Charity and Donations

Yolanda Meijer (left), CEO of Habitat for Humanity Victoria, and Sean Thompson, duty manager of the Saanich ReStore, are reminding the community that the ReStore donation centre on Oak Street is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Devon Bidal/News Staff)

Giving season extends into new year as Habitat for Humanity Victoria ReStores call for donations

Furniture, light fixtures, appliances among items accepted at Westshore and Uptown ReStores

 

Myla Bui (right) presented a handmade mobile made up of 1,001 paper cranes to Dez Young (left) on Saturday, Jan. 9. (Devon Bidal/News Staff)

PHOTOS: Young Saanich philanthropist raises $31,031 for sick kids, folds thousands of paper cranes

Sister of Leila Bui completes four mobiles with 1,001 cranes each, 27 still to be made

 

The 13th annual Cool Aid Coat Drive, on through Jan. 15, 2021, seeks donations of warm clothing items for passing along to people in need. (Courtesy Victoria Cool Aid Society)

Cool Aid coat drive keeps Victoria’s vulnerable residents warmer

Donate your unused coats, jackets, gloves, mittens and sweaters by Jan. 15

 

Volunteers came together to raise funds for Big Brothers Big Sisters during a Langley drive in 2019. (Black Press Media file photo)

Cheers to charity: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Victoria bottle drive coming to Saanich mall

Contactless bottle drive-thru runs Jan. 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at University Heights

Volunteers came together to raise funds for Big Brothers Big Sisters during a Langley drive in 2019. (Black Press Media file photo)
(Left to right) Brennan Chow and Christan Cavanaugh from Tutela Technologies present the tech company’s donation to Abbeyfield House residents Connie Parman and Edna Dickinson. (Devon Bidal/News Staff)

Victoria tech company makes $2,000 Christmas donation to Saanich seniors’ home

Abbeyfield House residents benefit from smart TV, wireless headphones and more

(Left to right) Brennan Chow and Christan Cavanaugh from Tutela Technologies present the tech company’s donation to Abbeyfield House residents Connie Parman and Edna Dickinson. (Devon Bidal/News Staff)
Santa Claus made an appearance at the recent Christmas hamper night in Esquimalt. (Photo by Terry Hopkins)

Visit from Santa adds excitement to hamper night in Esquimalt

Celebration of Lights volunteers and others assemble, hand out Christmas groceries

Santa Claus made an appearance at the recent Christmas hamper night in Esquimalt. (Photo by Terry Hopkins)
VIU culinary arts students pack baked goods into reusable containers for donation to Nanaimo Salvation Army meal centre. (Vancouver Island University photo)

VIU culinary arts students providing 200 meals each week to Salvation Army

Campus cafeterias have been closed but cooking has continued

VIU culinary arts students pack baked goods into reusable containers for donation to Nanaimo Salvation Army meal centre. (Vancouver Island University photo)
Volunteers Denny Byrne and Shelley Bloomfield help organize donations during a previous BC Transit Stuff the Bus charity event. This year’s event, featuring COVID safety measures, happens Dec. 19 outside Save-On-Foods at Tillicum Centre. (Black Press Media file photo)

Safety measures ready to roll for BC Transit’s Stuff the Bus in Saanich

Non-perishable food items and new unwrapped toys accepted at Tillicum Mall on Dec. 19

Volunteers Denny Byrne and Shelley Bloomfield help organize donations during a previous BC Transit Stuff the Bus charity event. This year’s event, featuring COVID safety measures, happens Dec. 19 outside Save-On-Foods at Tillicum Centre. (Black Press Media file photo)
Fran Hunt-Jinnouchi, executive director of the Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness, appreciates what grants from the Victoria Foundation do to help her organization achieve its goals. (Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness/YouTube)

Victoria Foundation channels nearly $2.4 million to hard-hit community organizations

Funding grants help non-profits continue to provide services to communuty through pandemic

Fran Hunt-Jinnouchi, executive director of the Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness, appreciates what grants from the Victoria Foundation do to help her organization achieve its goals. (Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness/YouTube)
The Victoria Women’s Professional Group collected more than 400 hygiene kits for Women in Need in November. Left to right: Cassandra Little, social media and content coordinator; Portia Zaffaroni, co-founder and president; and Breia Monti, discover local YYJ marketing coordinator. (Courtesy of Portia Zaffaroni)

Victoria women’s group collects 418 hygiene kits for Women in Need

Victoria Women’s Professional Group kicks off the giving season

The Victoria Women’s Professional Group collected more than 400 hygiene kits for Women in Need in November. Left to right: Cassandra Little, social media and content coordinator; Portia Zaffaroni, co-founder and president; and Breia Monti, discover local YYJ marketing coordinator. (Courtesy of Portia Zaffaroni)
Cathy Gouk, the owner of Cathy’s Corner Cafe in Sooke, prepares for the annual turkey dinner. The free dinner is planned for Dec. 15 and 16 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (File - Sooke News Mirror)

