SUPER MOMS: Vancouver-based charity Cause We Care Foundation and its supporters recently came together for a fundraiser at Boulevard Kitchen and Oyster Bar. Founder Andrea Thomas Hill and event chair Vandana Varshney-Lecky welcomed guests to the sophomore running of the power lunch in support of single moms and children in need. Presented by luxury jeweler Tiffany & Co., the afternoon luau raised more than $65,000. The money will go towards funding welcome kits and amenities for the YWCA鈥檚 Cause We Care House, a 21-unit subsidized housing facility scheduled to open this fall for women and children who need a safe, affordable place to call home.
BIG COURAGE: The 18th Courage to Come Back Awards was one for the ages. A record crowd of 1,600 guests piled in to the Convention Centre for the province-wide annual campaign that pays tribute to B.C. residents who have demonstrated extraordinary courage in their recovery from illness or adversity. Business leader and philanthropist Lorne Segal once again chaired the awards dinner, which saluted six individuals. Awards were bestowed in the categories of Addiction (Jemal Damtawe), Medical (Tom Teranishi), Mental Health (Barbara Harris), Physical Rehabilitation (Christy Campbell), Social Adversity (Meredith Graham) and Youth (Coltyn Liu). The recipients鈥� stories prompted the well-heeled crowd to whip up a whopping $1.44 million for Coast Mental Health.
GIRL POWER: One Girl Can is a Vancouver-based charity that empowers young women in Africa, founded by Lotte Davis, CEO of AG Hair and originally a native of Africa herself. More than 300 dynamic influencers and business leaders attended the firm鈥檚 second annual #IWANT2BE fundraiser at the Imperial Lounge. Emceed by Shaw TV鈥檚 Fiona Forbes and presented by TD Bank, the event featured a variety of fundraising opportunities to raise cash and make a difference in the lives of young girls. Almost doubling last year鈥檚 initial haul, more than $180,000 was netted from the social mixer earmarked to build residences for students at Ganze Girls Secondary School in Kenya.
