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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Half a World Away

Published May 16, 2019

Jasnique Gill-Nahal began volunteering at RCRG just under a year ago. Like most volunteers, she wanted to give back to her community. But, having recently moved to Richmond from England, she also wanted something else: a means of connecting to her new home. She found that through volunteering, and is now helping Richmond residents new and old start volunteer journeys of their own. Volunteer writer Amanda Oye spoke with Jasnique about finding community half a world away from home.

Finding community and a sense of belonging when you have moved far away from the place you have called home your whole life is not easy. But it’s also not impossible. Just ask Jasnique Gill-Nahal, an RCRG Volunteer Match Advisor and Board Member.

Jasnique moved to Canada last year from England, and quickly got started on her volunteer journey in her new city. “It’s really important, I think, wherever you are that you are involved in the community,” says Jasnique.

Starting with what she knew, Jasnique began her search for a volunteer role at City Hall, because she has a background in politics. She soon found herself being directed to RCRG, where she decided to make an appointment with a Volunteer Match Advisor.

Based on her previous experience and her interview skills, Jasnique was encouraged to become a Volunteer Match Advisor herself. She’s been volunteering in the role ever since, helping others in the same way she was helped when she first walked in the doors of RCRG.

Jasnique’s job as an Advisor “is to ask the right questions,” she says. This is important, so she can help prospective volunteers find positions that correspond to their skills, interests, and schedule, she explains.

During a typical appointment, she will go through the different opportunities that are available – on any given day, RCRG’s database features upwards of 60 volunteer positions - and will cover how to apply. Typically, a prospective volunteer is given four to five options, and Jasnique will follow up with them after their appointment to see how everything went.

Through her role as a Volunteer Match Advisor, Jasnique meets a lot of different people from diverse backgrounds. It does not matter whether someone is a student looking for experience to put on their resume, or a recent empty-nester looking for something new in their lives – there are volunteer opportunities in Richmond for everyone.

This includes opportunities for newcomers who are working on their English. Meeting people so willing and eager to learn through volunteering “was really inspiring,” Jasnique says. Nothing should stop you from feeling like you can learn more, she explains.

Volunteering with RCRG, and being given the opportunity to impact other peoples’ lives, has been inspiring for Jasnique, and unforgettable. Making a difference in someone’s life is “something no amount of money can give you,” she says.

Jasnique’s initial experience with RCRG was so positive that, around the same time as she was applying to be a Volunteer Match Advisor, she also put forth her name to serve on the RCRG Board of Directors, to which she was elected last June.

Serving on the Board has been a great experience for Jasnique, who has found inspiration from her fellow Board Members and from all the people she encounters through her volunteer work with RCRG. “It’s just generally a really great place to be,” she says.

If you’d like to volunteer, but don’t know where to begin, our Volunteer Match service is for you. Call 604-279-7020 to schedule a free 30-minute appointment, and Jasnique or another of our friendly, knowledgeable Advisors will help you find a rewarding, meaningful volunteer role.

Photo Caption: Jasnique Gill-Nahal (centre) and her fellow Volunteer Match Advisors help everyone from high school students to retirees find fun, rewarding volunteer opportunities in Richmond.