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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Rearranging the Stars

Published March 01, 2024

Normally, at this time of year, we'd be accepting nominations for the Volunteers Are Stars Awards. We've decided, however, to take a break, and look at ways of breathing new life into the event, so it can emerge as a more inclusive and more sustainable celebration of Richmond's volunteer spirit.

To be clear, Volunteers Are Stars isn't going away. This is just another step in its evolution, which has seen the event go from a gala dinner and awards ceremony, to a more informal - but still meaningful and celebratory - cocktail reception and community gathering. What form will the event take in the future? Once we figure that out, you'll be the first to know!

Like we said, our main focus is inclusivity. Richmond has thousands of amazing volunteers, but each year, only a few dozen are nominated for a Volunteers Are Stars Award. We've done well, in other words, recognizing the remarkable impact of a small number of individuals and groups; we've been less successful in highlighting the sheer breadth of volunteer work that happens throughout our community on a daily basis.

A more inclusive event will still honour extraordinary volunteer achievements, while opening new space to celebrate the broader constellations of community service in which so many Richmond residents participate.

Our hope is that, when Volunteers Are Stars returns next year, the new format - whatever it is - sparks renewed excitement, and provides a fresh foundation on which the event can grow and evolve alongside our community.

National Volunteer Week: Every Moment Matters

Volunteers Are Stars isn't happening this year, but National Volunteer Week most certainly is! From April 14 to 20, communities and organizations across Canada will thank their volunteers in all kinds of creative ways, using Every Moment Matters as a theme to tie their activities together.

Here at RCRG, we've decided to build a photo collection, capturing the volunteer moments that make our community shine. The photos will be shared across our social media channels and, if all goes according to plan, included in a public art project (stay tuned for more details).

Here's how you can participate:

• Gather some photos of yourself volunteering. These photos can also feature friends, family members, neighbours, colleagues, or anyone else who's part of your volunteer crew!

• Write a short blurb that gives the photo(s) some context: Where do you volunteer, and what does your role entail? Why do you volunteer? How does your volunteer work benefit the community?

• Send the photos and the blurb to jdewolff@rcrg.org by Monday, March 25.

• In the days leading up to National Volunteer Week, keep an eye on your email, as we'll reach out to provide updates on the art project, and to let you know when your photo(s) will be posted on social media!

We look forward to seeing - and sharing! - your volunteer moments!