United Way BC - Southern Interior

06/22/2026

🆒 Keep cool out there!

With heat warnings issued by Environment Canada across British Columbia, and a Heat Advisory 🥵 in Abbotsford, we want everyone to stay cool and hydrated. We encourage everyone to take steps to stay cool and if you can, please check on your neighbours, especially those who may be isolated.

📑 To prepare for extreme weather, including heat, see our preparedness guides at https://uwbc.ca/guides.

You can also contact 211 British Columbia for information on local cooling centres and other supports. Visit https://bc.211.ca/ or call/text 2-1-1 to connect to a Resource Navigator. 📲

For more information about extreme heat and what to do, visit https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-management/preparedbc/know-your-hazards/severe-weather/extreme-heat

United, we can keep ourselves and each other safe.

06/19/2026

🚜This , we're sharing the final stops on our Food Security Team's Southern Interior tour - two more exciting projects showing just what happens when people share a vision and work together for positive change.

🍏"We visited Okanagan Fruit Tree Project's farm - 1 acre of growing space just outside of Kelowna, supporting local not-for-profits with a steady supply of vegetables. It was neat to see the progress, evolution, and potential for local communities when community agriculture is at the heart.

This United Way BC Food Hub does fruit gleaning in the Summer so we saw all the infrastructure they need for this operation.

📆From there, we travelled to the Lower Similkameen and (finally!) visited Ntamtqen Community Garden & Food Hub! The site was very undeveloped five years ago, and, today, they are finishing the main food processing building with a communal space upstairs, cold storage, root cellar, gathering space and room for a Men's Shed. They are hoping everything will be complete by Fall.

It’s impressive how quickly their infrastructure is progressing with support from United Way BC Food Infrastructure and Large Food Infrastructure Grants funding along with food hub funding.

Along with building spaces, they are growing vegetables and have planted thousands of fruit trees to bare fruit in a few years. They are also in process of setting up a native plant nursery. They called United Way BC “hardcore supporters”.

This is a project where my jaw truly drops to see how much can be done with investment, partnership and the right folks!"

Alžběta Sabová, Director, Food Security, United Way BC

Funding for the Food Infrastructure and Large Infrastructure Grants is provided by the Government of British Columbia through the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction as part of the Critical Food Infrastructure Fund, which aims to strengthen food security and access across British Columbia.

Together, we are UNITED for food security.

06/18/2026

🛣️Our Food Security Team's tour of the Southern Interior region continues. Earlier this week, Alžběta and Kristin visited United Way BC Food Hub partners in Revelstoke and Armstrong seeing how these communities are working together, with support from United Way BC, to help strengthen food access for local folks.

🍅In Revelstoke, they visited two garden spaces - Illecillewaet Garden, which received our School Food Infrastructure Grant, and the Food Commons Project, which received a Critical Food Infrastructure Grant.

The Commons project saw 2.5 acres of city-designated land developed by the Revelstoke Local Food Initiative in partnership with the Indigenous Friendship Society of Revelstoke. The site was restored and turned into an educational community farm and gathering space with programming focused on local food production, Indigenous foodways and support for youth, seniors and food-insecure residents.

🧺In Armstrong, they visited The Food Shed, which is located in Valley Direct Foods' cold storage warehouse. The Food Shed will support increased food processing, storage and distribution connecting North Okanagan schools, institutions, food banks and non-profit organizations to year-round, local, affordable food. This project is being developed with support from our Large Infrastructure Grant and is led by North Okanagan Food Hub partner, Land to Table Network Society.

"It was incredible to see the capacity and potential of all partners, and the community agriculture model in practice." Alžběta Sabová, Director, Food Security, United Way BC

Funding for the School Food Infrastructure Grant is provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the School Food Infrastructure Fund. The Large Infrastructure Grant is provided by the Government of British Columbia through the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction as part of the Critical Food Infrastructure Fund, which aims to strengthen food security and access across British Columbia.

Together, we are UNITED for food security.

