RCRG - Blog - A Summer of Firsts
Did you know?
More than 100 young leaders have graduated from the Youth Now program.
Each year, over 100 non-profit professionals attend our training opportunities.
Over two dozen non-profit organizations have participated in the Youth Now program.
The CCRR provides nearly 400 child care referrals per year.
On average, the CCRR hosts 30 workshops and training courses each year.
Every year, over 500 child care providers and parents attend CCRR training opportunities.
Every year, RCRG completes over 3,000 grocery orders for local seniors.
Nearly 300 seniors make use of our Better at Home services.
Our volunteer drivers complete more than 1,200 trips annually.
At least 350 people per year find a volunteer position using our Volunteer Match program.
Close to 500 volunteers support RCRG’s programs and services.
Volunteers contribute nearly 23,000 hours to our organization each year.
Each holiday season, the Richmond Christmas Fund helps more than 2,200 low-income residents.
Every year, the Christmas Fund provides over 600 children with toys, books, and sports equipment.
The Richmond Christmas Fund was first started by Ethel Tibbits, in the 1930s.
The number of Neighbourhood Small Grants we’ve awarded has increased every year since 2014.
Block parties are the most popular type of Neighbourhood Small Grant project.
Every year, the Richmond Women’s Resource Centre serves over 7,300 local women.
The Richmond Women’s Resource Centre currently offers 16 programs and services.
Nearly 60 volunteers support the Richmond Women’s Resource Centre, contributing nearly 2,500 hours per year.
Richmond is home to over 350 registered charities, all of which rely on volunteer support.
There are nearly 13 million volunteers across Canada.
International Volunteer Day is celebrated throughout the world on December 5.
There are 35 volunteer centres in British Columbia.
In 2016, the Foundation awarded 10 grants to non-profit organizations, worth a combined $59,000.
The Foundation manages $6 million in 60 Forever Funds, returning, on average, CPI plus 4%.
Between 2020 and 2022, the Foundation distributed $656,000 in grants, scholarships, charitable disbursements, and Emergency Community Support Funds.
Foundation activities result in the enhancement of our community and residents’ sense of belonging.
ROCA has raised over $21,000 for local charities.
ROCA has performed its Elementary School Concert Series to over 8,000 students.
ROCA provides mentoring and life changing opportunities for aspiring musicians.
The Richmond Arts Coalition was founded in November of 2005.
RAC co-produces the ArtRich exhibition every two years!
RAC highlights Richmond's arts events in a monthly email.
The Richmond Music School is the oldest not-for-profit music school in Richmond.
The Richmond Music School offers affordable music lessons through its diverse programming.
Our students performed 40 hours of music to welcome the Olympic athletes to the 2010 Olympic Games.
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RCRG Blog

A Summer of Firsts

Published July 28, 2016

We were very lucky to have two extremely talented, incredibly hardworking co-op students join our team this summer: Michelle Hui and Vinnie Tham. Michelle was a big help in our Seniors Department, while Vinnie updated our Community Services Directory, filled in on front desk, and created a brilliant user manual for our new website. (We can't wait to share it with our members!) Oh, and Vinnie also wrote this blog post, describing her (too brief!) time at our agency. Vinnie, Michelle: thank you so much for your help this summer, and best of luck as you continue your studies!

My summer as a Program Assistant at Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives (RCRG) consisted of many memorable “firsts” for me. My main work assignments included updating the new online Community Services Directory (which consists of over 500 organizations), the Seniors Directory, and brochures. I also created manuals that will help RCRG members get the most out of our new website. These projects allowed me to use an Access database for the first time, work on the back-end of the new RCRG website, and instantly see how the content I entered on the site would be viewed by the public!

However, the beauty of working with such a diverse team was being able to explore the different opportunities at hand and experiencing the day-to-day operations of a non-profit organization.

RCRG is more than just a volunteer and information hub – it also consists of a prominent seniors department and a vibrant child care resource centre. With that being said, I had an amazing opportunity to partake in one of the many seniors programs: Shop-by-Phone grocery day! This service allows seniors who can’t shop on their own to call in and place their grocery orders. Then, the staff and volunteers head to Safeway to prepare the orders for delivery. 

From this program, I learned that it is a bit more difficult than one would think to shop for someone else’s groceries. For example, the client may request bars of soap, but what you end up finding is 5 different types of bars of soap, each with varying brands, scents, and packaging! Nonetheless, this experience led me to witness first-hand how many admirable individuals there are in our community, who contribute their time and efforts to provide services to those in need, such that they can “just know” what their clients’ taste buds and preferences are! 

From an overall academic and career standpoint, I definitely expanded upon my knowledge and learned about a working sector I wasn’t previously familiar with. But my biggest and more personal takeaway is simply having had the opportunity to work at a non-profit and understand its daily operations. 

I attended RCRG’s annual general meeting and gained a basic understanding of the meeting’s goals and functionality. I also observed how each staff member and volunteer plays a critical role in continuing the success of the organization, as well as how cohesive and supportive the team is of one another. Similarly to how I helped out in one of the seniors programs, the RCRG team has proven to be flexible and welcoming, as they are more than willing to lend a hand in assisting the different departments, such that almost every individual has experienced each other’s roles at one point or another. 

I still have a lot to learn about the non-profit sector, but to have had my first experience, especially at Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives, has been a great pleasure and an achievement in itself. 

Photo Caption: Vinnie Tham with her masterpiece - a user manual for the new RCRG website. Also, notice how, when we asked to take her photo, Vinnie merely swiveled around in her chair, so she could quickly swivel back and return to her task. We told you she was hardworking!