Animal Protection Society (RAPS)

Eyal Lichtmann/Submitted

RAPS is a non-profit, no-kill animal services agency. Its cat sanctuary serves as a home for hundreds of feral, abandoned, and surrendered cats that are cared for by RAPS volunteers.

The society opened its permanent RAPS Adoption Centre in 2022, operates the RAPS Animal Hospital with a special team of veterinarians who care for the animals, and continues to raise funds to complete the new RAPS Dog Sanctuary.

Share Family and Community Services

Community-based organization Share Family and Community Services helps individuals and families in the Tri-Cities, New Westminster, and adjacent communities. Share helps its clients of all ages meet basic needs, build supportive relationships, deal effectively with challenges, and develop their potential through various services and programs.

BC and Alberta Guide Dogs

This group professionally trains guide dogs and autism support dogs for citizens of BC and Alberta. It takes two years and upwards of $35,000 to produce one certified dog, provided free of charge to the recipient.

Employ to Empower

Employ to Empower/Facebook

Employ to Empower is a Vancouver-based grassroots charity that supports people with work and social barriers through entrepreneurial and self-advocacy resources. The organization also hosts the annual Vancouver Street Store, a free outdoor pop-up store for residents of the Downtown Eastside.

In addition to clothing and toiletries, the BC Housing-presented event also offers hot meals and haircuts.

Coast Mental Health

Coast Mental Health has supported people living with mental health challenges with housing, support services and employment and education opportunities since 1972. Funds raised through the non-profit foundation are used to pilot new approaches to community-based mental health care, provide education bursaries, and more.

VOKRA

Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association (VOKRA) is a volunteer-driven non-profit dedicated to the rescue of cats in the Lower Mainland and ending pet overpopulation. It takes in hundreds of cats and kittens each year and works with a coalition of other groups to provide TNR (trap neuter return) services to communities in the region.

BC Cancer Foundation

The foundation is the fundraising partner of BC Cancer and works to raise funds to advance cancer research and care for British Columbians. These include a world-leading immunotherapy program; a first-in-Canada, province-wide lung cancer screening program; and more.

With files from Daily Hive Staff