06/18/2026

⚽️ FIFA excitement is here in BC! Fans, families, and communities are coming together to celebrate the global spirit of the games right here in Vancouver and across the province.

As the energy grows, let’s continue to look out for one another.❤️ Big events bring big crowds, and making sure everyone feels safe, included, and supported is part of what makes BC so special.

If you or someone you know needs support during the festivities, VictimLink BC is here 24/7. It's confidential, compassionate, and accessible. 📱

Learn more: https://uwbc.ca/helpline-services/

Let’s keep the spirit of the game rooted in kindness, connection, and care, on and off the pitch. 🌎🤝

06/17/2026

Thank you for sharing this valuable information

06/17/2026

Our thoughts are with those impacted by the wildfires burning across our province, especially those evacuated and on alert due to the Kalamoir Park Wildfire. We know this is a tense and troubling time as our neighbours in Kalamoir Park and Casa Loma deal with evacuation and uncertainty.

Our Emergency Response & Recovery team is monitoring the situation and working with impacted communities to assess needs and gaps we can help fill. From providing basic necessities to accessing mental health, we are here for our neighbours and friends.

Please remember that you can dial 2-1-1 or visit bc.211.ca if you need support: staff are ready to help you navigate resources and find assistance. If you are a loved one of someone who is impacted, and concerned about your physical or mental health, please reach out to the 211 British Columbia Helpline.

While we focus on those directly impacted, the time is still right to prepare. To help you plan for an emergency, whether wildfire, flood, or other crises, download one or our guides at: https://uwbc.ca/emergency-response-resources/

United Way British Columbia supports healthy, caring, and inclusive communities by strengthening vital connections that support people in need.

06/16/2026

🛣️United Way BC is working hard to support the health and well-being of British Columbians through our Food Security initiatives. Team members, Alžběta and Kristin are touring the Southern Interior region this week visiting communities where that work is taking place. First stops - United Way BC Food Hub partners in Cranbrook and Golden.

🔨In Cranbrook, they visited the new Food Innovation Centre, funded by our Large Infrastructure Grant. where local partner Community Connections Society of Southeast BC is leading the purchase and renovation of a building for a commercial kitchen, food storage, and processing and distribution facility to better support community members' food needs.

🥔In Golden, they visited Local Food Matters and Golden Food Bank, part of the newly established Columbia Valley Food Hub, where the focus is on the importance of partnerships in the food sector and how local food aggregation supports people and local businesses. Their food bank site offers market-like food distribution for nearly 800 individuals (over 15% of population!) and has a garden where kids can learn how to grow potatoes!

Funding for the Large Infrastructure Grant is provided by the Government of British Columbia through the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction.

Together, we are UNITED for food security.

06/14/2026

When United Way BC's Period Promise comes to an end on May 31st, we have the privilege of seeing hope in action as our workplace partners step up to support our community partners with menstrual products.

This past week, we were thrilled to meet up with Leana Andruschak, CFP, CIM from RBC, who was an incredible advocate for Period Promise.

Thank you again for your commitment to making our community stronger.

06/13/2026

The United Way BC Period Promise Campaign is only possible because of the incredible people who give so generously. Supporting these kind of hidden needs is as important as supporting those we can see, and make a huge difference in the communities we live in.

A very special thank you to Gail Neufeld, of the Kelowna Hospital Employees' Union, who coordinated the collection of over 9,500 products! Our Campaign Manager, Heather, almost needed a truck to carry them all....
You truly are a community champion.

06/11/2026

So much fun at Peachland School’s Out!
Our team joined Leana Andruschak from RBC, and Adam Blanchard from BMO Financial Group -- who is also one of United Way BC's Cabinet members-- for an afternoon of games, laughs, and creativity with the kids!
We played games, made cards for local seniors, and shared so many meaningful moments.

It was a great reminder of the real impact donor support makes—and why programs like this matter so much for young people in our community.
Bonus: the kids LOVED it 🥰 (and so did we!)