Looking back on 2017

Today is the final day of 2017, and what a year it has been for the Victoria Foundation.

After celebrating our 80th anniversary in 2016 and achieving record numbers for granting, we thought perhaps 2017 would be a bit quieter. Boy, were we mistaken.

In all respects, 2017 has been a banner year for the Victoria Foundation. Over the course of the year, we awarded more than $20 million to non-profits in the region, including the recently announced record-breaking $2.3 million in annual community grants. This funding went to hundreds of non-profit organizations that are doing incredible work in our community, and is a personal best for the foundation, shattering 2016’s record-breaking $16.5 million in granting.

We also continued to work toward our goal of making Greater Victoria a vibrant, caring community for all, with impactful, on-the-ground initiatives and events.

In March, we were proud to be a part of the opening of a new Food Rescue Distribution Centre in Esquimalt. This facility is a key component in allowing a collaborating group of non-profits and businesses to divert up to 2,000 kilograms of food per day from the landfill to the estimated 50,000 food-insecure people in our region.

April saw the launch of our participation in the 3 Things for Canada campaign, marking our nation’s 150 years of Confederation. Our first “thing” was bringing Jowi Taylor’s acclaimed Six String Nation presentation to Greater Victoria middle school students, who were educated and entertained by this musical multimedia journey through Canadian history and culture.

Then in May, we brought Victoria Foundation board member Carey Newman’s magnificent and harrowing Witness Blanket installation to the Community Foundations of Canada conference in Ottawa. There, people working in philanthropy from all over Canada, and around the world, had the chance to see and reflect on this important reminder of the impact of Canada’s residential-school system.

Finally, September saw the return of Victoria Foundation Community Day, when more than 40 attractions, gardens, nonprofits, places of worship and other locations throughout our region opened their doors for free. Each offered experiences, activities and knowledge at no cost, all in celebration of Greater Victoria and its residents.

Of course, none of this would be have been possible without the support of our donors and community partners, along with the incredible work of our board, committee members and staff. I’m beyond grateful for all of you, and look forward to seeing what we can accomplish in 2018.

So on behalf of the Victoria Foundation, I wish you all a Happy New Year.