Community spirit transforms Lower Mainland neighbourhoods 

Community building and space sharing take many different forms in United Way BC Hi Neighbour communities across the Lower Mainland. In Burnaby’s Edmonds neighbourhood community members connected through cooking master classes. In Guildford in Surrey, youth and adults participated in sporting events. In South Coquitlam and North Delta, the arts took center stage. It’s all thanks to Hi Neighbour Community Builders, enthusiastic Community Champions and countless volunteers who came together to create healthy, caring inclusive communities.  

Edmonds – learning builds lasting connections 

Classes and workshops were extremely popular ways to bring community together in Burnaby’s Edmonds neighbourhood this past year. Between January and November, United Way BC’s Hi Neighbour Local Love microgrants funded 20 Master Classes including how to cook Peruvian, Kyrgyzstani and Fijan dishes, as well as English classes featuring newcomer women sharing stories of triumph. Area residents also had the opportunity to learn Indian and Caribbean folklore, Indigenous dance, and beadmaking at various United Way BC-supported community festivals. Community Builder Mary along with 80 Community Champions shared their knowledge and wisdom of experience and their joy in the human spirit helping this multi-ethnic neighbourhood brim with life and inclusivity.  See how Edmonds Hi Neighbour is helping to shape the neighbourhood here: Where We Live: Edmonds | Watch News Videos Online. 

Sunset – is for seniors 

Hi Neighbour Community Builder Javier is creating opportunities to keep Sunset seniors active, engaged and independent while helping them to find connections to other regular activities in this Vancouver neighbourhood. Inspired by the wildly successful Coffee with Seniors started in Chilliwack by Hi Neighbour Community Champion Zeeshan, Coffee with Seniors Sunset follows a similar theme. Twenty-five seniors kicked off the first meet-up at a local coffee shop this Summer enjoying good conversation, making new friends, and creating lasting memories. Community Champion Imran leads Coffee with Seniors with events in November and December. Local Love funding made this gathering and relationship building possible.  

Keeping tradition alive not only brings joy and positivity, but it also supports engagement. On October 31 about 50 South Asian senior women gathered at the South Vancouver Neighbourhood for a Diwali Celebration. Local Love funds supported food and drinks, craft supplies, and gift for participants. Community Champion Harjit, a leader in a local South Asian women group who organized the Multicultural Day South Asian Seniors, also attends Coffee with Seniors, so cross pollination of future activities is sure to occur! For more information about what’s happening in Sunset for seniors and others, visit: (17) Hi Neighbour – Sunset | Facebook. 

Guildford – positivity for change 

The Rise Above Reality Soccer Tournament was hosted by Guildford Hi Neighbour Community Champion and DIVERSEcity Black Brilliance Awards Rising Star Dacious with assistance from United Way BC staff. The August tournament, held at Surrey’s Hjorth Turf Park, focused on three groups of youth: under 13 years, 13-15 years and 15?-18 years with Community Builder Michael refereeing the finals. Along with the benefits of healthy lifestyles, Dacious talked about why it’s important to share the positive side of multiculturalism with younger generations, reminding participating youth of their unique role in ending the generational trauma caused by racism. He also reminded parents and coaches that they are role models for their children in a divisive world, and their words carry weight when describing people of other races. He also emphasized that using kind words to describe others begins at home. A specially equipped tent with board games and basketball hoops was provided while the youth waited to play.  

Local Love funds were used to buy soccer balls, medals, trophies, and shirts for the winner while food and drinks for the event and mini games to keep everyone entertained.  

South Coquitlam – art creates community 

Supporting local projects allowing youth to contribute is one of the ways United Way BC helps young people connect with their communities and feel a sense of belonging. This Fall, Hi Neighbour South Coquitlam and Community Builder Erinn, in collaboration with the City of Coquitlam, brought transformation to a once plain wall at Poirier Community Centre. Over a two-week period, 30 young people offered their perspectives on what makes a happy, healthy, caring, and inclusive community. Their vision came to life as a vibrant mural at Coquitlam’s Poirier Community Centre. Artist Laura Kwok guided the young participants in an empowering experience that celebrates unity, diversity, and youth voices. Dulux Paints stepped forward to provide all supplies further highlighted how the South Coquitlam neighbourhood is united for youth. This project was supported by a Hi Neighbour Community Impact Grant. Hi Neighbour strategically invests in the local communities we partner with, aiming to foster lasting impact. Through the Hi Neighbour Impact Grant, we fund significant projects that focus on placemaking, building community capacity, and other initiatives that strengthen community connections and resilience. 

