Hummingbird604.com » charities

Team In Training at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada (LLSC)

Raul — Thu, 24 May 2012 16:21:59 +0000

I knew about Team in Training (an initiative of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada) because one of my good friends, Greg Mitchell, recently completed a Triathlon in Hawaii to fundraise for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada. Given my (losing, to this moment) history with cancer (I have lost many family members and dear friends to various forms of cancer), I am always keen to profile non-profits that work to raise funds for cancer research/work. Thus my post on Team in Training at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada (in this case I’m profiling the British Columbia and Yukon chapter)

Photo credit: Matt Runkle on Flickr

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training (TNT) has:
* Trained over a half a million runners, walkers, triathletes, cyclists and hikers
* Raised over $1.2 billion to fund lifesaving cancer research
* Two 4-5 month training options:
* In-person program from our gigantic network of certified coaches
* On-line option – same great coaches, “virtually”
* More than 200 exciting endurance events to choose from.

There are some remarkable stories. One of them is Tony, a leukemia survivor, who with TnT LLSC has trained for a marathon and a triathlon, and this fall will be training with us and mentoring participants who train for the RBC GranFondo Whistler. Tony’s story is extremely inspiring. And I hope you can support the work of Team in Training. I’ve grown fond of this initiative since Greg did it (it’s been his second year in a row, and he’s amazing).

Photo credit: Tony di Giovanni

I encourage you to explore the links on my blog post and read Tony’s story, and if you are so inclined, please support this worthy initiative.

14th Annual A World of Smiles Telethon in Support of BC Children’s Hospital

Raul — Thu, 24 May 2012 00:38:17 +0000

There are some people in your life that you don’t need to be physically in touch with all the time to feel close to them. One of them is my dear friend Mana Mansour, the host of Shaw Multicultural Channel. Mana will be hosting this coming Sunday May 27th, 2012 the 14th Annual “A World of Smiles” Telethon in Support of BC Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Hello! Sat sri akal! Namaste!

BC’s South Asian community is a long-time supporter of BC Children’s Hospital, raising awareness and funds for more than a decade. Throughout the year, community members show their support for child health care by organizing and donating at radiothons, dances, dinners, walk-a-thons, and other fundraising initiatives.

The generosity of the community is celebrated on the A World of Smiles telethon each spring.

WE NEED YOUR HELP. Please tune in on May 27th and make a donation to BC Children’s Hospital. Shaw Multicultural Channel Cable 116, Shaw Direct channel 299 and Shaw TV Channels in BC.

Thank you.

I hope you can support A World of Smiles Telethon this coming Sunday. And please remember that your donations to BC Children’s Hospital Foundation help this worthy foundation strengthen their programs and provide children in need of medical attention with care.

Vancouver Spring Sprint 2012 in support of the Brain Tumour Foundation (May 27th)

Raul — Mon, 21 May 2012 17:34:51 +0000

As cancer is one of the key topics I write about (I have lost too many loved ones to cancer), and thanks to the lovely folks of Breakfast Television for reminding me, I figured I should highlight next Sunday’s Vancouver Spring Sprint 2012 (May 27th) in support of the Brain Tumour Foundation.

Date: Sunday, May 27, 2012
Location: Burnaby Lake, Rugby Club, 3760 Sperling Ave
Registration: 10am
Start: 11am
Distance: 2.5km or 5km walk/fun run

Who We Are: A dedicated team of volunteers, patients, survivors, family members, health care professionals and staff, determined to make the journey with a brain tumour one full of hope and support. We work collaboratively to serve the needs of those Canadians affected by all types of brain tumours.

What We Do: Information, education and support is available and research continues into the cause of and a cure for brain tumours.

Every year, thousands of Canadians affected by brain tumours find emotional support and comfort while gaining a better understanding and knowledge of their disease through a range of programs and services available across the country. This includes: up-to-date brain tumour information material, numerous education events and support groups. Important brain tumour research is also supported through annual grants, a fellowship and the brain tumour tissue bank. Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada is funded entirely through generous donations from individuals, corporations, and employee groups as well as through memorial gifts, planned giving and special events.

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Downtown East Side Produce Project

Raul — Thu, 17 May 2012 16:08:13 +0000

Few things excite me more than promoting local non-profit, worthy causes, and one of the regions that I have most interest in (geographically and in the urban planning sense as well as in the poverty-alleviation sense) is the Downtown East Side of Vancouver. I found out recently (not surprisingly, on Twitter), about Jim Duggan’s Downtown East Side Produce Project. I have taken the liberty to share some of the content he has posted on his Facebook page on here.

Photo credit: Jessica Brodeur for Hummingbird604.com

I have partnered with Neighbor’s Choice Farm Market in West Vancouver to provide in-kind donations to DTES Elementary Schools and Community Centres. We provide fresh produce direct from wholesalers. Each load is 18 cartons – aprox 650 lbs – $380 cost. We accept donations to help fund this program and tax receipts are provided by The Strathcona Community Centre.

I still find it amazing that people take it upon themselves to help their communities and it makes me very proud of being a Vancouverite. If you find it in your budget, please contribute to this worthy cause. Jim’s contact details are provided in the Facebook page for the DTES Produce Project. You can also follow them on Twitter at DTES_Produce. A link to the Vancouver Sun story on the DTES Produce Project can be found here.

Cooking For A Cause (May 11th, 2012)

Raul — Sat, 05 May 2012 17:00:57 +0000

I am always keen to promote charitable events, even more so if they are organized by companies and organizations that have an environmental focus and clear interest in preserving the environment, particularly when it comes to vulnerable regions (those where First Nations are involved are of most interest to me). I was informed about Cooking For A Cause recently, and thought this was a great event.

Come join leading environmentalist David Suzuki, radio and television personality Vicki Gabereau, Canadian rock icon Matthew Good, and the Gitga’at First Nation to officially launch Guarding the Gifts – The Liiga K’yilama Fund and to draw attention to the dangers and risks to the Gitga’at people and the Great Bear Rainforest proposed by the Northern Gateway Pipeline Project. Cooking for a Cause will provide a forum for expressing a shared concern while highlighting Guarding the Gifts’ interconnectedness and the vulnerability of the eco system in a tangible way.

The reception will feature an intimate evening of entertainment including a solo acoustic performance by Matthew Good, engaging dialogue, and a culinary adventure of wine and cuisine featuring ingredients from the Great Bear Rainforest prepared by renowned Canadian chefs, all set in the historical Gulf of Georgia Cannery in the beautiful Steveston harbour.

Guarding the Gifts is a charitable fund, founded in 2010 by members of the Gitga’at First Nation and King Pacific Lodge (a resort operating in Gitga’at territory) and proceeds from Cooking for a Cause will go towards raising awareness and supporting Gitga’at community empowerment and environmental conservation.

Cooking for a Cause

Date: Friday, May 11, 2012
Time: 7:00 to 10:00 PM
Location: Gulf of Georgia Cannery
(12138 Fourth Ave, Richmond, BC)

Ticket Price*: $300 – Group of 8 Tickets*: $2100

* No tax receipt available . Tickets are limited, reserve now!

Gala For Hope 2012 (hosted by Mount Saint Joseph Hospital’s Rapid Access Breast Clinic)

Raul — Sat, 05 May 2012 00:34:08 +0000

Since I live in Mount Pleasant, it is often likely that I will want to promote charitable stuff organized by those who work in the area. I found out that staff at Mount Saint Joseph’s Rapid Access Breast Clinic (RABC) are hosting Gala for Hope on May 12, 2012 in Richmond to raise funds for a much needed mammography machine.

With an additional mammography machine patient wait times will be significantly reduced. Cancer is a disease that impacts all Canadians and faster diagnosis is needed.

Gala for Hope will consist of an Indian buffet dinner and multicultural performances for all ages. Former television host, Sukhi Ghuman will be hosting the evening. Special performances by the Vancouver Academy of Music faculty string quartet, Kohinoor Folk Arts Club and The Balladeers will highlight the evening.

Time: 5:30pm-12am
Place: Riverside Grand Ballroom, 1231 Burdette Street, Richmond, BC.
Date: Saturday May 12, 2012
Tickets: $75.00, Please purchase tickets online at Gala of Hope

About Rapid Access Breast Clinic:

The Rapid Access Breast Clinic (RABC) at Mount Saint Joseph Hospital (MSJ) in Vancouver, British Columbia, is on the front line of efforts to improve outcomes for women with breast cancer. We offer you quick access to all the tests that you would need to expedite the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.

Cinema For A Cure (May 5th, in support of cystic fibrosis research)

Raul — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 02:17:14 +0000

As you know, since a couple of years ago I’ve been writing about Eva Markvoort (a very popular Vancouver/New Westminster blogger who passed away from cystic fibrosis at a very young age). So, cystic fibrosis is one of the causes that I hold near and dear to my heart. Thus, I hope that you will join many other folks who are interested in these causes on May 5th at Denman Cinemas to kick of CF Awareness Month with the Vancouver debut of two award-winning CF-related films: The Power of Two and Foreverland at Cinema For A Cure!

