Kids Up Front Foundation (Vancouver)

ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION:

Kids Up Front Vancouver creates joy, fosters inclusion, and strengthens communities by connecting vulnerable children, anxious youth, and their families with enriching cultural, artistic, recreational, and leisure experiences across Greater Vancouver and throughout the Fraser Valley. Through donated tickets and donor-funded access to high‑demand opportunities, we ensure that families facing socioeconomic barriers, health challenges, or the need for respite care can participate in unique events. Our network includes 94 family focused charities and not for profits. Our approach allows our partner agencies to focus on the front-line services they provide while we augment their programs and budgets by offering access to joy, inclusion and community building experiences the families they serve would not otherwise have access to.

"What makes your organization’s work important in Surrey and area?"

"What programs or services do you currently offer?"

Kids Up Front distributed 22,343 tickets and experiences in 2025 valued at $931,000. We had more twice as many requests that went unfulfilled. We see the empty seats in arenas and theatres and most of those have been bought by someone or some organization. Those seats could have donated, for a charitable tax receipt, and the opportunity could have been shared with a youth and her mentor, a hurting family or a family reunited through the foster care program. At Kids Up Front we believe an empty seat is a lost opportunity for a child to be inspired, a youth to be included or a family to be encouraged. Every dollar is stretched to find as many tickets from individuals, corporations, vendor partners and City contacts as possible.

"Who benefits from your work?"

We currently collaborate with 94 charities and non profit partners, 10 based in Surrey. Those 10 agencies collectively support 7,345 kids and youth which does not include the Surrey School District's impact on demand. Our network approach offers access for marginalized communities, including agencies supporting: 79% at risk youth, 74% Indigenous children and families, 68% individuals with mental health challenges, 60% at risk women and children, 53% health-related barriers, 44% foster care, 44% refugees, 39% experiencing homelessness. Together we strengthen social cohesion, encourage belonging, and promote the well‑being of all children, youth, and families supported by through our agency network.