Christmas is a time that many people want to reach out to those in need – and we want to help making your kindness a bit easier.
The Record started offering the Guide to Giving in 1996 to give community members information about the various nonprofit organizations in the city that help those in need, homeless animals and local causes throughout the year. The first part ran in the Friday, Dec. 13.
Arts Council of New West
The Arts Council of New Westminster aims to add a little sparkle to the Royal City.
The non-profit organization, which has been advocating on behalf of the arts in the New Westminster since 1967, appreciates donations that allow it to support the arts and artisans in the city. The arts council puts on a number of events including Lit Fest, Momentum Youth Arts Movement Festival, and offers Arts to Go activities at numerous community events each year.
Financial donations are always welcome as they allow the New Westminster Arts Council to support the arts. The arts council and its gallery are based in Centennial Lodge in Queen’s Park.
“We are trying to raise funds to refurbish this place,” said executive director Andree St. Martin. “We have been in this present location since 1985. We need a bit of an upgrade.”
Volunteers are also appreciated, as they can help out at events the arts council offers in the community and can serve as docents at the art gallery.
The Treasure Room is now open in Centennial Lodge, offering a variety of handcrafted Christmas gifts. It’s open Tuesday to Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m.
Anyone interested in helping the arts council can call 604-525-3244.
Canadian Mental Health Association
New Westminster residents have been benefiting from the services of the Simon Fraser branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association for more than five decades.
The society appreciates monetary donations and donations for its Treasure Chest thrift store at 435 Sixth St.
“We are a local non-profit agency that supports individuals and families with mental health struggle,” said executive director Harjeet Sandhu. “We have been serving the community of New Westminster for the past 55 years with a variety of programs and education workshops focused on mental health and wellness.”
For more, or to make a donation, visit www.simonfraser.cmha.bc.ca.
Honour House
Volunteers at Honour House could be cleaning washrooms one day – and meeting a pop star the next.
Honour House provides temporary housing and support to Canadian Forces personnel, veterans and first responders (police, fire and ambulance services) and their families while they are in Metro Vancouver receiving medical care and treatment. The St. George Street facility has 10 private rooms.
Honour House welcomes cash donations, which can come in the form of onetime gifts, monthly donations, legacy gifts, memorial and tribute gifts, membership ($20 per year) or fundraisers.
“We get no government funding,” said general manager Craig Longstaff. “Everything we do is through volunteers and fundraising.”
Honour House, which opened in September 2011, always has a demand for items to help around the house (toilet paper, paper towels, hand soap, dishwasher soap, laundry products, garbage bags, cleaning supplies and light bulbs), bedding and bath towels (all white), and volunteers.
“We are always short of people,” Longstaff said. “They would be doing everything from housekeeping to walking pop stars to the stage.”
Honour House holds an annual gala dinner, which features entertainment by the likes of Sarah MacLachlan and Jim Cuddy.
For more, or to help Honour House, call 778-397-4399 or visit www.honourhouse.ca.
KidSport New West
KidSport New West is on the hunt for families who could use a helping hand to ensure no kid gets left on the sidelines.
The organization raises funds to help kids aged five to 18 to take part in organized sports. To date, the local group has helped 114 kids in 20 different sports organizations by giving out nearly $20,000.
“We are looking for participants to use the grants,” said Jorden Foss, co-chair of the committee. “We have been very lucky to have a lot of support.”
Grant applications and additional information are found at www.kidsportnewwest.ca.
Year-round, KidSport accepts donations of used sports equipment of all kinds, which will be sold at affordable prices at the group’s biannual used equipment sale. The next sale will take place in the spring at River Market.
Sports equipment can be dropped off at Barley’s Homebrewing Supplies at #101-455 East Columbia St., which is open daily (except Tuesdays). For more information, visit www.kidsportnewwest.ca.
Monarch Place
Monarch Place helps women and children through crisis situations throughout the year.
WINGS – Women In Need Gaining Strength – offers Monarch Place, a 12-bed emergency first-stage shelter for women and children, Chrysalis Place second-stage house, outreach support services and other community programs. The non-profit will provide hampers to about 70 families in need this Christmas.
“The big thing is gifts for women – all kinds of things for women, gloves, hats, candles, bath sets,” said house manager Ann Nicholson. “That would be awesome.”
When families leave and move into homes of their own, Monarch Place seeks to provide them with some of the supplies they need to live on their own such as plates, cutlery, pots and pans and bedding. Year-round, Monarch Place and Chrysalis Place appreciate donations of items such as bus tickets, bedding for single beds, towels and face cloths, dish towels and dish cloths, craft supplies, CDs and DVDs, boxes of chocolates or candy, pantry goods, coffee, toiletries and makeup and underwear (all sizes for women and children).
For more information or to help Monarch Place, call 604-521-1888.
New Westminster Firefighters Charitable Society
All New Westminster firefighters belong to the New Westminster Firefighters’ Charitable Society, which raises funds year-round for programs such as the pediatric unit at Royal Columbian Hospital, New Westminster Family Place, the Royal City Education Foundation, the Lower Mainland Purpose Society and the Union Gospel Mission.
