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.

< back to RCRG Blog

The Unsung Engine of Change: Celebrating Volunteer Managers

Published November 05, 2026

By Jocelyn Wong

International Volunteers Managers Day 2026. When we look around, we now have many days, weeks, and months of recognition for countless causes and professions. It makes you pause and think, Why do we need them all? Does it even matter? Well, I think it does, because each of them has meaning to those who want to amplify a need, a value, or a purpose. While it focuses on something specific, it is rarely just that one thing. All the parts of it come together. Every cause and profession has a group of people who are connected to that purpose, working together to shine a spotlight on it.

I see IVMDay as a pillar and connection to many of the causes and the professionals that work closely with each group and cause. The theme this year is Legacy and Leadership: Honoring the Past, Present and Future. It is very fitting because the profession of Volunteer Management has come a long way. Many professions started off as volunteer roles because there was a need, and in that start there was always a person who identified the need, who asked, who rallied, who gathered people together. That role is a Volunteer Manager.

As a volunteer myself, I can remember my best times volunteering were not only because of the cause I chose, but because of the Managers/Coordinators of the volunteer program. They ensured our time and experience was meaningful to the purpose we were all working towards.

From welcoming volunteers, to providing training and orientation, to illustrating the connection between a volunteer role and its impact, Volunteer Managers make community service accessible. A part of us knows that, when we volunteer, we do good, but the personal transformations come when the Volunteer Manager shows us the gems that we never expected to find. The new friendships, the connections, the opportunities for reflection, understanding of all the intricate pieces of planning that go into a volunteer role. We all belong and change with the times and environment and needs, in hopes of making a difference. I celebrate the joy we all find in connecting with each other.

I want to take the time to celebrate Volunteer Managers because they are champions for all our causes. Volunteer Managers find opportunities to ASK us to join them, to use our skills, to give back. They manage and coordinate this unsung economic engine in our society that places compassion, kindness, and empathy at its core. It is because of them that change happens, that gaps in services get filled, that people have an opportunity to make a difference.

So on this day, I celebrate my colleagues across the world who make it a priority to showcase not themselves, but the work of volunteers. It's these dedicated professionals who keep the engine going. Thank you!