Outreach Opportunities Fund

The Outreach Opportunities Fund Committee selects outside organizations to receive a portion of the Sunday offering.

Outreach Opportunities Fund (OOF)

Statement of Purpose:

To distribute 25% of funds collected during the Sunday service to community charities, both those that are independent of the church and those that have some connection to the work of church committees. Priority is given to organizations undertaking social justice, refugee support and settlement and environmental sustainability work with a focus on vulnerable or other marginalized communities. Preference for funding is given to groups working primarily in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland.

Members:

Steven Epperson, Carolyn Grant, Elizabeth Geller and Bruce McIvor

Currently Collecting for:

Our OOF recipient (June-Sept 2020), is the Burns Bog Conservation Foundation, which was set up in 2002 as an endowment fund for the Burns Bog Conservation Society. Burns Bog is a globally unique ecosystem functioning as a major regulator of regional climate and as the “the Lungs of the Lower Mainland”. Endowment funds are also to be used for research relating to peatlands/wetlands and the development of an Education Centre.

Activities and Accomplishments

In 2018-2019, OOF distributed over $13,000 to the following organisations:

Kiwassa Neighbourhood House (to be allocated to Warriors Against Violence activities)
Community Legal Assistance Society
Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society
Rainbow Refugee Coalition
Westcoast Environmental Law
Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre
Sole Food Street Farms

Representatives from the above organizations gave a short presentation to the congregation on the purpose of their work.

Future Plans

Three organisations will be selected to receive funds from OOF during the next year. In the past, the committee has chosen the recipients but we now ask members of the congregation to nominate local charities for consideration by the committee.

To nominate an organisation please click on this link: OOF Nomination form or take a paper form from the bulletin board at the main entrance to Hewett Hall and leave it in the OOF mailbox in the UCV office or email it to Melody Mason.

OOF Nomination Form

History

Here are some of the organizations we have supported in the past.

2011

Kinbrace

Elizabeth Fry Society $2500

2012

ACORN $2500
BC Coalition of People with Disabilities now the Disability Alliance $2500
Elizabeth Fry Society $1000
Rhizome Movement Building Centre $1500
VAST $1500