6:30 pm – The Power of Two is the incredible true story of twin sisters, their battle with cystic fibrosis and their successful double-lung transplants. Academy Award nominated director, Marc Smolowitz, will be joining us for a Q & A after the film.

9:00 pm – Foreverland is a Canadian feature film written and directed by Max McGuire, a Canadian living with cystic fibrosis. Foreverland features American actor Max Thieriot and memorable performances by Academy Award nominees Juliette Lewis and Demián Bichir. Max McGuire will be joining for a Q & A after the film.

I have a special fondness for cystic fibrosis, so I would ask my readers to please help me spread the word! Invite your friends, family and co-workers to come and share this evening of film and philanthropy benefiting Cystic Fibrosis Canada. Purchase tickets online here or visit CinemaforaCure.com for more information.

On Track: Peer-to-Peer Mentorship with the Odd Squad Productions Society

Raul — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 02:11:00 +0000

Some of the things a few people don’t know about me include the fact that when I was much younger, my parents made every single effort to enable me to explore different career options, including criminology, forensic science and police-related work. So that’s one of the reasons why I feel a very profound fondness for the work of the Odd Squad Productions. In fact, this coming Saturday, April 28, 2012, forty Grade 10 students nominated across the Lower Mainland will engage in this one-day interactive workshop with volunteer officers from the Vancouver Police Department and Odd Squad Productions Society. For those of you don’t know what the Odd Squad Productions Society do, they are a a non-profit organization dedicated to prevention education for youth.

This learning program is called ON TRACK and exposes participants to the harsh realities of drug use, addiction, and criminal lifestyle through interactions with police officers and street-entrenched people. Youth walk away educated with take-away lessons that will enable them to mentor their peers through school presentations about the realities of life they have learned. I find this kind of workshop extremely education and positive. I do believe that our future generations need mentoring from a young age, and the work of Odd Squad Productions Society helps shape the way in which Vancouver youth can evolve.

Agenda

· Saturday, April 28th 2012 from 10 AM – 10 PM: Interactive workshop at the new

VPD Tactical Training Centre in downtown Vancouver

o Welcome by VPD Chief Jim Chu

o Morning presentations dedicated to gang and drug awareness by expert

squad members

o Afternoon interaction with emergency response (ERT), dog squad training,

and Marine Squad boat rides

o Late afternoon participation in a VPD Judo Club class

o Evening walk-about escorted by beat officers on the DTES

· May 2012: Students are required to make a presentation to fellow students in

association with a mentor (school counsellor/teacher or School Liaison Officer)

· Thursday, June 7th, 2012: Participants will be honoured as Youth Ambassadors and

awarded medals at the 2012 Odd Squad Gala Fundraiser at the Vancouver

Convention Centre. This year’s gala celebrates the 15th Anniversary of the Odd

Squad.

More about the Odd Squad Productions Society:

With disturbing statistics, such as “60% of illicit drug users are between 15 to 24 years old”, there is a critical need to be proactive and protect youth. Odd Squad Productions Society educates young adults through documentaries, educational presentations and peer mentoring workshops. In 2010/2011 Odd Squad reached 38,000+ people with 372 presentations. Independently funded, OSP relies on corporate and private funding to sustain their mission.

Help @MegaphoneMag raise $10,000 to continue their writing workshops for DTES folks

Raul — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 20:25:55 +0000

Promoting charitable causes on my blog is one of the things that I am most inclined to do and most proud of. Because of the fact that my office at The Network Hub is in the heart of the downtown Vancouver Financial District, almost bordering with Gastown and the Downtown East Side, I feel a very strong familiarity with the issues that DTES folks face. I am keen to help alleviate poverty and end homelessness, and at the core of these issues is the DTES. Whenever I walk by a Megaphone Magazine vendor, I ALWAYS make the point to buy the issue, and if I can, I always pay much more than the suggested donation (a measly $2 of which $1.25 go directly to support the vendor).

I was reading the last issue of Megaphone Magazine and found out that they need to raise $10,000 to continue providing writing workshops for DTES folks. From the Megaphone Magazine Director’s Corner:

For the past three years, Megaphone has been running weekly writing workshops in treatment centres, social housing buildings and community centres in the Downtown Eastside and downtown Vancouver. Our facilitators work with individuals who are dealing with issues such as homelessness, addiction and mental illness. By giving people the opportunity to tell their story, and then have it published in Megaphone, the rest of the city can learn what it’s like to live with these issues./ It’s had a powerful impact on those writers.

I would want to encourage you to donate to Megaphone Magazine (you can donate online, or mailing a cheque using the form provided in the latest issue of Megaphone). Your donation would have a great impact in helping provide a voice to those who are most marginalized and disempowered in the downtown East Side of Vancouver.

National Volunteer Week (Canada)

Raul — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 17:28:10 +0000

This week is National Volunteer Week in Canada 2012, and the theme of volunteerism really resonates with me. I have volunteered front-line with the Union Gospel Mission serving meals, co-organized a fashion show for Out In Schools alongside Erin Gee, Ashley Mangat and Niki Blasina, co-organized Mental Health Camp alongside Isabella Mori, hosted Freelance Camp for 2 years in a row, and on top of that, I consider blogging part of my volunteer activities, as I promote the arts in Vancouver, non-profits and other charitable causes relentlessly through my social platforms, especially cancer and HIV/AIDS-focused. In addition, much of my scholarly research has been on environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs). So, it’s fitting that this week is National Volunteer Week in Canada (organized by Volunteer Canada).

Volunteer Canada is the national voice for volunteerism in Canada. Since 1977, the organization has been committed to increasing and supporting volunteerism and civic participation through ongoing programs, special projects and national initiatives, by developing resources and by engaging in research and training across the country. Working with volunteer centres, community and national organizations and businesses, Volunteer Canada actively leads national dialogues on how volunteerism is related to citizen engagement and civil society and provides leadership on issues and trends in the Canadian volunteer movement.

If you are interested in volunteering, there are a million worthy causes in Vancouver, the Lower Mainland and the rest of Canada. You can check the Get Volunteering website for more information.

April is Daffodil Month (Canadian Cancer Society)

Raul — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 21:40:33 +0000

If you have been reading my blog for long enough, you’ll know that I have lost too many loved ones to cancer. Thus year after year, I’m always delighted to promote the Canadian Cancer Society’s April is Daffodil Month campaign.

Photo credit: Ian Britton on Flickr

On Daffodil Day we ask Canadians to take a moment to reflect upon the thousands of people who are living with cancer and to remember those who have died. On this important day we encourage Canadians to do something special for those living with cancer or to contribute in some way to the fight against this disease.

Daffodil Day is April 27th, 2012 and thus on that day, the Canadian Cancer Society requests that you consider doing something to show someone afflicted with cancer that you care. Please consider joining the campaign. Below you can check a PSA for the 2012 campaign (including Rick Campanelli). You can follow the Canadian Cancer Society on Twitter and/or join their page on Facebook. You can also wear a virtual daffodil pin by using the Facebook and Twitter applications here.

World Down Syndrome Day 2012 (March 21st)

Raul — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 03:11:36 +0000

Today is World Down Syndrome Day, and several activities were planned to raise awareness. While my life hasn’t been touched with Down syndrome, a number of friends of mine have children with Down syndrome, and they have fought really hard to empower their children and remind them that they have the same rights, and can achieve great things in society. I strongly agree, and thus I’m happy to promote World Down Syndrome Day. Below some information from the UN site.

Down syndrome is a naturally occurring chromosomal arrangement that has always been a part of the human condition, exists in all regions across the globe and commonly results in variable effects on learning styles, physical characteristics or health. Adequate access to health care, to early intervention programmes and to inclusive education, as well as appropriate research, are vital to the growth and development of the individual.

In December 2011, the General Assembly declared 21 March as World Down Syndrome Day (A/RES/66/149). The General Assembly decided, with effect from 2012, to observe World Down Syndrome Day on 21 March each year, and Invites all Member States, relevant organizations of the United Nations system and other international organizations, as well as civil society, including non-governmental organizations and the private sector, to observe World Down Syndrome Day in an appropriate manner, in order to raise public awareness of Down syndrome.

I strongly believe in inclusiveness and thus I encourage you to learn more about Down Syndrome today.

posAbilities

Raul — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 03:04:47 +0000

About a year ago, I went with my good friend Minna Van (The Network Hub) on a really long walk around the Commercial and Venables area. We walked by the offices of posAbilities and ever since, I’ve wanted to write about this wonderful charity. I found out about the Wide Angle Media Festival 2012 recently (which is I think a product of KickStart, the Society for Disability Arts and Culture), and thus the direct connection with posAbilities made me think that I hadn’t written about this fantastic organization.

