FacebookTwitterYouTubeInstagram

All That Kids Can Be

/All That Kids Can Be

From Poverty to Politics

Rose wants to be the first Indigenous prime minister—and she’s on the right path thanks to a United Way program.

Rose overcame mental health struggles with the help of a United Way tutoring program

“Growing up was tough—I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety as a kid. By the time I was a teenager, most days I just wanted to sleep all day, rather than face the world. I couldn’t eat, shower or even brush my teeth.

In grade nine, I started attending a United Way-funded tutoring and mentoring program after school, and the support I had there made such a big difference.
During high school, my family struggled with poverty, which made life very hard. After we paid for rent or other necessities, sometimes we couldn’t afford to pay our heating bill, or had no money left over for food.

Eventually, my family of five became homeless and […]

2019-01-22T14:12:06-07:00January 22nd, 2019|All That Kids Can Be, From Poverty to Possibility, Healthy People, Healthy Communities, Impact Stories|
Read More

A Place to Find Comfort

When Nuhaa’s family first moved to Canada, it was a difficult adjustment. But a United Way program made it easier.

“I was born in Syria, but when I was four, my family had to leave because it was too dangerous there. So we went to Jordan. I liked it there because my grandparents and aunts and uncles would spend summers with us. When I was eight, we moved to Canada because my parents thought we could have a better life here.

Coming to Canada was not good and not bad. I was excited about meeting other people, but I missed my family and I was scared of going to school because I was shy. I was afraid nobody would want to play with me or be my friend because I didn’t speak English.

An after-school program helped Nuhaa feel more […]

2019-01-22T14:06:58-07:00January 22nd, 2019|All That Kids Can Be, Healthy People, Healthy Communities, Impact Stories|
Read More

A Lesson in Empowerment

Emily struggled at school, but a United Way program helped her get on track.

Emily says a United Way high school completion program kept her motivated and accountable.

“When I was in grade 11, I had a big falling-out with my family and ended up moving out. After I left my family home, I felt really overwhelmed by having to manage school and life. Just getting to school was a challenge on its own, even without the homework. And there was a lot of homework, because I was in advanced placement classes. I was falling behind. I would get the bare minimum done and I missed so many assignments. My attendance record was bad.

Then I connected with a United Way high school completion program and the staff really motivated me to want to be there. They were people I needed to be accountable to. I knew […]

2019-01-22T14:00:45-07:00January 22nd, 2019|All That Kids Can Be, Healthy People, Healthy Communities, Impact Stories|
Read More

Finding Home Again – United Way of Northern BC

United Way agencies helped AJ when he left home as a teen. Now, he’s reconnected with his family, thinking about school, and helping other young people.

When AJ was experiencing homelessness, United Way helped him get support.

When I was nine or 10, I was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). That led to other diagnoses: generalized anxiety and depression.

Growing up, I was in the gifted program at school, but I got into shouting matches with my teachers. Things like that happened a lot. Teachers were constantly telling me to leave. Eventually, I did — I’m a high school dropout. I pretty much stopped going to school in Grade 10.

My first job was working at a fast food restaurant, where they viewed me as difficult because I wouldn’t take out the trash. My refusal to take out the trash was because of my OCD, which was germ-related […]

2019-01-22T13:28:29-07:00January 22nd, 2019|All That Kids Can Be, Healthy People, Healthy Communities, Impact Stories|
Read More

Overcoming Homelessness to Help Others

Travis went from experiencing homelessness to studying at university. Now, he’s helping others get their lives on track.

Travis works part time at a local shelter, where he uses his own past to help people experiencing homelessness.

“Becoming homeless was really stressful. The first time I really didn’t have anywhere to stay, I spent the night on the shores of a lake in my neighbourhood. I didn’t know what else to do.

It started when I was 15—I was removed from my family home by the police when things got really bad one day. I ended up doing a lot of couch surfing, but thankfully, I only spent a few nights outside.

