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August 19, 2021
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Story by Meera Eragoda In June and July alone, BC has seen 90% of the town of Lytton burn down, over 250 wildfires, and a record-breaking heat wave, leading to the province declaring a state of emergency. Fire has become, quite literally, a hot topic. Wildfires are increasing in both size and...
August 15, 2018
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This story was originally published in the 2018 issue of the Vancouver Foundation Magazine . Written by Natalie Bruckner-Menchelli | Photo by Robert Karpa "You never know what’s possible until you go beyond it to the impossible.” Those words were on a sign that hung in Clasina van Bemmel’s office...
November 7, 2017
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Ten years ago , Matt Hill and Stephanie Tait laced up their sneakers and left Vancouver to run a marathon. The next day they ran another, and then another – and about a year later they had completed 369. Over the Rockies, through the Maritimes, across Louisiana’s bayous and stretches of the Arizona...
July 4, 2017
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“Deep inside, I’ve always had a close connection to giving back to the community,” says Derek Wills. His compassion for others was inspired by his parents who spent many hours volunteering with service clubs while he was growing up. “My parents involved me in volunteering at a very early age by...
March 31, 2017
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For almost 75 years , Vancouver Foundation has depended on the prudent management of its endowment—$1.1 billion as of 2016—to help fund its work across the province. And few know the challenges of managing the funds—the unpredictability, uncertainty and lack of guarantees—better than board member...
January 19, 2017
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Vancouver Foundation manages endowment funds on behalf of more than 400 charitable agencies across B.C. A charitable agency endowment fund provides for prudent capital growth coupled with a predictable source of income, which is very helpful in years where donations are down or government funding...
December 17, 2016
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Mountain Equipment Co-op's commitment to sustainability runs deep. Among its many initiatives, the retail co-operative has donated millions of dollars in grants towards environmental causes, implemented a green building program and established a zero waste program—all in an effort to reduce their...
November 24, 2016
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1. CONSIDER YOUR CHARITABLE INTERESTS What are you passionate about? Arts and culture? Helping children? Medical research? When you establish a Donor Advised Fund at Vancouver Foundation, you will have the flexibility to support the charities and causes you care about most. 2. ESTABLISH YOUR FUND...
March 1, 2016
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It’s not every day a former prime minister shows up unannounced, but for Jason McLean, it’s just another day at the office. When former prime minister Jean Chrétien recently arrived at the entrepreneur’s Gastown office, no doubt it raised a few eyebrows, but McLean, who once worked for the prime...
February 20, 2016
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This is a love story. One with ups and downs and twists and turns that go from joy to tragedy and then back again. A man and woman meet, fall in love, marry, have kids. Then she’s diagnosed with terminal cancer. She dies a year later at the age of 32, leaving behind her husband and two young...
November 27, 2015
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Carolyn Finlay remembers her son Eric’s first cello lesson vividly. His teacher, Catherine Carmack, offered to show the five-year-old a new way to slice an apple. She bisected the fruit sideways through its equator, and held up one white-fleshed half with a five-seeded star clearly visible at its...
November 6, 2015
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Michael Gordon wears many hats. He’s an avid skateboarder, a professor and an amateur documentary filmmaker. He’s also a City of Vancouver planner, and has devoted his career to shaping the city and its evolution into one of the country’s most vibrant and exciting urban centres. Though Gordon was...
October 2, 2015
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Superior Tofu is a Vancouver based business that works hard to combine family and community values into their business practices. Rita Cheng is the president of Superior Tofu and is heir to two generations of Chinese tofu makers. She grew up in the tofu manufacturing business and, at the age of 25...
July 15, 2015
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Trains and love have at least one thing in common: everyone remembers their first experience. For some, that first taste of rail might have been labouring over a scale model – Tyco HO or Lionel O Gauge – and many hours of careful assembly in the basement. Others will never forget seeing the real...
March 12, 2015
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Takao Tanabe may be one of Canada’s most renowned artists, his 60-year career chronicled in detail by art institutions, journals and the media alike. But there’s a lesser-known side to his success story, one that the Vancouver Island painter recalls with utmost clarity: the long struggle not just...
December 31, 2013
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If you’ve got the time, the patience, and the skills, do-it-yourself can be a great way to go -- for home renos, and for charitable giving. Bill Langlois and Mike Melnyk are both retired B.C. administrators/fundraisers. They’ve worked at a senior level for major charities in BC, and together have...
December 30, 2013
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“What can I do to teach my children to manage their inheritance?” This is an excellent question. Too often there is a reluctance to discuss financial matters with children or grandchildren. Some feel that awareness of a large inheritance may discourage a child from becoming productive and self-...
December 29, 2013
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"I gave my daughter power of attorney a few years ago. Do I need to do a new one because the law changed last fall?" Good question. On September 1, 2011, the enduring power of attorney laws did change significantly in BC. However, your existing document should still be valid, as existing powers of...
December 28, 2013
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Something old, something new Something borrowed, something blue And a silver sixpence in her shoe. When Tom and Brittany decided to tie the knot last year, they wanted to put a new twist on this old saying. They wanted to do something a bit different, and use their special day as a way to give back...
December 27, 2013
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Life is brighter around some people. Things seem more interesting, more colourful when you are near them. It’s as if these people radiate enthusiasm; their zest for life spills over and suddenly you become more acutely aware of the clouds … the delicate colour and beauty of a flower… the delightful...
December 26, 2013
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A.J. had done fairly well for himself and his family. Now in his 50s, he was comfortable, in good health, his house paid off, the kids were finished university and starting their careers, and there was enough money in the bank for retirement. A.J. had reached that stage of life where he wanted to...
December 25, 2013
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“I’m a Canadian, but my husband is a US citizen. We live in Vancouver and are updating our wills to include a gift to Vancouver Foundation. Do we need to consider any special tax rules?” This situation, where one spouse is a dual taxpayer (in your case, to Canada and the US) and the other spouse a...
October 29, 2013
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"I live to give, do good, thank God, and play golf" “Retired.” It’s definitely not a word you would use to describe Jack Gin – although it’s been more than five years since he drew a paycheque or drove to work. “I guess I’m a really busy retiree,” he says with a wide grin. In fact, Gin’s day is...
October 29, 2013
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A seven-year-old’s birthday present in 1938 is one gift that keeps on giving At 82, Sheila Ross moves a bit more slowly now. But her wit, her sense of humour and her memory show no signs of slowing down. Some things she remembers as clearly as if they happened just yesterday. For instance, her...
October 29, 2013
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'Hello Grandma?' These two words could cost you your life savings Actor Mickey Rooney, philanthropist Brooke Astor and an 87-year-old grandmother from Burnaby (let’s call her “Barbara”) share an embarrassing and expensive secret. They are all elderly victims of financial abuse – Rooney and Astor by...