Laura Duong

Each year at our Luminary Award Soirée, Big Sisters honours an exceptional person or couple who have moved the needle in regards to children, mentorship, and philanthropy. This year, we celebrate an inspirational woman who has made a remarkable impact for women, children, and her community. Andrea Thomas Hill cares deeply about making the world a better place—and we are beyond inspired by this dedication! In 1992, Andrea founded Run for the Cure in Canada, which has grown into a massive movement towards a cure and raised millions of dollars in breast cancer research funds. In 2007, she recognized a need in Vancouver to support single mothers living in poverty. As a result, she founded the Cause We Care Foundation, […]

Big Sisters feels incredibly lucky to have so many dedicated and engaged supporters, many of whom go above and beyond expectations to make the important work they do possible. Each year, we celebrate these supporters by presenting them each a Big Heart Award. In 2018, we were lucky enough to have three volunteers and one organization to celebrate.  Windsor Plywood Foundation Windsor Plywood Foundation has been an integral part of the Big Sisters community, helping to sustain our mentoring programs since 2011. Over the past seven years, Windsor Plywood Foundation has contributed a total of $218,000 to give girls in our programs the chance to see and achieve their full potential. Randall and Fran Jones launched this foundation because they noticed […]

It’s no secret that pressures for girls to be perfect are at an all-time high. Not to mention that 50% of kids in the Lower Mainland are being bullied. Add to that, struggles with achievement at school, and it’s nearly impossible to build confidence on their own. Whether it’s bullying, low achievement, high pressure for better grades, or isolation, there’s no question that school is a challenge for many kids. With a Big Sister at their side, girls don’t have to face these challenges alone. Having a Big Sister transforms what a Little Sister believes about herself—the core of her identity. By trying new things, engaging in new relationships, and questioning perspectives, each Little Sister learns to find her own voice […]

Thank you for joining us at Spring Lunch last week. We are beyond grateful for the support and generosity from all our guests, sponsors, volunteers, speakers, Big Heart award recipients, and of course our keynote, Paulina Cameron. This year we raised over $92,600, which is more than ever before at this event. We truly can’t thank you enough for helping us continue the important work of matching at-risk girls with a positive Big Sister who empowers them to reach their full potential. A Radiant Afternoon The 2018 Big Sisters Spring Lunch, presented by Scotiabank at the Sutton Place Hotel, celebrated the importance of mentorship in our lives and in the lives of Big and Little Sisters. Research shows that mentoring […]

It’s a tough world for girls. You can change that. With social pressures for girls at an all-time high, mentoring matters now more than ever. Every Spring at Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland, we celebrate the impact mentorship has on inspiring young, vulnerable girls to achieve more. At our annual Spring Lunch, our guests become part of changing girls’ lives for the better. The event is sold out, but we thought we’d tell you about the inspirational woman bringing us together next week! We are delighted to host entrepreneur, community leader, Young Women in Business founder, and Canada 150 Women author, Paulina Cameron, as our keynote. Paulina is an impact-driven leader, working in the spaces of entrepreneurship, youth, and […]

Did you know that May is Leave a Legacy Month? It’s a month-long public awareness campaign that encourages people to leave a gift through their Will or another planned giving vehicle to a charity or cause that is meaningful to them. If you’re reading this post, why not consider leaving a gift to Big Sisters?! When you join the Big Sisters Legacy Circle and leave a gift in your Will, you become part of the transformative impact young, vulnerable girls need to thrive in the world. By ensuring the continuation of our life-changing mentorship programs, your legacy gives a hand up to girls who need it most, ultimately helping them reach their fullest potential. Join our community of inspirational leaders in […]

May 7 to 13 is Mental Health Week. Will you support the cause by becoming a Big Sister? Mentoring has a powerful impact on the lives and mental health of kids. Research conducted by the Boston Consulting Group shows that adult women who had a mentor as a child are two times less likely to be depressed and three times less likely to have social anxiety. Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland provides supportive mentoring relationships to young girls facing challenges like depression, anxiety, bullying, isolation, poverty, abuse, social anxiety, low self-esteem, and more. Their research also showed that girls who have a positive mentor are less likely to engage in destructive behaviour such as bullying, fighting, binge drinking, drug […]

Hanne Madsen became the Executive Director of Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland in April 2018. A strong advocate for women, Hanne is dedicated to championing girls’ potential in her leadership of the talented Big Sisters team.  Throughout her career, Hanne has been unwavering in her support and promotion of women’s causes. Whether it’s as the co-owner of a successful transportation business for 24 years, a passionate facilitator for Junior Achievement, a Chair or Director on multiple Boards (including GroYourBiz—a peer to peer advisory board for women business owners and entrepreneurs), or an organizing committee member for Women as a Catalyst for Growth economic forums and the inaugural WeForShe conference, Hanne truly leads by example. And, this perseverance does not go unnoticed […]

As humans, inter-personal conflict is inevitable. However, in our schools, if not dealt with properly, conflict often turns into bullying or isolation. Learning how to resolve conflict is essential to building strong friendships and resiliency to face other challenges in life, but, not all children learn healthy ways to deal with conflict. For some children, conflict is a common occurrence in their home life and for others, they don’t have a trusted adult to teach and role model healthy behaviours. Often children don’t feel comfortable confiding in their teacher or parent. Mentors in the Go Girls! program build trust with participants and give them a safe place to express their thoughts and emotions. Middle school students, Malina and Ruby, were […]

Did you know it’s National Volunteer Week?! We want to celebrate by sending a huge thank you to our many dedicated and generous volunteers. In 2017, our volunteers contributed over 51,500 hours. That’s the equivalent of almost six years… or the same amount of time it takes a spacecraft to reach Jupiter! Just putting it into perspective. We’re proud to report that our generous supporters helped us recruit and train a pool of dedicated and engaged volunteers who stay involved with our agency beyond the minimum commitment. The majority of our volunteers stay engaged with us for more than two years. And, we’re optimistic that there are many volunteers in their first year of involvement who, in 2018, we can […]