Things didn’t get better when I graduated from high school; they actually got worse. I was still angry and hurt. I ended up hitchhiking across the country, getting into drugs and living on the streets.

2019-01-22T13:33:23-07:00December 22nd, 2018|All That Kids Can Be, From Poverty to Possibility, Healthy People, Healthy Communities, Impact Stories|
Read More

Reading Between The Lines

When Jayce’s kids fell behind in reading, a United Way program helped them improve their skills—and their confidence.

“When I learned that my daughter, Nadine, was reading at a pre-K level in grade 2, it felt like a punch to the gut. I’m a single mother of four kids and had just entered university. I was so busy, I didn’t realize she was floating under the radar. Once I knew, though, my focus became enhancing all my kids’ learning abilities.

At first, I thought a literacy camp would just give Nadine extra practice, but right away, she showed so much improvement. She came home every day with stories about reading books with the volunteers, and I thought, ‘I want my daughter to have this much excitement reading with her mom.’ Within the first week, I was getting pamphlets on how to make reading fun and engaging for […]

2019-01-22T14:04:10-07:00October 10th, 2018|All That Kids Can Be, Impact Stories|
Read More

Orange Day 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

September 24, 2018

United Way of Northern BC – Indigenous Early Years Table (Success x 6) and Prince George Early Years will honour Orange Shirt Day on September 27, 2018 in Prince George.  (Original day is September 30th)

Orange Shirt Day: Every Child Matters is a grassroots event that acknowledges the harm that Canada’s residential school system had on generations of Indigenous families and their communities. The original day was September 30, but this year, Orange Shirt Day 2018 will be on September 27, 2018.  Canadians are asked to wear orange as as sign of support.

Orange Shirt Day: Every Child Matters  is a day to Listen, Learn and Celebrate Aboriginal Culture.  Orange Shirt Day is an opportunity for First Nations, local governments, schools and communities to come together in the spirit of reconciliation and hope for generations […]

2018-09-24T16:36:43-07:00September 24th, 2018|All That Kids Can Be, Events|
Read More

Community Investment Grant awarded to Friends of Children

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Thursday, 13th September 2018

United Way of Northern BC Community Investment Grant awarded to Friends of Children

Prince George, BC – United Way of Northern BC (UWNBC) is pleased to announce that it has awarded a $2,500 grant for the 2018-2019 funding cycle to Friends of Children Society for its Northern BC Family Support Program.  

Each year not-for-profit agencies, that provide community social programming, can apply for Community Investment Funding from the United Way of Northern BC.  UWNBC focuses on three main pillars – to move people From Poverty to Possibility;  develop Healthy People, Strong Communities and to allow children to develop into All that Kids Can Be.

United Way’s mission is to meet the urgent human needs and improve social conditions by mobilizing the community’s volunteer and financial […]

2018-09-24T16:48:58-07:00September 13th, 2018|All That Kids Can Be, Healthy People, Healthy Communities|
Read More

United Way Sends Early Years On the Road

Prince George, BC – United Way of Northern BC (UWNBC) was recently awarded $250,000 by the Ministry of Child & Family Development to strengthen Early Years initiatives for children 0-6 years old in the region. United Way understands every community has different needs and as a result, Sandra Sasaki, UWNBC Early Years Regional Director and Lori Armstrong, UWNBC Early Years Regional Coordinator, hit the road and spent time in Quesnel on Tuesday, September 19, meeting local stakeholders and community leaders.

What children experience in the womb and before the age of six has a lifelong impact on their ability to participate in the economy and in society. Ensuring every child receives the best possible start is an important investment in the future prosperity and quality of life for everyone in the province.

Research shows that every dollar spent in the early years (0-6) on quality learning, development, parenting […]

2017-09-21T10:10:28-07:00September 21st, 2017|All That Kids Can Be, Media Release, Success by 6|
Read More