We are committed to building and participating in a community where all persons are welcomed and where all members are valued for who they are and for the contributions they make. This is the vision of an inclusive community — a place characterized by diversity, hospitality, belonging and respect. Persons with developmental disabilities have historically been excluded from our society and segregated into institutions. This has weakened our communities because it has deprived us of the richness of their perspectives and abilities. It has also deprived us of the beauty of their friendship. Inclusion creates a better, stronger and safer community.

We are also committed to persons with disabilities having and exercising the same rights to self-determination as other citizens. To be selfdetermining means that one has control over one’s life and future—and this includes the right to make decisions about where one lives and how one lives. This is essential to self-esteem, meaning and hope. This is essential to quality of life.

Our services are guided by a set of core values that describe how we work with persons served, families, community partners and each other. They are a part of all that we do, and a reminder of the “heart” that is in our work. A strong set of values ensures that our organization can continue to evolve with the changing needs of our persons-served.

I grew up in a household where we were taught by my parents that anybody with a disability can also be capable of being functioning in society, given the right circumstances and support, and I am a firm believer and supporter in organizations that empower people with different capacities (I’ve written about KickStart and the Developmental Disabilities Association before). I encourage you to learn more about posAbilities, follow them on Twitter and on Facebook.

Learn more about posAbilities through their Annual Report video:

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Wide Angle Media Festival 2012 (March 22-25)

Raul — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 02:47:21 +0000

I’ve been a big supporter of non-profits, but some of the ones that I love to promote are those that have a component towards what in Mexico we call “people with different capabilities” (in Spanish, personas con capacidades diferentes – we don’t use the term ‘disabled’). This year, the very first disability-oriented media festival, the Wide Angle Media Festival, kicks off on March 22nd (until the 25th).

Photo credit: Théo La Photo

Kickstart is excited to announce the Wide Angle Media Festival (WAM), the inaugural disability media festival featuring commissioned shorts, international films and workshops. Mark your calendar for March 22-25 2012!

The theme of the Festival – “wide angle” – refers to the spirit of expansiveness and inclusion that lies at the core of disability arts, and to the widest range of media genres and formats. The intent is to broaden audiences for works by media artists with disabilities; to celebrate the spectrum of genres, styles and vision of those artists; and, to support the creation of new works.

Audiences will enjoy a privileged glimpse of the world through the lens of the disability experience. The themes of these works will be unlimited – they are not necessarily films about issues of disability; they will be about anything under the sun, as seen by filmmakers with disabilities.

For a full schedule of the Wide Angle Media Festival 2012 please check online here. A UBC graduate (Matthew Kowalchuk) had a film commissioned in the Wide Angle Media Festival 2012, and the trailer is shown below.

Penguins (Are so sensitive to my needs) – Official Teaser from Matthew Kowalchuk on Vimeo.

Beauty Night Out 2012: Fundraiser for @BeautyNight March 22nd

Raul — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 19:05:04 +0000

Caroline McGillivray, the Executive Director of Beauty Night, is one of my very close friends. Caroline and I became friends years ago, almost about at the same time when I started blogging (which is coming on 6 years), and we hit it off almost immediately. We both started volunteering front-line very early in our lives (in my case, I taught illiterate adults living in gang-riddled areas in Mexico how to read, write and do basic arithmetic operations).

Beauty Night builds self esteem and changes lives of women and youth living in poverty through 3 streams of programming: wellness, life skills development and makeovers. We believe that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. Regardless of socio – economic status, no one deserves to be invisible and isolated from community.

In 2010, I interviewed Caroline to learn more about what Beauty Night does, and in 2011 I invited her to speak to my students in Public Policy, so they could learn about all the different ways in which non-profits provide basic public services and contribute to society.
I recently found out that she is organizing a fundraiser, Beauty Night Out 2012 this Thursday March 22nd. Because I had been so sick I hadn’t been able to write about it until now.

Dermalogica and Beauty Night Society present: Beauty Night Out.

An opportunity to mix, mingle and raise money for a great cause… Beauty Night Society. Beauty Night Society builds self esteem and changes lives for women and youth living in poverty. Through 3 streams of programming wellness, life skills development and makeovers, Beauty Night Society has given over 16 000 life changing makeovers in the past 11 years.

Since Beauty Night Society moved into a new location in September 2011, they have increased the amount of women they support each week from 100 to 200! With the increase in opportunities for the participants, Beauty Night Society is aiming to continue to meet the growing need in the community for its programming.

Beauty Night Out gives you an opportunity to a tactile sense of the cause you are supporting. Hair styling, make up application, relaxation massage, and skin bar are some of the services you will get an opportunity to sample. Connect with like minded people at the beautiful Dermalogica head quarters over looking Coal Harbour.
Silent Auction, raffle and other opportunities are available.

You can get tickets to Beauty Night Out through this link.

Barn Dance (fundraiser for Theatre Terrific)

Raul — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 21:41:43 +0000

As you know, I’m a devoted fan and promoter of both the arts and mental health issues. The work that Theatre Terrific does is completely underrated and I am glad that they are doing this fundraiser, Barn Dance. It sounds like it will be a lot of fun, as it will include silent auction, live theatre and music. It promises to be a fantastic event. Did you know that Theatre Terrific brings together artists who would normally never work together. As per their motto, “our diverse ensembles include professional and emerging artists with or without developmental, physical, or mental health issues, gender or language challenges.”

Theatre Terrific was founded in 1985 by Connie Hargrave to provide theatre training and performance opportunities to disabled persons in the Vancouver region. At the time, no theatres in Vancouver were accessible, and the idea of disability and theatre interacting in innovative ways had yet to gain hold. Theatre Terrific was a pioneer; it is Western Canada’s oldest theatre company that works with mixed abilities casting.

Please consider attending and spreading the word about this fundraiser. Barn Dance promises to be A LOT OF FUN. And it’s for an amazing and worthy cause.

Barn Dance
Where: Performance Works, Granville Island
When: Thursday, March 29th.
Who: Mana Mansour (The Express, Shaw TV Media Personality)
What: Barn Dance, a Fundraiser for Theatre Terrific
When: Thursday March 29th, 7-10pm.
How Much: Tickets are $45
How To: Call 604-440-2037 for tickets.
Why: Because Theatre Terrific is actually a fantastic charitable project.

UPDATE – I found a little bit more information about Barn Dance:

Theatre Terrific Society is hosting Barn Dance 2012, a fundraiser to support opportunities for people from many minority and disability communities to produce original, compelling drama. Our work also supports opportunities for theatre professionals to expand their craft while also challenging and entertaining Metro Vancouver audiences.

At this fundraising event, we will invite guests to Performance Works for a spectacular evening of fun food and festivities. A live band will get your toes ‘a tapping and your heart ‘a thumping. Barn Dance 2012. Will have a silent auction which will combine a variety of donations to create many fabulous “experience” items, from a book-lovers’ basket to destination prizes with hotel, dinner, movie. We will also have a live auction and our infamous cake auction! We very much appreciate community partners’ support in providing many worthwhile items, and our experienced team of organizers will ensure that your organization is shown in its best light to prospective clients or customers.

For the last twenty-seven years, Theatre Terrific has been providing opportunities for many people through cutting-edge theatre, classes and workshops. Barn Dance 2012 will assist us in continuing to offer high quality, serious theatre to Vancouver and high quality theatrical training to people who might otherwise not have this opportunity. We have expanded our reach in the last year, and will continue to do so into 2012 and beyond.

5 Days For The Homeless @5daysVancouver (March 11-16th, 2012)

Raul — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 17:55:15 +0000

As a faculty member at UBC, I make an effort to support students’ initiatives (regardless of whether any of my current or former students are involved, but even more so when they are). One of the campaigns that touched my heart the most in recent years is 5 Days For The Homeless, which in Vancouver will take place from March 11th trough the 16th.

photo credit: Matthew Grapengieser

Five Days for The Homeless was founded as a local initiative by University of Alberta School of Business students. This initiative, after running very successfully for a number of years on the Edmonton campus at the University of Alberta, was taken national in 2008. To date, the campaign has raised over $750,000 for charitable organizations across the country and has spread its message from coast to coast.

The UBC team is fundraising for the Directions Youth Centre, and you can donate here.

Directions Youth Services Centre, operated by Family Services of Greater Vancouver, provides Vancouver’s homeless youth and youth at-risk with a single entry point to access the tools, support, and guidance they so desperately need to go about making healthy, positive changes in their lives. Directions strives to be accessible to all youth, regardless of their circumstances and fosters a culture of respect. Directions Youth Services Centre is working closely with the community to develop solutions to end youth homelessness in Vancouver and to change the community’s perception of street-involved youth.

Credit: Vlastula on Flickr

Dining Out For Life 2012 (March 29th, 2012)

Raul — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 06:19:39 +0000

I have been blogging about Dining Out For Life (and participating in the event) for, at least, the last 5 years. The motto of Dining Out for Life is “Make a difference. Dine out & support people living with HIV/AIDS“. A few years ago (the very first time I did a Blogathon) I raised funds for A Loving Spoonful, as I am in complete awe of their mission: to provide nutritious meals to people living with HIV/AIDS. Dining Out For Life is a charitable project that supports the mission of A Loving Spoonful, and as queer issues are important to me, and HIV/AIDS is an issue relevant to gay men, I think it’s a worthy cause.

