Grants of up to $15,000 for youth

The Nanaimo Foundation is providing grants of up to $15,000 to youth for projects that address local priorities—made possible by the RBC Future Launch Community Challenge.

By coming forward with their bold ideas, participating youth will gain experience, skills, relationships, and learning opportunities to help prepare them for the communities, workplaces, and priorities of the future. To be considered eligible, youth, aged 15-29, will partner with local charitable organizations and lead the creation, design, and/or implementation of the projects that respond to an urgent local need in our community. From food security, to the environment, to health, young people know what our community needs to thrive. Now they have an opportunity to apply for funding to put those ideas into action.

Details on this opportunity can be found here: www.nanaimofoundation.com/future-launch

In the spring of 2020, the Nanaimo Foundation will also be hosting a ‘Vital Conversation’ bringing together youth and community members to talk about local priorities. Interest in participating in this community dialogue can be directed towards Laurie Bienert at [email protected].

Tools for Building Your Planned Giving Program

On behalf of the Vancouver Island chapter of the Canadian Association of Gift Planners, please join us on September 18, 2019 at the Nanaimo Golf Club, for a presentation on:

Untapped Potential: Tools for Building Your Planned Giving Program

Presented by:

Sara Neely, Director of Philanthropic Services, Victoria Foundation

Natasha Benn, Manager of Philanthropic Services, Victoria Foundation

In this session, you will learn how to develop, manage and build your legacy program. Sara and Natasha will discuss various types of planned gifts, how to receive and administer bequests, donor stewardship and recognition, tracking and reporting activities and expectancies, and marketing a planned giving program. They will also touch on policy areas that are important to address in today’s fundraising environment and practical applications of gift acceptance policies. There will also be time to share best practices.

To learn more, and to register, please register here.  Cost: $25 for CAGP members / $40 for Non members

(Includes canapes and one complimentary beverage)

 

 

 

Neighbourhood Small Grants

The Nanaimo Foundation has launched a Neighbourhood Small Grants program in the Harewood community and we are looking for residents to get involved.

Neighbourhood Small Grants are grants from $50 to $500 to support projects designed to unite Harewood residents through the sharing of stories, skills, and knowledge. These grants are awarded to individuals, rather than to charitable organizations. Projects can be anything from block parties, to potlucks, art making, storytelling, neighbourhood walks or cleanups, invasive plant removal, scavenger hunts, clothing or book swaps and much more.

We are seeking volunteers for the Neighbourhood Small Grants Committee. The committee will be comprised of neighbours living in the Harewood area who review the Neighbourhood Small Grants applications and make decisions about which ones are funded.

Click here for more information and the application details.

Building Community Philanthropy with the Nanaimo Foundation

Executive Director Laurie Bienert and Foundation Chair George Hanson recently sat down with Coast Connections host Elizabeth Heinz to discuss the Nanaimo Foundation’s work within the community.

For over 36 years the Nanaimo Foundation has been connecting donors with causes, celebrating health, vibrancy, and resiliency in Nanaimo. Check out their interview for more on the Nanaimo Foundation’s ongoing work to make meaningful and lasting impacts in our community.

 

 

 

MOMO Seafood Extravaganza

The MOMO Seafood Extravaganza is held each year in honour of Garrett Paquette—carrying on Garrett’s legacy of generosity. Garrett lived his life with humble kindness towards all those around him, be they best friends or someone who just needed a friend.

When Garrett passed away suddenly on November 11, 2011 at the far-too-young age of 30, he was passionately raising funds for Movember, an annual fundraiser that raises money and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer. His father, Roger Paquette, decided to carry on the torch for his son. The Garrett Paquette campaign raised $115,000, making it the largest Movember fundraiser in the world.

Now an annual flagship event in Nanaimo, the Garrett Paquette MOMO Seafood Extravaganza has raised more than half a million dollars. After a few years of raising funds for Movember, Roger Paquette decided this tribute to his son should focus on supporting local needs in our Nanaimo community.

The 8th Annual Garrett Paquette MOMO Seafood Extravaganza – Supporting Local Needs for Local People

Friday, November 23rd at 5:30 pm at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre

The 8th Annual Garrett Paquette MOMO Seafood Extravaganza will support

Nanaimo Aboriginal Centre

The Garrett Paquette Fund for Families In Need

Click here to purchase tickets.

 

Tom Harris Cellular Creates a Legacy Fund

To honour and continue Tom’s legacy as a family man and community leader in philanthropy, Tom Harris Cellular has created the Tom Harris Fund for Families at the Nanaimo Foundation. Every year, this Fund will give back to families in need in the local communities that Tom Harris Cellular serves.

Between March and June this year, the Fund aims to raise $25,000 through Tom Harris business partners, local community events, customer donations, and employee contributions. Large celebrations will be held at Tom Harris Cellular locations on June 29, 2018, where a portion of profits will be added to the donations raised.

The total donations will be given back to families facing financial hardship on Vancouver Island, Metro Vancouver, the BC Interior, and across Alberta.

Click here for the full details on this fund or to make a contribution.

