Victoria Foundation Celebrates 90 Years

0:00It's April 5th. This is Vancouver News today, driven by AI. The Victoria Foundation just hit its 90th birthday, kicking off back in 1936 inside a soup kitchen during the Great Depression. Started by Burgess Gatsden at the Sunshine Inn on Pandora Avenue, it's grown into the second oldest and sixth largest community foundation in the country, dishing out $406 million in grants over nine decades. It all began humbly with a $20 gift from Gatsden's mom, Fannie, in 1937. The foundation didn't hand out its first grants until 1969 when it managed $22,000 in assets to groups like the. Victoria Boys Club, now BGC South Vancouver Island, the Maritime Museum and what became the Victoria Association for Community Living. Last year alone, they gave away more than $31 million. Borders are celebrating this milestone big time. Chief Executive Sandra Richardson, who's retiring this fall after 25 years at the helm,

1:04credits the community and partners for lifting, everyone up together. Bore Chair Rob Garot calls it a powerhouse for regional well-being, while Senior Director Jonathan Dyke highlights the teamwork that's kept it. Thriding. Today, they're zeroing in on youth homelessness and keeping cultural and art spaces alive, guided by their annual Victoria Vital Signs report that's. Been grading local life on mental health, housing, and more for the past 20 years that kicked off in 2006 for their 70th anniversary. The province even proclaimed April 1st as their 90th anniversary day. Looking ahead, a big event goes down September 26th at the Victoria Conference Center featuring Richardson and her successor, Ian Bird. With so much history and fresh priorities, this foundation is just warming up for the next chapter in building stronger communities.