Dining Out For Life is BC’s largest restaurant fundraiser, benefiting A Loving Spoonful and Friends For Life. Over 250 restaurants from Whistler to White Rock and across the Fraser Valley will contribute 25% of their sales that day to people living with HIV/AIDS. Participating restaurants from Whistler to White Rock and across the Fraser Valley have raised over $3 million for HIV/AIDS support services over 16 years. Invite your friends & dine out on March 29.

You can check the participating restaurants here. I will definitely be Dining Out For Life on March 29th, 2012. Please consider participating in this wonderful event.

UPDATE – a couple of photos of the recent media event:

Sheena Sargeant (Executive Director, Friends for Life), Lisa Martella (Executive Director, A Loving Spoonful) and me

Odd Squad Productions Society (OSP) Celebrates 15 Years with a Gala & Fundraiser

Raul — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 21:46:16 +0000

I first heard about Vancouver’s Odd Squad Productions Society (OSP) through both my friend Summer Dhillon and Jeremy Szafron. I recently found out that the Odd Squad Productions Society will be celebrating its 15th anniversary this year. A fabulous Gala Fundraiser will be held at the Vancouver Convention Centre on Thursday, June 7th at 5:00 pm at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Presented by CIBC Wood Gundy At Bental, and at the time of press supported by more than 25 corporate sponsors, the evening consists of a formal sit-down dinner, Live Auction, Silent Auction, and a few hidden surprises that have yet to be revealed.

All proceeds fund Odd Squad’s efforts to keep youth gang-safe and drug-free. I just looked at some of the statistics they provided me, such as “60% of illicit drug users are between 15 to 24 years old”. It is definitely important to be proactive and empower and protect youth.

The OSP educates young adults through film, presentations and workshops, and by providing peer mentoring support.

Odd Squad’s vision is to design programs that honour and motivate youth, encourage them to set positive goals, lay their own path and stay On Track by keeping drug-free for a long and healthy life.

The mission of the Odd Squad Productions Society is a very noble one:

To educate the public about the devastating effects that high-risk behaviour has on members of our community. Today’s youth face difficult choices, enormous peer pressure, and more readily available and potent mind-altering drugs, than at any other time in history. Odd Squad ascribes to the notion that ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’ and that drug prevention programs are a more cost-effective and healthier investment for youth than treatment.Through valuable and thought-provoking visual media tools, the Odd Squad organization brings its mission to life.

Read a bit about the story of the Odd Squad Productions Society

Founded in 1997 by seven determined Officers of the Vancouver Police Department, Odd Squad Productions Society (OSP) is a registered B.C. non-profit society and charitable organization that has developed a unique approach to community policing, crime prevention, and public education. Odd Squad generates funding through donations and grants from the private and business sectors. We are totally an independent organization that is not a part of the mandated and budgeted police department or government-funded ministries.

Our fundraising allows educational presentations, crime prevention programs, peer-to-peer mentoring workshops, and the production of award-winning documentary films. Having first partnered with the National Film Board of Canada for Through A Blue Lens (1999), Odd Squad has continued to produce numerous, hard-hitting, educational documentaries.

I hope to be able to make it to the gala, as it’s in June, usually when I travel for academic presentations. I loved the documentary Riding With Madonna, produced by the OSPS. You can check the trailer here:

Related posts:

On Track: Peer-to-Peer Mentorship with the Odd Squad Productions Society

Le Jazz Hot (Fundraiser for YouthCo AIDS Society) July 25th, 2011

Brunch With Benefits (Fundraiser for @YouthCo)

Tip A Wee Dram For Cancer Research (Fundraiser)

Raul — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 00:32:26 +0000

Team Hope and Edgemont Fine Wines, Spirits & Ales 3rd Annual Tip A Wee Dram for Cancer Research on March 15, 2012 is a whisky tasting fundraiser in support of the BC Cancer Foundation’s Ride to Conquer Cancer.

This year, taste from over 35 whiskies at seven different tasting tables with a number of the whiskies being brand new to BC. The evening also includes both a live and silent auction with lots of great items to bid on and a special treat from the Delta Police Pipe Band. We are also expecting a couple special guests to join us to pour at the event: Mike Nicolson, a 36 year veteran of Scotch Whisky distillation and Dan Volway, Brand Ambassador for the Erdington Group (Macallan, Highland Park & Famous Grouse).

Check out Team Hope’s website for more information on the event. Held at the Croatian Cultural Center, 3250 Commercial Drive, Vancouver – just blocks south of Commercial-Broadway Skytrain Station the event starts at 6:45 pm and will finish by 9:45 pm. Doors open at 6:30pm. There is ample free parking and remember to plan a safe ride home.

Tickets are $50.00 per person and must be purchased before the event. You can purchase your ticket by going to this website or in-store at Edgemont Fine Wines, Spirits & Ales: 3020 Edgemont Blvd, North Vancouver, BC. Click here for map.

If you are like me, you know people whose lives have been impacted by cancer. I can honestly say that not a year goes by without someone I know being touched by cancer and I’m tired of it. It would be nice to help those impacted by cancer by attending Tip a Wee Dram. You can even make it a night out with friends: have dinner beforehand and then go and taste some lovely whiskies. The evening is guaranteed to be a fun night and a great opportunity to support a good cause.

Take A Hike – Youth At Risk Foundation

Raul — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:28:52 +0000

I love profiling non-profits’ work, and the Take A Hide Foundation for Youth At Risk is one of those whose work I have followed closely but for some reason I never get around writing about them. I had an opportunity to peruse their website recently, and loved their approach.

Take a Hike guides and empowers these youth to blaze a trail, a positive path with positive outcomes. With Take a Hike’s guidance, every youth will have an opportunity to blaze their own trail–one that is right for them, that empowers them, that gives them survival skills for life.

As an academic myself, and one who teaches now university level (though, in case you didn’t know, I also have taught high-school), I am very fond of programs like the Take A Hike. Much like the program I participated in when I was a youngster in Mexico, where I taught adult folks who lived in gang-dominated areas, Take A Hike focuses on at-risk youth (the programme where I taught focused on adults, but I think there is much value on focusing on at-risk youth, at the earlier stages of life development).

Take a Hike youth are in grades 10-12, between 15-18 years old. Participants in Take a Hike struggle with personal issues that inhibit their success in the mainstream school system. Their issues may include drug and alcohol dependencies, legal troubles, and behaviors that often result in suspensions and/or long absences from the school system. Their backgrounds can include addiction, physical and mental abuse, low self-esteem, depression, and/or trauma. Students are typically referred to Take a Hike by school counselors, principals, teachers or social workers for a chance to make lasting change.

Take A Hike Foundation will have an event soon, The Moonlight Snowshoe 2012 at Mount Seymour (one of my favorite mountains) with The Peak (a radio station I love, in Vancouver), on February 23rd. It’s a fundraiser and looks like it’ll be very fun.

A guided moonlit snowshoe trek with great people and delectable treats amongst snow-capped trees. In addition to a $20 registration fee, each registered participant commits to raise over $150 by collecting pledges from colleagues, friends and family.

FOR THE PEOPLE: A Benefit Concert for the Children of Randy Ponzio

Raul — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 09:54:00 +0000

Photo Credit: Chris Guy

I was not privileged to know the musician Randy Ponzio, but some of my own close friends were friends of his, and I would think his tragic death last year left his children in a precarious position. As you know, if you’ve read my blog for some time, I love to promote charitable causes and I can’t find a better one.
When:
February 17, 2012 (Friday)
8:00p.m. – 1:30 a.m.
Where:
The Commodore Ballroom
868 Granville St. Vancouver
Tickets:
$40 (advance)

Line-Up:
Kyprios, Chin Injeti, David Morin, Tonye Aganaba, Foundation, Beauty vs Facts, Valerie Ponzio, Jess Vaira, Alex Maher, Dan Ross, Mario Vaira, Airtights, Un-1, Aspire, Jessi Nicholson, Heads Hang Heavy, Atma, Little T, Kelsey Klassen, Ed Lam, Chantel Upshaw, Asha Moyo

In November 2011, Vancouver musician Randy Ponzio was reported missing 24 hours after leaving an upscale bar in Chinatown. Hundreds of friends and fans immediately launched a search, and mobilized tens of thousands of people through social media. Three short days later, however, the hopes of thousands turned to sorrow when the news spread of Randy’s passing.

Before this unexpected tragedy, his career was on the rise: he won the Shore 104.3 FM Song Search with his song Bigger than You and Me, he performed several shows a month, and continued to gain fans by busking on Vancouver streets. Most notably, he opened for Ziggy Marley at the Vogue Theatre, Ky-Mani Marley at the Commodore Ballroom, and Yellowman at Fortune Sound Club. His album, For the People, was released on November 8th, 2011.

