The Bowen Island Community Foundation administers three funds to assist individuals, families, and the community in times of crisis:
– Helping Hand Fund –
Every community support leader we speak to has stories of people living on Bowen who face personal and often invisible emergencies. They may be disconnected from social support systems or too shy or proud to reach out for help. To help our support organizations respond to such situations, by augmenting their resources as needed, the Foundation created the Helping Hand Fund.
The Foundation seeded the Helping Hand Fund with a $5,000 major grant in 2012 and since then has been granting $10,000 a year in support.
The Helping Hand is capably administered by a dedicated volunteer committee. In all grant decisions confidentiality is maintained. The Foundation is appreciative of the volunteer committee work of Gary Ander, Marcus Behm, Louise Macintosh, Oydis Dike Peterson, Amanda Ockeloen, and Jan Seaman (BICF Board representative).
If you, or someone you know, needs a helping hand, please contact [email protected] for a confidential enquiry.
— DONATE today to the HELPING HAND FUND —
– Bowen Youth at Risk Fund –
The Bowen Youth at Risk Fund provides up to five appointments with a registered clinical counsellor, registered psychologist, or registered social worker for youth between the ages of 12 and 29, or for caregivers of youth at risk, who reside on Bowen Island. This fund is available to youth or the caregivers of youth whose lives and opportunities are being compromised as a result of one or more of a number of factors such as substance use, difficulties with mental health, depression and anxiety, and family conflicts.
If you, or someone you know, needs assistance, please contact [email protected] for a confidential enquiry.
— DONATE today to the BOWEN YOUTH AT RISK FUND —
– Resiliency Fund –
In times of natural disaster such as fire, earthquake, or pandemic, our small community can experience unprecedented burden. The demand for assistance may far exceed the capabilities of individuals and single organizations. The BICF Resiliency Fund* has been established to enable system-wide responses to a crisis. The Foundation has identified three key areas where local organizations might help:
- in the systemic availability of food, hygiene, or other basic needs (excluding housing and income benefits);
- in providing relevant information to promote resiliency and mitigate fear and confusion;
- in mobilizing citizens to assist their vulnerable neighbours with the challenges they are facing from isolation
The Foundation’s mandate is to raise and grant funds to charitable organizations for their initiatives, including those that will help the community. By carefully defining key priorities and then identifying what each organization can contribute, we can better integrate the community’s response during a crisis.
*This fund is paused for the moment, but will be activated when an unprecedented natural disaster or major local emergency affecting the Bowen Island Community occurs. At that time, further details on contacting this fund will be posted here.
— DONATE today to the RESILIENCY FUND —