HELPING THOSE IN NEED: Give at RapidReliefFund.ca. A special donation,
Nigel House resident Brenda Nicoll has made a special donation to the Rapid Relief Fund, turning the generosity of fellow residents and staff into a $695 contribution.
Residents at the Saanich facility have a variety of disabilities that can affect all aspects of their health. Nicoll has physical and emotional challenges and uses a wheelchair, but that hasn’t stopped her from doing what she can for others.
“It’s a long-term care home for younger adults with disabilities,” said Nigel House social worker Jamie Garrett. “Our population is a lot younger than a typical longterm care home. People are mostly in their 40s and 50s.”
Once Nicoll, 61, found out about the Rapid Relief Fund, she was determined to do what she could to get behind it, said Mandy Parker, Broadmead Care’s vicepresident of philanthropy and communications.
“How it happened was the social workers were reading the newspaper, the Times Colonist, to the residents and they were specifically reading about the Rapid Relief Fund,” Parker said.
“Brenda was really taken by the story and was taken by the fact that the community was doing something about helping those that are underprivileged.”
The Rapid Relief Fund was launched by the Victoria Foundation, the Jawl Foundation and the Times Colonist on March 12 to raise money for those most in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. The fund hit its first goal of $1 million within 36 hours of launch. One month after launching, it reached $5 million. It is now nearing $5.7 million.
Nicoll said the fund caught her attention because she was needy in the past and had been homeless.
“There was need in the community for money,” she said. “People are unemployed and struggling.”
Nicoll said she likes the idea that the fund will help different organizations in the community.
Garrett said Nicoll canvassed around Nigel House. “She asked staff and residents, and she was so excited and kept a list.”
Many residents are on a fixed income “and their hearts were wanting to give what they could,” Garrett said. “It was a really neat experience.”
Parker said Nicoll is grateful to be living where she is and made it clear “that she felt it important to help those that are less fortunate than herself.”
Social workers helped to collect donations. Six fellow residents and three staff members gave money.
“Away she went,” Parker said. “She just really thought that it was a great thing that the Times Colonist, Jawl Foundation and Victoria Foundation are doing.
“She just really felt compelled to do something, and so it was just a wonderful gesture.”
Parker said it was “quite something” for Nicoll to take on the effort.