Over the past few years Randy Ponzio was becoming recognized for his pop and soul sound with hints of reggae. Randy’s intense lyrics and soul-stopping voice delivered his message of hope and humanity in his music.

Much of Randy’s inspiration came from the humanitarian work he has done in places such as the Philippines, Mexico, and countries in East Africa. Prior to starting his musical career he traveled to the Philippines where he established a birth clinic and feeding program for pregnant mothers and malnourished children that is still in operation. He has also traveled to East Africa to work with children there, and was in Kenya in January 2008 where he witnessed first-hand the post-election violence the country suffered.

Tickets:
$40 (advance) available at the following:

Red Cat Records
4332 Main St. | 604.708.9422

Highlife World Music
1317 Commercial Drive | 604.251.6964

Ticketmaster and Live Nation

You can find more information on the Facebook Event Page:

The 46th Annual Variety Show of Hearts Telethon (Feb 11th and 12th)

Raul — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:29:29 +0000

I am, as you can imagine, a sucker for fundraisers. And this fundraiser, the 46th Annual Variety Show of Hearts Telethon that takes place on February 11th and 12th, is one of the biggest fundraisers in Canada. I only wish I had more time to participate, because this is a particularly busy time of the year for me.

The event raises money for Variety – The Children’s Charity. All of the money raised stays in British Columbia to help children who have special needs. The Variety Show of Hearts Telethon is hosted by the Global News Team including Chris Gailus, Jill Krop, Deborra Hope, Sophie Lui, Steven Darling, Robin Gill and Wayne Cox and features amazing stories about some of the children that Variety has helped, interspersed with fantastic concerts and performances.

The entertainment on this year’s Show of Hearts Telethon features some truly incredible performances. Saturday night kicks off at 7:00 pm with MICHAEL BUBLE: Caught in the Act, featuring performances of songs off his album, It’s Time. Then at 10:00 pm, watch VHI DIVAS CELEBRATES SOUL, featuring artists such as Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige and Kelly Clarkson. Sunday morning at 2:00 am, catch MARIAH CAREY: The Adventures of Mimi as she performs some of her biggest hits. At 4:00 am, enjoy BC’s own, BRYAN ADAMS: Live at Slane Castle, as he performs for nearly 60,000 fans at Slane Castle in Ireland.

On Sunday at 7:00 am, watch PHIL COLLINS: Going Back – Live from the Roseland Ballroom in NYC, as Collins performs some of your favourite Motown hits. Join us at 11:00 am for ADELE: Live from the Artists Den, as the singer-songwriter performs her chart-topping hits. At 1:00 pm, enjoy MUSICARES: A Tribute to Neil Young, as legendary artists such as Elton John, James Taylor and others pay tribute to Young by performing renditions of his most memorable songs. At 3:30pm, tune into PAUL SIMON & FRIENDS: Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Music, an all-star concert featuring appearances by Art Garfunkel, Marc Anthony, Alison Krauss and others.

I found out that since 1965, Variety – The Children’s Charity has raised over $155 million to help children who have special needs and their families as well as children’s organizations around British Columbia.

Variety covers the costs of out-of-town travel and accommodation while a child requires medical treatment away from home. Variety also provides grants for prescription drugs, wheelchairs, walkers, physical and occupational therapy, tutoring sessions and much more. Children’s organizations and hospitals around the province receive grants for construction and specialized equipment. Over the years Variety has also spearheaded capital campaigns to build Canuck Place, the BC Family Hearing Resource Centre, the Down Syndrome Resource Centre and Research Foundation and child development centres across British Columbia.

Visit Variety – The Children’s Charity for more information. Tune in and donate to the Variety Show of Hearts Telethon on Global BC, 7:00pm Saturday, February 11th through 6:00pm Sunday, February 12th. Call 310 KIDS (5437) – no area code needed -from anywhere in the province to make a donation. Donors will be helping Variety inspire hope, enrich lives, and build a better future for children in British Columbia.

“Fun 2 Cancer 0″ 2nd Annual Team in Training Rock Out and Beat Cancer Night

Raul — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:37:29 +0000

Speaking of cancer, my good friend Greg Mitchell is organizing his second annual fundraiser for Team In Training and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada. (Greg will be running a triathlon – an amazing feat for anyone who completes one – but he is doing this one inspired by friends of his who have fought blood cancers) This year, the line up of artists at the concert/pub night (which will take place at Library Square on February 9th) sounds really awesome. Check the Facebook page event to read about them. You can donate directly to Greg’s fundraising campaign here. And another way to donate is to buy tickets and attend the fundraiser.

Learning about what inspired Greg to run the triathlon with Team In Training really resonated with me. You can also follow Greg on Twitter here.

On Saturday night, I celebrated a milestone day with one of my closest friends. Her name is Melissa, and in addition to celebrating her 34th birthday, it marks the beginning of her 5th year in remission from Hodgkins Lymphoma. Yes, what a great way to celebrate a birthday! In addition to being one of my closest friends, she is an amazing, bright, beautiful person who I am so thankful for as a friend. Now on Sunday morning, as part of my training, I ran a 10km run, which was a little more difficult due to excessive alcohol consumption.

Anyhow, last year when I took on the challenge of completing a triathlon, it was done with Melissa formost on my mind and my thoughts as I did it. I was one of a few people who got to see and spend time with Melissa during her Chemotherapy treatment and it was humbling to see her drive and her fight. Indeed, the fight never left her eyes and she was convinced she was going to beat this thing called Cancer, and well, she did – and then some. She returned to her career, has and continues to travel, and in general thrives.

Greg is a personal friend of mine, and I strongly encourage you to join and support his fundraising efforts towards fighting blood cancers. I for one, will.

Send a Candygram on Valentine’s Day and support @ALovingSpoonful

Raul — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 20:59:06 +0000

I remember a couple of years ago I saw a video of the Candygram.ca website with my friends Jonny Staub and Fred Lee in it, and I thought “maybe I should send a couple of Candygrams myself for Valentine’s Day”. This year, the wonderful campaign that encourages you to send a candygram via the website Candygram.ca has partnered with Yelp, Purdy’s, and Shamin. My friend Tyrell Witherspoon led a flash mob to promote the Candygram, recently (read about it on Homorazzi).

Photo credit: ArtNoose on Flickr

“CandyGrams” are a playful throwback to grade-school love notes, and include a special-edition Valentine’s Day card, two delicious Purdy’s heart-shaped chocolates, a Yelpstick lip balm, Shamin’s perfect-kiss mints and a $15 gift card for Shamin Jewellers or Shamin.ca. Senders can select a friendly, flirty or frisky message from 150 options (filed under Like, Love and Lust) and can include their name, or send it as an anonymous secret admirer. For a cost of only $10, they can be sent anywhere in Canada.

Thanks to the generosity of the campaign sponsors, proceeds from the sale of CandyGrams will go directly to help those living with HIV and AIDS, supporting the amazing charity A Loving Spoonful. You may remember I’ve Blogathoned in the past and raised funds for them too. It’s a charity I’m proud to support. Last year the program raised over $20,000, and this year A Loving Spoonful hopes to top that and raise over $28,000 through the CandyGram campaign.

A Loving Spoonful is the only organization in Metro Vancouver that delivers nutritionally planned and ready-made meals to men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS. Each year they deliver over 100,000 meals to those in need, and with very little government funding, they rely on the generosity of community and corporate partners alongside fundraising events or programs such as this campaign.

CandyGrams are on sale now at Candygram.ca, and a limited number of 3500 are available for 2012. For on-time delivery (via Canada Post) by Valentine’s Day orders must be placed by February 6th for Eastern Canada, and February 9th for Western Canada.

About A Loving Spoonful
A Loving Spoonful is a volunteer-driven not-for-profit organization that provides free, nutritious meals as well as nutritional support to people living with HIV or AIDS. On a weekly basis, and for the last 20 years, A Loving Spoonful volunteers deliver frozen meals and snack packs to men, women and children who are primarily homebound and living with HIV/AIDS. Maintaining superior health standards in each and every meal, alongside a minimal cost per plate, A Loving Spoonful provides for those who most need it; supporting their healthy living and healing efforts. A LovingSpoonful offers the priceless peace-of-mind granted by always knowing where one’s next meal is coming from, even if they lack the resources or physical ability to provide for themselves. For more information, please visit A Loving Spoonful’s website.

The Vancouver Sun Children’s Fund

Raul — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 20:17:27 +0000

As an educator (and someone who has been a supporter of the non-profit sector in Vancouver for years), I’m always constantly looking for ways to promote initiatives that improve the livelihoods of young kids. While food and shelter are simply vital, I strongly believe that education is also relevant (particularly because being educated increases our chances of finding or creating our own jobs).

