Latest News

Applications for the 2024 Neighbourhood Small Grant end on April 18.

Photo courtesy Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives

Vancouver Sunshine Lions Club makes $5,000 Contribution to Scholarship Fund.

Photo courtesy Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives

RCRG’s Family & Friend Caregiver Hub has volunteer opportunities.

Photo courtesy Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives

Neighbourhood grant, volunteer opportunities, and a generous contribution

By Richmond Sentinel

Published 3:47 PDT, Tue March 26, 2024

Last Updated: 4:00 PDT, Tue March 26, 2024

—

Apply for a 2024 Neighbourhood Small Grant

2024 marks the beginning of a new decade for the program. This is the 11th year that Neighbourhood Small Grants have been offered in Richmond, and Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives (RCRG) is proud to have been there every step of the way.

From now until April 18, Richmond residents can apply for up to $500 to carry out a community project. RCRG is looking to fund ideas that connect neighbours. The project should be fun, creative, and inclusive, with the aim of sharing skills, bridging cultural divides, or fostering a sense of social belonging. Within those parameters, applicants can let their imagination run free.

Beyond the standard Neighbourhood Small Grant, several specialized funding streams are available, focusing, respectively, on Indigenous projects, youth-led projects, and projects that promote environmental and social wellbeing.

Within Neighbourhood Small Grants, your age, experience, or background doesn’t matter. All you need is an idea, and a desire to make a difference in your community. It’s an opportunity to have a positive impact, in a personal way, so take the leap, and apply today.

The Neighbourhood Small Grants program is offered in partnership with the Vancouver Foundation and the Association of Neighbourhood Houses of BC.

Caregiver Hub Volunteer Opportunities

Over the past couple of years, the Family & Friend Caregiver Hub has grown at a rapid pace, with more and more caregivers participating in workshops, accessing resources, and joining support groups.

In fact, the Hub is so busy that it’s put out a call for volunteers.

Currently, there are two roles available, starting with Event Assistant. If you're familiar with the Caregiver Hub, you know that its calendar is overflowing with workshops, field trips, and other activities. In this position, you'll provide support before, during, and after events, helping to ensure they run smoothly, and that participants have a positive experience.

In a given month, the Caregiver Hub might run 12 or more workshops, but volunteers are not expected to volunteer at all of them, even just volunteer for three events per month would be a huge help.

Click here to learn more about the position, and to apply online.

The Caregiver Hub is also seeking a volunteer Office Assistant.

This flexible role requires a candidate who’s fluent in English, and at least one of Mandarin or Cantonese. During the shift—which can be anytime Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.—office assistant’s will assist Caregiver Navigator’s in preparation of promotional materials, including translation from English to Chinese and vice versa. The Office Assistant will also help maintain accurate client records, and speak with caregivers over the phone and via email, to ensure their needs are being met.

Initially, this will be an on-site position at the RCRG office, it may transition to a virtual role, so volunteers can work from the comfort of their own home.

Click here for more information, and to submit an online application.

Vancouver Sunshine Lions Club makes $5,000 contribution to scholarship fund

This year, applications for the Richmond Community Foundation's high school scholarships increased by nearly 50 per cent.

This is excellent news, as it means more students are taking advantage of the financial support available to them. This also presents a challenge, as the Foundation's Scholarship Funds must keep growing—both in value and number—to keep pace with the demand.

Kudos to the Vancouver Sunshine Lions Club, who recently made a $5,000 contribution to the Scholarship Fund they established back in 2019. The fund has a broad scope, supporting Richmond students in all academic and vocational pursuits, at post-secondary institutions across Canada.

One year, the scholarship might be awarded to a student who plans on studying Health Sciences at UBC. The next year, the recipient could be heading to the University of Toronto, to earn a teaching degree. And the year after, the scholarship may go to a student enrolled in SFU’s Biomedical Engineering program.

By growing their Scholarship Fund, the Vancouver Sunshine Lions Club will create a path for more of these unique educational journeys, each one starting in Richmond and concluding wherever a student’s passion, ambition, and hard work takes them.