North Delta – raising readers 

Getting kids excited about reading can help them better understand their community and the world. In June almost 170 people turned out for the Delta Literacy Event hosted by Hi Neighbour North Delta and Community Builder Cathie. Over 800 books were given away with participants having many different offerings to choose from including Punjabi, French, Korean, and Chinese books. The collection also featured new titles covering crucial topics such as climate change, racism, residential schools, and other pressing global issues supported by the Local Love Fund and the Delta Literacy Agency. A team of 12 dedicated volunteers along with representatives from the Delta Literacy Committee and the George Mackey Public Library provided an extra layer of expertise and support. A local author of a beloved children’s book signed copies for kids and 17 lucky kids want home with smiles and cherished raffle gifts. The Local Love Fund also paid for the event space and for refreshments for the folks that came.  

Willoughby – celebrating and sharing vital traditions 

“Walk with us. Not in front of us, not behind us.” That was the message shared at the 3rd annual stɑl̓əw̓ Pow Wow in September the Langley Events Centre. 

“We wanted our friends, allies and the community to be able to have an opportunity to learn about our culture, support our artists and the vendors market, support the dancers, the drummers, the singers and just [have] the opportunity to learn more about who our people are,” says Phyllis Atkins, Manager of Arts, Culture and Language at the Stalew Arts & Cultural Society, the creative force behind the Pow wow.  

Started three years ago, the pow wow has grown from 100 to 400 dancers from across Canada and the US joining the celebration this year, which included Grand Entries along with a pow wow pageant, drumming, and dancing competitions. Red Shirt and Orange Shirt Specials were also held. 

“It was important for us to use the Pow wow as a platform to highlight and bring more awareness to the community, to share in healing together…We need the support of our allies and community members. What we are doing by creating the Orange Shirt Special is to honor the Residential School Warriors to show that they are not alone in this is part of the healing. This is part of the work that we all need to do and recognize.” 

“United Way British Columbia is [a] big partner for us and we are grateful for all the support because we need it. We can’t do this on our own. That’s what Reconciliation is [-] working together and doing things in a good way.” 

United Way BC has been involved in the Pow wow since its inception through our Hi Neighbour initiative. Learn more about our work with and support of Indigenous communities: https://bit.ly/3VBcwIh 

Lougheed-Burquitlam – our newest Hi Neighbour community

United Way BC’s newest Lower Mainland Hi Neighbour community is Lougheed-Burquitlam, which is located where Coquitlam borders the City of Burnaby to the west, the City of Port Moody to the north, and the City of New Westminster to the south. Community Builder Cher is holding coffee chats with area residents to better understand the community and the wishes and needs of its residents. United Way BC will be hosting its first community meal in late November to bring neighbours together to begin the exciting work of strengthening vital connections to support community members. Learn more: Hi Neighbour | United Way British Columbia (uwbc.ca). 

United for Communities 

In 2023/24 about 18,000 neighbours were connected through 148 Local Love projects in 11 United Way BC Hi Neighbour communities across the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley. Along with bringing community together, Hi Neighbour helps build awareness of the resources and services available for those in need, like our Regional Community Food Hubs (which increased neighbourhood food access), Better at Home services (which support seniors to live independently in their homes), and 211 Helpline (which connects people to resources in their communities and is available in over 240 languages). It is all part of United Way BC’s work to build a strong web of care to support our friends and neighbours.  

At United Way BC, we are United for Communities. To learn more about Hi Neighbour in the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley and beyond, visit: Hi Neighbour | United Way British Columbia (uwbc.ca).