Support the local needs in our community
Our Give Where You Live campaign is a community-giving program that creates an opportunity for individuals to learn more about local charity programs and donate to support those programs. We are working with a select group of local North Shore charities that are supporting those right here in our community, and they need your help during this giving season.
Learn more about the needs right here in our community and donate to support those on the North Shore. Plus, when you donate to this year’s charity partners your donation will be matched*, doubling your giving!
Donate by December 31st, 2023.
*Until December 31st, 2023, when you donate through the West Vancouver Foundation to one of the campaign partners, your donation will be matched, up to $10,000 total per project, by funds at the West Vancouver Foundation including the Ian and Rosemary Mottershead Fund.
Many children on the North Shore rely heavily on school meal programs but over the weekend may not eat at all: this is ‘the weekend hunger gap.’ Backpack Buddies addresses this crisis of childhood hunger by filling backpacks every Friday for students in need with meals and snacks to last the weekend. For a cost of only $20, Backpack Buddies sends a child home with a bag full of kid approved meals to last the weekend and beyond and $720 feeds a child for the full school year.
DONATE NOW
Donations will be matched, up to $10,000 from the Ian and Rosemary Mottershead Fund, at the West Vancouver Foundation.
Donations will be matched, up to $10,000 from the Ian and Rosemary Mottershead Fund, at the West Vancouver Foundation.

Youth Education Navigator Program
At Hollyburn Community Services Society we have a robust mission to provide a continuum of supportive services to youth, individuals, and families with social vulnerabilities on the North Shore.
Many marginalized youth reach a point where they need to make decisions alone. Those few who opt to pursue advanced training or post-secondary education find themselves navigating a highly confusing and multi-barrier process alone and the majority abandon the idea and dismiss their dreams and aspirations. After identifying that no one was offering long-term comprehensive support to at-risk you to access and graduate from post-secondary programs, we created the Youth Education Navigator (YEN) to assist marginalized youth to qualify for, enroll in, and graduate from post-secondary programs.
Donations will be matched, up to $15,000, by the Nancy Farran Compelling Opportunities Fund.

North Shore Food Recovery Program
Vancouver Food Runners works in partnership with 160+ food businesses, and 300+ active volunteers to deliver surplus food to 130+ nonprofit organizations across the Lower Mainland. VFR primarily operates in Vancouver, but our operations have been rapidly expanding in the North Shore, Burnaby, Richmond, and Delta.
We are the only food recovery program in Metro Vancouver that can efficiently and effectively offer same-day food donation collection through our app technology and volunteer food recovery model. Funding will be used for the North Shore program.
Since VFR launched in March 2020, volunteers have delivered over 2.7 million pounds of food (2.25 million equivalent meals), and this has mitigated 5.5 million pounds of CO2eq from the environment. Learn more about VFR’s program and impact through this short, 3-minute video HERE.
Donations will be matched, up to $6,000 from the Ian and Rosemary Mottershead Fund, at the West Vancouver Foundation.
The West Vancouver Seniors’ Activity Centre’s meal program began as the COVID-19 pandemic brought to light a genuine need among this community’s most vulnerable seniors, who lacked the means to access regular meals. The Feed the Need program currently serves 3 free meals per week delivered by volunteers. This program not only improves lives and makes food sources easier to obtain for our community’s most vulnerable, but it also develops a sense of volunteerism, as the program is heavily supported by community volunteers.
Donations will be matched, up to $20,000 from the Ian and Rosemary Mottershead Fund, at the West Vancouver Foundation.
North Shore Mountain Bike Association (NSMBA) – Arts & Culture
The NSMBA is currently constructing a new multi-use trail (hiking bi-directional, and uphill cycling only), on Cypress Mountain in conjunction with the District of West Vancouver and British Pacific Properties. Once completed we wish to add in meaningful Indigenous art, in collaboration with our local First Nations, along the trail to celebrate our local Indigenous culture, promote cultural understanding, and enhance the overall visitor experience while respecting and preserving the natural environment.
Donations will be matched, up to $10,000 from the Howard Martin Memorial Fund, at the West Vancouver Foundation.
Summer 2024 Community Events
Engaging with art and music is an incredibly rewarding, inspiring and connective experience – especially when you’re attending a live music performance or participating directly! The WV Arts Council Summer 2024 Community Events include Singing by the Sea, free outdoor jazz concerts, and our community art project. We invite the public to participate in art making from impromptu choirs to temporary public art or enjoy live music in the park. Led by professional artists and coaches, everyone is welcome to join in the art making process in a safe and accessible outdoor environment. Funding will be used to support these programs.
DONATE NOW
Donations will be matched, up to $7,500 from the Howard Martin Memorial Fund, at the West Vancouver Foundation.
Impact in the community
Thank you to the 175+ donors that donated to last year’s Give Where You Live campaign! To see the impact your donation, and others’ donations, had in our community, visit our Impact Page.
Past results
In 2022, 8 charities participated and over $195,000 was raised thanks to funds at the Foundation and the 175+ donors in the community. Learn more>>

The West Vancouver Foundation is a community foundation that was founded in 1979 by a group of West Vancouver residents that wanted to inspire and steward local philanthropy, for local benefit.
donate now
Ready to donate now? You can give to the Give Where You Live Fund partners now.
Leave a legacy
Are you looking for a way to make a meaningful impact to causes that you care about? Even 1% of the proceeds from your Will can have an enormous impact. You can either mention a charity in your Will or open a fund at the Foundation now, to clearly establish the causes or charities you wish to support. Learn more>>