Sooke cafe’s free Christmas dinner to serve take out only

Restaurant adapts to COVID pandemic

Cathy Gouk, the owner of Cathy’s Corner Cafe in Sooke, prepares for the annual turkey dinner. The free dinner is planned for Dec. 15 and 16 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (File - Sooke News Mirror)
Members of the Sooke Christmas Bureau and Sooke firefighters, along with Western Foods manager Jeff Stewart, second from right, thank sponsors and residents for their support of the Sooke Christmas Bureau. (Kevin Laird-Sooke News Mirror)

Sooke Christmas Bureau extends deadline for hampers

Non-profit group says monetary donations goes further than non-perishables

Members of the Sooke Christmas Bureau and Sooke firefighters, along with Western Foods manager Jeff Stewart, second from right, thank sponsors and residents for their support of the Sooke Christmas Bureau. (Kevin Laird-Sooke News Mirror)
The University of Victoria will mark the eighth annual Giving Tuesday with its Add Sprinkles campaign which collects funds to support various student initiatives across campus. (Photo courtesy UVic Photo Services)

Nearly 150 Greater Victoria groups prepare for eighth annual Giving Tuesday

Last year Canadians raised nearly $22 million in 24 hours

The University of Victoria will mark the eighth annual Giving Tuesday with its Add Sprinkles campaign which collects funds to support various student initiatives across campus. (Photo courtesy UVic Photo Services)
Linda Biggs and Jayesh Vekariya founded Victoria-based Joni period care in March 2020 with the mission of empowering menstruators. (Courtesy of Linda Biggs)

New Victoria period care company looks to empower menstruators

Joni donates one period care product for every one purchased

Linda Biggs and Jayesh Vekariya founded Victoria-based Joni period care in March 2020 with the mission of empowering menstruators. (Courtesy of Linda Biggs)
Classic cars will be cruising through the West Shore Nov. 21, encouraging people to donate to the Goldstream Food Bank. (Black Press Media file photo)

Supercars and classics cruising through Langford today for a cause

Goldstream Food Bank collecting non-perishables at 1:30 p.m.

Classic cars will be cruising through the West Shore Nov. 21, encouraging people to donate to the Goldstream Food Bank. (Black Press Media file photo)
The theme of this year’s Gingerbread Showcase is Coastal Living. Creations will be on display Nov. 21 to Jan. 3. (Jane Skrypnek/News Staff)

PHOTOS: Gingerbread Showcase the perfect COVID-safe activity

People can view the edible creations from outside Nov. 21 to Jan. 3

The theme of this year’s Gingerbread Showcase is Coastal Living. Creations will be on display Nov. 21 to Jan. 3. (Jane Skrypnek/News Staff)
Families are encouraged to take part in Santa’s Drive-Thru Lunch, a fundraiser for Help Fill a Dream being staged Dec. 5 by Country Grocer in the parking lot of Esquimalt Archie Browning Recretation Centre. (Image courtesy Help Fill a Dream)

Santa’s Drive-Thru Lunch replaces breakfast event in Esquimalt

Santa, superheroes and more on hand for Dec. 5 event benefiting Help Fill a Dream

Families are encouraged to take part in Santa’s Drive-Thru Lunch, a fundraiser for Help Fill a Dream being staged Dec. 5 by Country Grocer in the parking lot of Esquimalt Archie Browning Recretation Centre. (Image courtesy Help Fill a Dream)
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Iconic Salvation Army fundraiser faces increased demand, challenges due to COVID-19

Charity says it has not seen an increase in demand like this for decades

THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Paramedic Will Rogers donates his pandemic pay to the Surrey Food Bank and the Surrey Christmas Bureau Nov. 5. Rogers is challenging other front-line workers to donate their pandemic pay as well. (Photo: Submitted)

Paramedic donates pandemic pay to B.C. charity, challenges others to do same

Will Rogers gifts $2,000 each to Surrey Food Bank and Surrey Christmas Bureau

Paramedic Will Rogers donates his pandemic pay to the Surrey Food Bank and the Surrey Christmas Bureau Nov. 5. Rogers is challenging other front-line workers to donate their pandemic pay as well. (Photo: Submitted)
A narwhal tusk that was donated to a Goodwill store in northwest Calgary this summer will soon be gifted to the Arctic Institute of North America (Hesam Rezaei)

Narwhal tusk discovered in Calgary Goodwill pile to be donated to university

The tusk had federal hunting tags from 1978 attached that say animal was harvested from the central Arctic

A narwhal tusk that was donated to a Goodwill store in northwest Calgary this summer will soon be gifted to the Arctic Institute of North America (Hesam Rezaei)