I recently found out through my friends Gillian Shaw and Crystal Kwon about an initiative launched by The Vancouver sun: The Vancouver Sun Children’s Fund. A brief summary of the history of this initiative:

When inner-city school teacher Carrie Gelson put out her heartwrenching notice in September that her students at Admiral Seymour elementary in Vancouver were arriving at school hungry and in need of warm clothing, she touched a nerve with Vancouver Sun readers, who responded by generously donating goods and funds to the school. Her story, which has echoes throughout inner-city schools all over Metro Vancouver, also prompted The Vancouver Sun Children’s Fund to launch a special fundraising project called Adopt-a-School.

One of the questions that I always have when looking at a charitable project is whether said project will have an integrated view (e.g. funding education but also providing some of the basic needs like warm clothing, food, etc. if there is space for that). I am happy that (from the excerpt I read), the Vancouver Sun Children’s Fund has thought about that too:

With Adopt-a-School, our goal is to raise not only money and awareness to address the needs in individual schools as identified by their educators – the fund will match every penny donated by readers – but also to act as a conduit so that Sun readers can immediately donate goods such as coats and shoes and gloves directly to those schools and students who need them most as we head into winter.

You can donate to this worthy cause here. Interested schools can apply here for the funding (opens to a PDF).

World AIDS Day and the Treatment As Prevention Campaign

Raul — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 17:50:10 +0000

photo credit: Jayel Aheram

I have several friends who work for the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, and as you may know, World AIDS day is this Thursday, Dec. 1st. I remember the first time I heard about AIDS and HIV, and how concerned people were with the possibilities of transmission (it’s no longer a ‘gay male disease’, as people mistakenly seem to think – HIV can affect anyone, regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation).

One of the biggest obstacles the HIV community is still facing today is the stigma associated with the illness. And it is no secret that one of the causes I am most passionate about is HIV/AIDS.

This World AIDS Day, the BC Centre for launching a campaign with the goal of spreading awareness about HIV and to have British Columbians join their pledge and commit to be tested (Treatment as Prevention). They will be launching a brand new website and social media strategy for this campaign. The video below explains the advancements in the treatment of HIV, largely thanks to research conducted right here in Vancouver (and I will be the first one to say that I love the work that Dr. Julio Montaner has done in this field).

To keep the momentum going after World AIDS Day, the BC Centre of Excellence in HIV/AIDS will be launching some interesting and cool online activities. You can find out more on the Treatment As Prevention site, their Facebook page, follow them on Twitter (the hashtag is #TasP and for World AIDS Day #WAD).

CrowdOutAIDS #CrowdOutAIDS

Raul — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 15:00:08 +0000

HIV and its progression to AIDS is a lethal disease that has ravaged humanity for a couple of decades now, and whether I like it or not, the male gay community remains one of the highest at-risk populations (due to, amongst other things, the particular HIV transmission mechanisms and routes of insertion into the blood stream). Youth (be it straight or queer) is also at high risk.

I found some startling statistics from the United Nations State of the World Population Report 2005:

Of the over 1 billion youth (ages 15-24) worldwide, some 10 million are living with HIV: Every day, an estimated 6,000 youth are infected with the virus. Research from around the world shows an alarming degree of misinformation and lack of knowledge about HIV/AIDS among young people, especially young women. The majority lack access to effective prevention programmes, while many cannot access condoms. Of the 15-24 year old young people living with HIV, 63 per cent live in sub-Saharan Africa and 21 per cent live in Asia-Pacific. In Eastern Europe and Central Asia, more than 80 per cent of those living with HIV are under the age of 30.

I found out my friend Kris Krug is collaborating with UNAIDS on a project called CrowdOutAIDS, and given my particular fondness for queer issues (note for example my writing about Project Empty Bowl, my Blogathon for A Loving Spoonful, my promotion of Brunch With Benefits for YouthCO and my highlighting of Dining Out For Life every year for a little sampler).

This project sounds really cool as it asks people to provide input on what they think a global youth AIDS strategy should look like. You can learn more from the website here:

Every day, 3,000 young people become infected with HIV and many of the 5 million young people living with HIV are without access to treatment. To change this, UNAIDS needs a new approach to HIV and young people. How to do this? CrowdOutAIDS is a collaborative online project to develop a new way for UNAIDS to work with young people. It uses online tools to help young people come together to crowdsource a UNAIDS youth strategy on HIV.

CrowdOutAIDS will:

Connect young people who want to help out through tools like Facebook, blogs, Orkut and Google docs.

Engage in conversations about the key issues young people face.

Put decision-making in the hands of young people.

Collectively agree on actions—and get young people to draft the strategy!

You can connect with CrowdOutAIDS and participate in the project in their various social platforms.

SPEAKING OF TASTE BUDS, the Art of Food Writing (Nov 28th)

Raul — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 15:00:50 +0000

I know it’s hard to categorize me in one specific area, but for the most part, I think most people will agree that I am a food writer, at least a substantial portion of my blog posts’ are dedicated to food. I have reviewed over 325 restaurants in Vancouver, British Columbia and other parts of Canada. And while I sometimes joke about being a foodie (I know some folks loathe the word), I do enjoy eating out and sharing my experiences.

While I am not someone who has taken a course on food writing but I’m always curious to hear other people’s perspectives on the topic, and thus I find Speaking of Taste Buds, The Art of Food Writing a really interesting event (and on top of everything, it’s at my alma mater, UBC, in the residence where I used to live, Green College).

Featuring an accomplished panel of Canadian food writers, this fundraiser promises to be both informative and delicious! On the panel are Food Network host Anna Olson, Globe and Mail restaurant critic Alexandra Gill, and editor and founder of Scout Magazine Andrew Morrison. With canapés and bar service provided by Westcadia Catering.

All proceeds go directly to the KidSafe Writers’ Room, a charitable program that works with inner-city kids in East Vancouver to build lifelong literacy skills through creative writing projects, tutoring and mentorships. Writers’ Room volunteer tutors provide one-on-one support so that each child receives the attention that he or she deserves.

Hosted by Taryn Boyd of the Literary Press Group of Canada.

Date: Monday, November 28, 2011
Time: 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Location: Cecil Green Park House, University of British Columbia,
6251 Cecil Green Park Road, Vancouver, BC
Price: $100 (Includes your donation to the Writers’ Room, canapés and a copy of Anna Olson’s brand-new book, Back to Baking. Additional copies of the book will be available for purchase/signing at the event—and they are great for gifts!).

You can get tickets here. Consider supporting this event! Sounds like it will be a lot of fun!

For Our Daughters: From Ghana to Granville Street (Nov 23rd)

Raul — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 22:45:17 +0000

Given that my academic research is keenly focused on narrowing the poverty gap, I am always keen to promote events about foundations focused on empowering women, reducing poverty and with focus (in general, but not limited to) on Africa. I’m currently doing research on water and energy poverty, and one of the country case studies will be Ghana. So that’s why I was keen to write about For Our Daughters – From Ghana to Granville.

For Our Daughters — From Ghana to Granville Street
Wednesday, Nov. 23 at Vogue Theatre (918 Granville St.), 7 pm.

Presented by the Vancouver-based charity, Create Change Foundation will be an inspirational evening featuring four girls from Northern Ghana, each a recent high school graduate thanks to Create Change’s dedication to helping girls get access to secondary education in the region.

Join Fayuda, Gladys, Beatrice and Faiza, and special musical guests The Boom Booms and The Reckoners, as these remarkable young women share their struggles and ultimate triumph in getting an education in a society that undervalues their contributions. Learn how women’s education has changed the lives of these four girls and how it can help to break the cycle of poverty in the developing world.

Tickets $30/$20 and can be purchased online.

UPDATE – The organizers of For Our Daughters: From Ghana to Granville Street have given me 3 pairs of tickets to give away for the show. All you need to do is either drop a comment on this post telling me who inspires you or tweet the following (if you do both, I’ll count it as 2 entries):

Shared my inspiration on @hummingbird604 ‘s blog for a chance to win tix to For Our Daughters via @createchangenow http://is.gd/3B3SJw

I will draw 2 winners on Tuesday November 22nd at 2pm. Check back this post or your Twitter stream. Tickets will be held at will call (I’ll tell the winner the code to pick them up). Good luck everyone! And in case you wanted to know who inspires me, my Mom is my biggest source of inspiration.

Bedouin Soundclash at Venue – Benefit Concert for Broadway Youth Resource Centre

Raul — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 17:00:55 +0000

Given that I live in Mount Pleasant and that I am so involved with causes of homelessness and youth, I thought that this would be very fitting for my blog. I found out that Virgin Mobile Canada, through Virgin Unite (their charitable arm), are raising awareness and thus are holding a concert with Bedouin Soundclash from where proceeds will be donated to the Broadway Youth Resource Centre (which is located on Broadway and Fraser on Mount Pleasant). I really like Bedouin Soundclash, and it is indeed a fact that this kind of benefit concert is totally up my alley.