The charitable society is currently collecting donations of toys that will soon be dispersed to various organizations.
“People can drop them off at the Glenbrook fire hall,” said firefighter Trevor Tougas, vice-president of the charitable society. “They get distributed in New Westminster.”
Firefighters will visit the pediatric ward at Royal Columbian Hospital and give toys to sick kids, but will also donate to kids through Family Place and the Purpose Society.
All funds raised by the charitable society are donated to organizations in New Westminster, aside from an annual donation to the B.C. Professional Firefighters Burn Fund.
The New Westminster Firefighters’ Charitable Society annual Christmas tree chipping event will take place Jan. 4 and 5 at the Canada Games Pool parking lot.
Throughout the year, donations of cash and toys can be dropped off at the Glenbrook fire hall (1 East Sixth Ave.) Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cheques can be made out to the New Westminster Firefighters’ Charitable Society, 1 East Sixth Ave., New Westminster, V3L 4G6
Purpose Society
Volunteers with the Lower Mainland Purpose Society will soon experience the joy of delivering hampers to appreciative families in need.
The New Westminster-based non-profit society provides social, health and educational programs and services to New Westminster, Burnaby and the Tri-Cities, including family and early childhood programs, youth programs, daycares, drug and alcohol addiction program and HIV/AIDS programs and a secondary school.
Phil Esau, principal of the Purpose secondary school, said hampers are provided to families in Purpose programs. In addition, it’s providing some hampers to families at John Robson Elementary School this year.
“We are working on about 130 families this year,” he said.
Hamper Day is set for Dec. 19, but there’s still time to help out. Cash donations would be greatly appreciated, as they would allow the society to fill any last-minute needs.
“We are short on cash this year,” Esau said. “In years gone by, we have had money for that.”
The Purpose Society is appreciative of food year-round, as it offers a food bank for its clients, distributes food bags to people in the HIV/AIDS outreach program on a weekly basis and has a food cupboard for students at Purpose school. Cash donations are always appreciated, and tax receipts are available.
“We can put the dollars right where they are needed,” Esau said. “The other thing people can donate is coats in good repair for all ages, children and adults.”
Volunteers are always welcome. Anyone interested in helping out the Purpose Society can call 604-526-2522.
St. Barnabas Church
St. Barnabas Church seeks to nourish peoples’ stomachs and hearts at Christmas – and beyond.
St. Barnabas Church is expecting about 150 people to attend its annual Christmas Day dinner.
“It’s really special because it is sit-down at a table,” said Emilie Smith, the rector at St. Barnabas Church. “It has a real family feel for it.”
The church is grateful to the countless volunteers and supporters who help make the dinner a success and bring Christmas spirit to the community, whether they’re struggling financially or emotionally.
“It’s really about being together as a community, saying that everybody matters,” she said.
Financial donations are always appreciated, as they allow the church to buy whatever items are needed. Socks, underwear and toiletries are useful items for gift bags that will be given out to guests, and food items for the turkey dinner with all the trimmings area also appreciated.
Volunteers are in big demand for the St. Barnabas Thrift Shop, which operates year-round and generates much-needed funds for the church’s outreach programs. Donations of household items and clothing are always welcome and can be dropped off Wednesday to Saturday at 1010 Fifth Ave.
Sapperton Pensioners Association
Financial donations are greatly appreciated by the Sapperton Pensioners Association – but fresh ideas and new members are also in great demand.
The Sapperton Pensioners’ Association holds a variety of activities at its hall on Keary Street in Sapperton. The association has reached out to the community in a number of ways, including the Seniors Have Talent show and programs with students at McBride Elementary School.
Vic Leach, a member of the association, said anyone who is 55 or older is able to join.
“We are doing some fundraisers to get some improvements for the kitchen,” he said. “We are looking for new ideas.”
Anyone interested in more information about the association or wanting to make a financial donation can call, 604-522-0280.
You Wear It Well
A program that outfits high school grads for their dinner and dance has grown year after year.
A group of local women started You Wear It Well … Just for Grads five years ago, after learning that some New West students may not be able to celebrate their high school graduation because of finances. The group holds Boutique Day each April, where grads who have pre-registered can shop for attire for their big day.
“We provide formal attire for grads who can’t afford their dinner and dance,” said Kathy Wilson, a member of the committee. “It is solely on donations.”
The group appreciates donations of new or gently used formal attire for girls, jewelry, handbags, shoes and other accessories.
“Guys are able to rent a tux from a store. That’s where financial need is needed,” she said about monetary donations. “We do accept gently used suits and tuxes as well.”
Boys get the choice of renting a tux, or having a suit that they can take home and use again.
Any graduating students at New Westminster Secondary School or alternative learning centres in the city should speak to their school counsellor if they’re interested in the program.
Anyone who would like to help out can email [email protected] or call 778-231-7184.