The YES Fund for Snuneymuxw First Nation

The Yellow Point Ecological Society (Y.E.S.) has set a goal to raise $2,500 to assist young people from the Snuneymuxw First Nation to engage in sports and athletic activities including basketball, lacrosse, soccer, paddling, workouts and strength training. The funds will be given to the Snuneymuxw Recreation and Wellness Centre to help young men and women overcome financial barriers to participation in sports.

Suicide rates among First Nations are six to eleven times the Canadian average, but the Snuneymuxw have been suicide-free for six years. Bill Yoachim, a member of the Snuneymuxw First Nation and executive director of Kwumut Lelum Child and Family Services, credits the change to their determination to include youth in reviving traditional Snuneymuxw culture and to youth engagement in athletic programs, which make people feel alive.

It is for this reason that we want to contribute, to encourage continued engagement and success.

Help us raise funds to assist young people of the Snuneymuxw First Nation to engage in sports and athletic activities. Click here to make a donation.

Tax Planning and Insured Donation Strategies

with Brenda McEachern, Wealth and Tax Planning Consultant, Canada Life

This session has something for everyone – financial advisors, lawyers, accountants. Brenda is an estate lawyer and tax planning consultant who helps advisors develop advanced estate plans for clients in the business and affluent markets. In consultation with allied professionals, she develops proposals focusing on generational wealth transfer, tax-efficient investment and insurance strategies, asset protection and philanthropy.

Continuing Education credits available*

 

When

November 21, 2017

4:00 – 6:00 pm

Cocktail reception to follow

Where

Nanaimo Golf Club

2800 Highland Blvd, Nanaimo, BC

Register

Registration fee $30

https://nanaimo2017nov.eventbrite.ca

Contact

[email protected]

250-667-4292

 

Brenda McEachern

As an estate and tax planning consultant with Canada Life’s national estate and tax (NEAT) planning team, Brenda develops and implements advanced estate and tax planning strategies, and helps advisors deliver value-added services to a select group of clients in the business and affluent markets.

Prior to joining the NEAT team in 2001, Brenda managed her own law firm for nine years before merging her practice with a larger firm in Vancouver. She worked closely with small-business owners and professionals, developing expertise in corporate reorganizations, estate freezes, family trusts and succession planning for both entrepreneurs and families.

 

* 1.50 CE Credits – Institute Accredited CE (Advocis), 2 hours of CPD credits approved by the Law Society of BC, May qualify for continuing professional development (CPD) – Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia

 

Random Act of Kindness Day 2017

RAK Card - Template re-design

On November 3rd, 2017, the Nanaimo Foundation will be once again participating in Random Act of Kindness Day®, recognizing simple acts of kindness and humanity throughout our community!

Last year, 260 communities across Canada championed this event. We invite you to help celebrate this special day this year!

Want to participate? Our Random Act of Kindness Day® cards are circulating around our community. These cards encourage the cardholder to perform a simple act of kindness for someone – a neighbour, a friend, a co-worker, or someone they don’t even know – and then hand the card over to that person – inspiring them to do the same for someone else.

Some great examples of how to use the Random Act of Kindness Cards are:

Pay it forward to your employees…

  • Treat everyone to coffee and donuts in the morning.
  • Allow your staff to leave a half hour early on November 3rd.
  • Send an e-card to your employees letting them know how much you appreciate them.

Pay it forward to your co-workers…

  • Share your “to die for” chocolate chip cookies with your cubicle mates.
  • Offer to make the morning coffee run for everyone.
  • Make a point of thanking a co-worker for their help on a recent project.

Pay it forward to someone you don’t even know…

  • Purchase a coffee for someone at your local coffee shop
  • Open and hold a door for someone.
  • Pay the parking meter for someone if you see it’s getting low.

Need more ideas? Check out 101 Random Acts of Kindness via The Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation, which initiated Random Act of Kindness Day in 2008.

Random acts of kindness are a wonderful way to touch the lives of others, making our world a better place to live. Help spread the word and share your Random Acts of Kindness online through social media using the #rakday hashtag on both Twitter and Facebook!

Posters and cards are available at no charge. For more info or to get involved, phone us at 250.667.4292 or email [email protected].

 

Download the 2017 RAK Poster and RAK Card

 

Mid Island Gives

Mid Island Gives is a GivingTuesday movement in Central Vancouver Island–founded by a team of local charitable organizations.

www.midislandgives.ca

Tuesday, November 28th, 2017 is GivingTuesday.

 

 

 

We have many exciting events planned in Nanaimo this year.

Planned Giving Lunch and Learn – November 1st

Mid Island Gives Charity Expo – November 1st

The Mid Island Gives Un-Event – November 28th

Visit www.midislandgives.ca for all the exciting details!

GivingTuesday is a day dedicated to giving back around the world, across Canada and in our own community. It is an opportunity for charities, companies and individuals to join together and promote support for favourite causes. It is a new Canadian movement for giving and volunteering, taking place each year after Cyber Monday. The “Opening day of the giving season,” it is a day where charities, companies and individuals join together to share commitments, rally for favourite causes and think about others.

Join Mid Island Gives as a partner nonprofit organization to highlight your important work in our community.

Join Mid Island Gives as a supporter and pledge how you will make a difference.

 

Help us show Islanders Give More!

Join our movement to inspire giving.

Volunteer. Donate. Share.