YOU AND YOUR COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

— WORKING SIDE BY SIDE

How do you connect with your community and take part in activities that enrich your life and the lives of others? In our 2018 edition of

Victoria’s Vital Signs, 76 per cent of survey respondents felt somewhat or very connected to their community, and 61 per cent felt they have the opportunity to make a difference in their community.

Our connection to where we live, the lives we have led and the causes that are important to us are often echoed in the choices we make for our charitable legacy. When families embark on a journey to make philanthropy a part of their lives across generations, it often starts with simple concepts: donating canned goods or clothing to families in need, buying chocolate bars for a school fundraiser, helping an elderly neighbour. In today’s culture, “doing good” is a powerful way to create a sense of belonging.

The Victoria Foundation can help you take it to the next level, so both you and your community get the most out of your family’s social impact experiences.

A little learning goes a long way. The Victoria Foundation can give you the tools and resources you need to learn about charitable organizations in your community and across Canada. Learning about philanthropy is important across all generations. Youth are interested in lives actually being changed for the better. Parents want to know how to teach their children about doing good. Grandparents want to know how to leverage philanthropy to support multi-generational family values.

Get inspired! Stories are powerful.

Your family’s unique story about making an impact will inspire others. The cause selected is an important part of any story. How did the experience with philanthropy make the giver feel? How was the giver’s life enriched by helping people in need? The Victoria Foundation wants to understand your own story of philanthropy and what inspires you the most. When you are giving to the causes you love, everyone wins — you, the community, and the organizations you support.

Take action. Do you have the tools and information to act on a philanthropic desire? That’s what the Victoria Foundation is committed to doing. We offer ideas for specific actions you can take to support your community and the causes you love.

By taking the steps that are meaningful to you, you will know that your act of doing good, no matter how big or how small, makes a real difference. Natasha Benn, Manager of Philanthropic Services, Victoria Foundation. 250-381-5532 victoriafoundation.bc.ca