Right now, 65,000 Canadian youth don’t have a place to call home. That’s the same as the population of Saint John, New Brunswick. In partnership with Virgin Unite, we’re on a mission to raise awareness of an epidemic of youth homelessness in Canada. Over 65,000 young people endure homelessness in this country every year. We’re working on new programs that will create opportunities for our community to inspire real change for these young people, and that’s where we need your help. We want to make November 17th National Youth Homelessness Awareness Day to show the government that we need lasting solutions and not temporary band-aids

Proceeds from the show will support Virgin Unite partner Broadway Youth Resource Centre. Located in Vancouver, Broadway Youth Resource Centre is an integrated one-stop centre that provides a wide range of social, health, education, employment and life skills services to homeless and at-risk youth between the ages of 12 and 24.

Tickets for the Bedouin Soundclash show on December 1, 2011 are $25 each (plus applicable service charges) and will be available for purchase online at Ticket Web starting at 10:00 a.m. PST on October 21, 2011. Concertgoers must be 19+ and doors will open at 8:00 p.m. PST. Whether or not they can make it to the show, Canadians can support Virgin Unite by texting REGEN to 30333 from their mobile phone to donate $5 for at-risk and homeless youth programs in Canada.

And because I love my readers and Virgin Mobile Canada is being so kind, I have a pair of tickets to give away to the concert. I will hold the giveaway for about a week, drawing winners on November 4th, 2011 at 2pm. so you should enter FAST. And if you don’t win, you can always buy tickets as indicated above, at Ticket Web.

To enter, write on the comments something that you would think could help at-risk homeless youth in Canada (or worldwide). As I often tell my Public Policy students, no suggestion is too crazy. To gain an additional entry feel free to post the following on your Twitter stream:

Commented on youth homelessness on @hummingbird604 ‘s blog http://is.gd/Xtx0CD 2 enter 2 win tix 2 @bedouinsndclsh via @virginmobilecan

I will draw a random winner from all entries up to November 4th, 2011 at 2pm. And remember, with the weather being this cold, please consider buying a warm beverage to someone who might not be as lucky as you to have a roof above their heads.

Brunch With Benefits (Fundraiser for @YouthCo)

Raul — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:45:32 +0000

I’ve blogged before about Brunch With Benefits, but lately (and by lately I mean, the past 3 years) I have made more of an effort to promote charitable causes that deal with issues that affect the queer population, so I’m writing about it again (and I will be attending the 2011 event).

HIV is still one of the diseases that affects gay men in a significant proportion, so I am quite keen to support non-profit organizations like YouthCO (in addition to the fact that I have good friends either working for YouthCO or on the board).

YouthCO is Canada’s first youth-driven organization leading the HIV and Hep C movement through peer education, support, and shared leadership.

So, why support Brunch With Benefits, you ask?

Approximately one third of all new HIV-positive tests in Canada are among youth aged 15-29 years, and the numbers are just as high when it comes to Hepatitis C. Now more than ever there is a need for effective prevention, education and support programs by and for young people.

YouthCO has been providing such services for over 16 years and has been recognized nationally as a leader and advocate for youth sexual health. By supporting Brunch with Benefits you are promoting the current and future health of our community.

There are 10 restaurants participating at Brunch With Benefits. 2 that I recall off the top of my head are: Market by St. Georges and The Helm.

Brunch with Benefits 2011 will be happening on Sunday, November 27th at 10 participating restaurants around Vancouver. Enjoy brunch with your friends and family and a portion of the proceeds will go towards YouthCO‘s HIV and Hep C prevention, support and awareness programs for young people.

I will post the complete list of restaurants once I hear back from my friend Michael Reid, who works for YouthCO. The list so far is quite impressive. Check it out! And if you can’t make it for brunch that Sunday, you can still donate directly.

Arts Umbrella Splash 2011 at Performance Works Saturday October 15th

Raul — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 21:26:05 +0000

If there is one day when I regret having to travel is this Saturday. One of the most fun friends I have (Jonny Staub, the mid-day DJ for The Beat 94.5 FM) is MC-ing an amazing fundraiser this weekend (which means you still can get your tickets for tomorrow’s event): Splash, the arts auctioning/gala/fundraiser for Arts Umbrella.

Splash is Vancouver’s most established charitable art events featuring a stunning collection of works by some of Canada’s most prominent artists. The event is truly an experience, a feast for the senses, including a cocktail reception, a fine wine and food experience, performances by Arts Umbrella students, a hot DJ revving the party up and of course, 100 engaging contemporary artworks. More than 500 guests attend for the chance to bid on coveted artworks, raising much-needed funds for Arts Umbrella.

Established artists whose creative works will be auctioned off at the Splash Gala will include Gordon Smith, Ross Penhall and Bobbie Burgers.

Splash 2011
Arts Umbrella’s 29th Annual Art Auction & Gala
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Performance Works, Granville Island
6:30pm to midnight
For tickets and more information you can check the Arts Umbrella website.

I had a chance to give a quick tour of the VIP event (I couldn’t stay long as I was triple-booked. I hope my photo set can give you an idea of the amazing art that will be auctioned. This promises to be a fantastic event not to be missed.

You should totally check this event out, and bid on some art!

Save Your Skin Foundation (Cruise for a Cause)

Raul — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 00:46:23 +0000

As you know, cancer has taken away a number of important people in my life … my friend Derek K. Miller this year, my grandmother, my 2 aunts and recently, even though I only met him once and I never voted here, of relevance to all Canadians, Jack Layton among many, many others. I feel it’s important that I promote fundraisers and events for cancer research and awareness whenever I can.

In case you you missed it, I’ve blogged about the Save Your Skin foundation here. If the cause of skin cancer touches you, directly or indirectly, you should think about attending the Cruise for a Cause fundraiser:

On Friday August 26, 2011 the Save Your Skin Foundation is holding its 4th Annual Cruise For A Cause Boat cruise fundraiser. The highly anticipated event is back cruising around the city of Vancouver all for a good cause. Come aboard the Queen of Diamonds for a night that includes, a three course dinner, entertainment, door prizes, silent auction and much more. All proceeds go towards the Save Your Skin Foundation to help bring awareness to and help those touched by melanoma skin cancer.

For more information or tickets, visit the Save Your Skin Foundation website.

It will be an entertaining evening with great food and good entertainment, all for the cause of melanoma skin cancer. Hopefully many of you will be able to check it out.

Adult Pirate Pak at White Spot (with $2 donations to Zajac Ranch for Children)

Raul — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 18:44:44 +0000

photo credit: jaci XIII

I’ve always been a fan of White Spot, and I do have a soft spot for their ‘Pirate Pak’ which are back today, August 17th, and raise money for Zajac Ranch for Children. From the press release I was sent:

To celebrate the fourth annual Pirate Pak Day on Wednesday, August 17, $2 from the sale of each kids and adult Pirate Pak and contributions received in lieu of Pirate Paks will be donated to the Zajac Ranch. Zajac Ranch is a longtime B.C. charity dedicated to giving children with life-threatening illnesses and chronic disabilities an unforgettable summer camp experience. With more than $105,000 raised over the past three years, White Spot has sent a total of 50 kids to Zajac Ranch since 2008.

A traditional White Spot menu favourite since 1968, the Pirate Pak was first created by Nat Bailey to provide a unique dining experience for kids age 10 and under. The children’s Pirate Pak costs $5.99 and is available in a range of delicious options including two slider burgers, a regular hamburger, grilled cheese sandwich, Pirate Pals crispy-coated chicken, macaroni and cheese or lightly battered Pacific Cod. White Spot’s special edition ‘Adult Pak’ will be available Wednesday, August 17 only, and starting at $10.49, features a choice of four mouth-watering burger options including the Legendary Burger, Bacon Cheddar Bigger Burger, Provolone Veggie Burger on a multigrain bun and the BC Chicken Burger. Each meal is served in the iconic boat and comes complete with fresh-cut fries, a soft drink, a scoop of ice cream and a chocolate “gold” coin.

Exactly 775,592 Pirate Paks were sold last year.
Since 1968, more than 22 million Pirate Paks have been sold.
With the option of one per cent milk, juice and new sides like veggies and dip, grapes and steamed vegetables, there are more than 675 different Kids Pirate Pak combinations.
The Pirate Pak boat is 100 percent recyclable.
The most popular Pirate Pak item is the Pirate Pak Hamburger made with 100 per cent fresh Canadian beef and famous secret Triple “O” sauce.

Some facts about White Spot

Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, White Spot is a B.C. legend. Founded in 1928, when Nat Bailey launched Canada’s first drive-in restaurant at Granville and 67th, the 83-year-young chain now sees more than 17 million guests annually at 121 White Spot and Triple O’s locations throughout B.C., Alberta and Asia. Bailey’s original vision was to build a restaurant that served the highest quality, unique tasting food and White Spot remains committed to continuing this tradition in each and every meal.

The Prints Show

jessica — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 18:39:40 +0000

The Prints Show has been put together entirely by the joint efforts of North Vancouver photographers Andy White and Leon Kozlov. The whole idea behind the show was a fundraiser for cancer research in loving memory and honour of Linda Rosetti.

