Successful Hi Neighbour Edmonds Initiative transitions to legacy
Over a hundred languages (!) are spoken in Edmonds illustrating the diverse mix of peoples living in this southeast Burnaby neighbourhood. Edmonds has even been called “Metro Vancouver’s most diverse community” and is often where many newcomers to Canada make their first home.
Coming to a new country can be an isolating experience, but over the past five years with support from United BC’s Hi Neighbour Initiative, Edmonds’ community strengths of caring and inclusion have grown exponentially. Combating social isolation and serving as a catalyst for community building, the Hi Neighbour initiative has been operating in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley since 2018.
“Edmonds is a neighborhood rich in diversity and community spirit, where newcomers don’t just settle—they actively shape the place they call home. Time and again, we see people stepping up for one another, filling the roles that family and friends might have had in the past, and creating a network of care and connection. Edmonds is a true example of what happens when a community comes together with open hearts and a shared vision,” says Elise Goertz, Assistant Director, Community Impact and Investment at United Way BC.
At the end of March as Hi Neighbour Edmonds transitions into a legacy neighbourhood, we share some of the highlights that make this community so special and demonstrate how United Way BC has helped to strengthen the vital connections in this vibrant community. These stories were compiled by Allison Chow, Legacy Curator for Hi Neighbour Edmonds.
Expanding personal networks helps more people
“Hamsoo” means “companionship” in Dari, one of the main languages spoken in Afghanistan. It is also the name of the foundation that Mehre, her mom, Karima, and friend, Shokouh, started in 2023 to support new immigrants. The group was inspired by Mehre and Karima’s experience immigrating to Canada in 2017.
“We understand the difficulties people go through when they immigrate here. And like some things that come across so simple, but they are quite life changing, especially for the older generation,” Mehre says.
Their informal network got a boost when a community member introduced them to United Way BC’s Hi Neighbour Initiative and resident Community Builder Mary and Community Engagement Specialist George. Since connecting with United Way BC and our Local Love funding through Hi Neighbour, Hamsoo has been able to reach even more people.
“Mary and George, they were a big support. They really motivated our organization to keep going and introduced us to external parties and other stakeholders. Now we’re definitely more engaged within the community.”
One moment that really stood out to Mehre was the Multicultural Arts Event for BC Multiculturalism Week, co-hosted with Culture Chats, a Hi Neighbour Community Champion organization, at the Alan Emmott Centre in 2024. “Seeing musicians from Korea, Japan, China … I was mesmerized.”
Hamsoo Foundation invited artists, while Culture Chats organized a speaker. Looking around at the audience, Mehre saw “the community coming together and enjoying that event … having food and taking pictures.” Seeing so many different faces, she thought, “These are my people.” It was a powerful reminder that even if people don’t share a language, they can still connect through shared experiences.
Hamsoo is teaming up with Culture Chats to manage the Edmonds Community Champion Facebook page, which has 4,700 members. Mehre hopes this platform will inspire people to come together to work on the projects that make the neighbourhood stronger, building on the legacy of the Hi Neighbour initiative.
Building bridges for economic stability
United Way BC’s Hi Neighbour initiative in Edmonds has sparked meaningful conversations about economic stability and the power of collaboration.
“We uncovered a real hunger among local businesses to connect with each other,” says Culture Chats Founder and Director and Hi Neighbour Community Champion, Asmita.
Like many of our Edmonds Community Champions, Asmita crossed paths with Community Builder, Mary Blanca, through a shared mission—to make the world a little more neighbourly. Their connection sparked a collaboration that inspired residents and business owners alike to form a Business Improvement Area (BIA) in Edmonds.
In early 2023, the City of Burnaby launched the Edmonds Community Plan, an initiative meant to re-imagine the Town Centre to make it more accessible and enjoyable for everyone. Through a grassroots effort local organizations, businesses, and volunteers came together to explore the possibility of a BIA. Mary and Asmita, along with other dedicated volunteers, tirelessly knocked on doors, sparking conversations with business owners and community members. Their efforts were further strengthened by support from the Civic Innovation Lab Society, which introduced them to industry expert Carlos da Costa and a team of SFU MBA students who played a key role in shaping the initiative.
Asmita quickly emerged as a driving force, championing community engagement and spearheading events that brought business owners and residents together. Key milestones in the journey included the Business Networking Event, hosted in partnership with the Hamsoo Foundation at Gulf & Fraser Credit Unions Edmonds Branch. Local entrepreneurs gathered to connect, exchange insights, and hear firsthand about the research findings from the SFU team.
For Asmita, this event was more than just a networking opportunity—it became the foundation for the Edmonds Business Expo, an ambitious project funded by a Hi Neighbour Impact Grant, which ran in February 2025. Each networking event, collaboration, and effort brings Edmonds closer to the reality of a more connected and prosperous local economy. The momentum offers a hopeful glimpse into the future—one where local businesses, community leaders, and volunteers continue to shape an inclusive and thriving economy.
“We want to continue inviting community artists and local entrepreneurs to participate in these networking events,” Asmita shared. Thinking about the importance of investing where she lives, she reflected, “It brings joy to everyone involved. As an organizer, I benefit just as much as those who attend and participate.”
A delicious recipe for community
As a homeschooling parent to Rory and Lorelie, Katie is always looking for hands-on learning opportunities. When she came across United Way BC’s cooking classes offered through Hi Neighbour Edmonds, she thought it seemed like the perfect way for her kids to connect, make lunch, and try something new.
Between January and November 2024, United Way BC’s Hi Neighbour Local Love microgrants funded 20 Master Classes, which became a way to experience different cultures through home recipes, many of which aren’t even found in mainstream restaurants. Each dish came with a personal story, Katie recalls.
“Everybody had a different style. Like the Colombian one, for example, the one lady who was leading it decided, ‘I’m only going to speak in Spanish,’ which was great… We all kind of took turns helping to translate it for everybody else.”
Another memorable class featured a Brazilian dish. “That was fun… because they really let everybody help. They even wore their traditional outfits and did dancing. It was a true show!”
The classes were held at Edmonds Community School and Stride Avenue Community School. Sandhya, the Community Coordinator at the school says: “We were really lucky to be part of this and to benefit from the talents of our cooks and the energy of the presentations.” Beyond the cooking classes, a partnership with Burnaby Village Museum helped preserve these experiences. So far, 20 chefs have been interviewed, and 16 new oral histories have been added to the museum’s collection, featuring diverse community voices. These new oral histories, now part of the museum’s archives, capture Burnaby’s history in ways traditional records cannot. The recordings are available online through Heritage Burnaby, supporting researchers, educators, and community members in exploring Burnaby’s evolving story.
A Community Builder first and always
After supporting 54 Local Love Fund projects, Community Builder Mary was recently nominated for the Indo-Pacific Foundation of Canada’s Community Builder Award, which honors individuals or organizations that strengthen, uplift, and unite their communities through resilience, leadership, and service.
Recognizing Mary’s impact over the past five years, her colleague, Elise says, “Mary has played an integral role in fostering a sense of belonging and collaboration within the community, demonstrating remarkable dedication, warmth, and an unwavering commitment to making a difference.”
Of the Community Champions Mary has met along the way, she says, “Powerful people, so inspiring, with all their histories, all of them. They have the will to do something for themselves, for their family, and for the community. The strength to do everything, follow their dreams, and have the courage to do it. So, it was my gift to meet them and witness their transformation.”
Connecting community
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