The goal was to accumulate 100 pictures from local photographers, amateurs or professionals. The fundraiser happens in Lynn Valley on August 18^th as a silent auction for the prints: one copy of each is up for grabs, with the hopes of raising $3,000 in one night. The benefit money goes towards Inspire Health: Integrated Cancer Care for attention and care to support cancer patients.

The event will be held at the Lynn Valley Community Meeting Room in the Lynn Valley Library – 1277 Lynn Valley Road on August 18th from 5PM – 8PM. Follow them on Twitter @thePrintsShow for more information.

Le Jazz Hot (Fundraiser for YouthCo AIDS Society) July 25th, 2011

Raul — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 19:00:15 +0000

photo credit: Fillmore Photography

The fight against HIV/AIDS happens to be one of the charitable causes that I champion the most. YouthCO AIDS Society is an organization that I really like and whose purpose I firmly believe in. Youth affected with HIV/AIDS is perhaps one of the most vulnerable target populations and therefore any projects and programs that intend to empower and help HIV-afflicted youth is high on my good books.

YouthCo is Canada’s first youth-driven organization leading the HIV and HepC movement through peer education, support, and shared leadership. And they’re organizing a very worthy event, Le Jazz Hot, with the cast of Hairspray (you may have read my review of The Arts Club rendition of Hairspray). More information on the Facebook event page.

Cast Members From the Arts Club Theatre’s HAIRSPRAY Sizzle in a One-Night Only Benefit Cabaret in support of YouthCO!

TICKETS: $25 in advance at Vancouver Tix (604)629-8849 or at Little Sisters & Priape, $30 at the door

Created by Vancouver local and Broadway entertainer, Ian Yuri Gardner, cast members From the Arts Club Theatre’s HAIRSPRAY and several local entertainers will Sizzle in a One-Night Only benefit cabaret in support of YouthCO! From Broadway to Burlesque, the show will solo and ensemble music, dance and audience interactive numbers in a setting of a 1930s/40 speakeasy.

There will also be an opportunity to win a variety of door prizes including tickets to other shows from the Arts Club Theatre. This event features J. Cameron Barnett, Jak Barradell, Wendy Bollard, Kayla Dunbar, Joan E
Allison Fligg, Ian Yuri Gardner, Carlotta Gurl, Anna Kuman, Jennie Neumann, Colin Sheen, Cailin Stadnyk, Robyn Wallis and many more including members of the cast of HAIRSPRAY. The event is produced by VBY Entertainment & 16th Ave Productions

Vancouver Five Hole For Food 2011 Mainstream Media Game on Granville Street #FHFF

Raul — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 23:27:58 +0000

ZOMG. I had SO much fun playing in the mainstream media/celebrity game this afternoon, alongside Dawn Chubai (Breakfast Television), Gillian Shaw (The Vancouver Sun), Hosea Cheung (24 Hours Vancouver), Rhiaz Meghji (Breakfast Television), Erin Loxam (News 1130), Norma Reid (CTV) and many others whose name escape me.

I had a chance to chat with Justin Kripps (Olympian, bobsled) and it was A LOT OF FUN. I was in the team that played against Minna and at some points we fought hard to win control of the ball. I also got to say hi to the main guy behind this, Richard Loat (who also happens to be a friend of mine).

I’m so glad we got to be a part of Five Hole For Food. You can still go and play, donate (remember, monetary donations amount to more food per dollar) and support this great event. And I got to see and smile at Matthew Morrison from GLEE (this was totally serendipitous). And my Mom had a great time meeting everyone.

Richard Loat, Dixon Tam, Phoenix Lam, Crystal Kwon, Joyce Wu and the rest of the volunteers, and all of my supporters and fans (including Esmir Milavic, Conner Galway and many others who just showed up to say “you can do it”) – thank you so much. It was a great experience. And thanks to Gus Fosarolli for being the official photographer of Hummingbird604.com today and my Mom’s official wingman.

You can see how competitive Dawn Chubai and Justin Kripps can get! And below, supporter Conner Galway keeps a close look on how well (or bad) we’re playing!

I *almost* look like I know what I’m doing, don’t I?

The rest of my photos (well, Gus’ photos) is on my Flickr stream.

Project Empty Bowl 2011 (Fundraiser for A Loving Spoonful) at the Coast Coal Harbour Hotel

Raul — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 22:18:03 +0000

photo credit: gurms

In the Maslow hierarchy of needs, food, water and breathing are some of the most basic needs of human beings. Disenfranchised people afflicted with HIV/AIDS potentially (and in some cases/countries, frequently) face this most basic challenge: ensuring that they can consume nutritious meals in enough quantity to sustain their bodies and help them fight the deathly virus. I have been a fan of the amazing work that A Loving Spoonful has been doing since 1989, as a volunteer-driven, non-partisan Society that provides free, nutritious meals to people living with HIV/AIDS in Greater Vancouver. In 2007 I Blogathoned fundraising for A Loving Spoonful, as it is a cause near and dear to my heart.

Tonight (July 7th, 2011), along with my Mom, I will be attending Project Empty Bowl 2011 at the Coast Coal Harbour Hotel. You may ask yourself – what is Project Empty Bowl?

Since its inception in the early 1990’s Project Empty Bowl has fed thousands of individuals with AIDS locally and tens of thousands globally. It began when John Harton, a teacher in Bloomfield, MT, asked his high school ceramic students to make enough bowls to give a luncheon for the school staff. For $5 each, the guests received a simple meal of soup and bread, served in one of the handmade bowls. Guests were asked to accept their now empty bowls as a gift and to keep them as a reminder of all the empty bowls that still need filling. The money raised was donated to the local food bank.

Project Empty Bowl has become an annual signature fundraising event for A Loving Spoonful. The sole purpose of Project Empty Bowl is to raise funds so that A Loving Spoonful can continue delivering free meals and nutritional counselling & education to men, woman and children fighting HIV/AIDS.

With your help, we hope to make Project Empty Bowl 2011 the most successful fundraising event to date!

Date: July 7th, 2011
Location: Coast Coal Harbour Hotel (Map & Directions)
Ticket Sales: Early Bird: $85 until June 24th $100 – June 25th – July 7th
Phone: 604.682.6325 Follow on Twitter #PEB2011

I would think you can still get tickets, and if so, you should totally attend. It’ll be an amazing gala.

UPDATE – below some of my photos of the gala

My Mom with Lisa Martella, Executive Director of A Loving Spoonful

Alex, the Director of Operations of ALS, Kodi and Jonny Staub

Todd Johnson, Winner of 2011 Gay Top Model and a really lovely fellow all around

Five Hole For Food Charity Final Game July 9th (Vancouver)

Raul — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 06:00:17 +0000

I have no clue how to play street hockey. In fact, I have no idea about hockey. All I know is a few (rather charming) Vancouver hockey players. I also know that many of my good friends are either experienced hockey players or fans of the Vancouver Canucks (I’m a fan too, without really understanding much about the game). But there’s one easy way to get me to do things: invite me to participate in a charity event to raise funds for a worthy cause.

And so yes, on Saturday July 9th (at 1pm, in my case) you will be seeing me play in the Five Hole For Food Final Game in the originating city, Vancouver, around Granville street along with a few media celebrities (in my case, I was supposed to play with the Vancouver social media crew, but since my Mom is visiting, I asked to be moved to the mainstream media one). My good friend Minna, co-founder of The Network Hub, is also playing on that same game because of a commitment she has at the time of the social media game. But – Minna IS an extremely experienced street hockey player. There will be three ball hockey courts set up on Granville Street between Robson and Smithe streets – Minna and I (and I’m sure a few other media celebrities like Dawn Chubai, Chris Pallisers, etc.) will be playing on Court #1.

So what’s in it for me?

I love the team behind Five Hole For Food. Several of the people behind it, including Richard Loat (the founder), Dixon Tam, Gina Vesnaver, Crystal Kwon, Phoenix Lam, Lesley Chang, Laureen Tang, Joyce Wu, Alissa Sadler, and Marc Smith are either friends of mine, or fans/readers of my blog, or both.

I love the cause. Five Hole For Food is a charity event that raises funds for food banks across Canada. I had the opportunity (and the sad experience) to see really long lines of people lining up to get food at the Mount Pleasant Community Centre (I imagine this was something to do with the food bank). I am really blessed to have a job that allows me to put food on the table on a regular basis. So I really want to encourage people to donate to Five Hole For Food, or bring donations to the Vancouver Food Bank.

You should also remember that monetary donations generate a 1 to 3 ($1 donated generates $3 worth of food). You can make monetary donations via PayPal here.

So come by from 12pm to 6pm, and come see me play at 1pm and make a total fool of myself in the name of raising funds for the Vancouver Food Bank. See you there! The hashtag on Twitter is #FHFF and the Twitter account where you can follow the team is @fiveholeforfood.

Disclosures: I have no affiliation with Five Hole For Food other than being friends with the team. My interest is only to promote a charitable event. The Vancouver Canucks have generously offered to loan me a Canucks jersey to wear the day of the game. This jersey won’t be donated to me and I will be returning it to the Canucks after the game.