SurreyCares kicks off 25th anniversary at annual grant presentation announcing the funding of projec

Stories of hope, perseverance and triumph were shared during the SurreyCares annual grant ceremony.

From Zajac Ranch to Superchefs Cookery, stories of the outstanding charitable work happening right here in Surrey were shared with the public last Thursday evening.

A handful of politicians, members of charitable organizations and curious residents were on-hand to acknowledge the 13 charitable organizations who received grant funding from SurreyCares this year. It was the beginning of the 25th anniversary at SurreyCares, where we hope to expand our reach and help more local non-profit organizations.

“The number of charities that deserve grants in Surrey is growing,” said Mike Bose, Chair of the SurreyCares grant committee. “That makes our job very difficult, and that’s a good thing.”

The grants handed out will help organizations like SuperChefs Cookery, which teaches young children about balanced nutrition and food preparation in a fun, social environment. It also helps send Surrey residents to Zajac Ranch, a camp for children with life-threatening and chronic illnesses.

“Because of SurreyCares, we were able to send seven families off to Zajac’s Ranch,” said Brock Sheppard, Senior Director of Ranch Operations. We can’t thank SurreyCares enough for their support.”

Even with the grants, these organizations can always use more help. The Centre for Child Development has a hydrotherapy pool that helps children with disabilities learn to walk for the first time, but more donations would allow them to expand their services.

“Our pool helped 3,100 children last year, but there are about 27,000 children in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley who could use our help,” said Alison Obrecht, Vice-President of The Child Development Foundation of B.C.

To learn more about these altruistic organizations and how SurreyCares supports them, please contact Karen Young, Executive Director at 604-591-2699.

2018 SurreyCares grant recipients were:

• FVGSS, Fraser Valley Gilbert and Sullivan Society

• Junior Achievement of B.C.

• Paws for Hope

• Surrey Christmas Bureau

• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Society of BC

• Cerebral Palsy Association of BC

• The Child Development Foundation of BC

• Pacific Post Partum Support Society

• SuperChefs Cookery

• Zajac Ranch

• Community First Foundation

• Leave Out Violence Society

• YMCA of Greater Vancouver

Grant applications for 2019 will open in March next year with the deadline for applications being noon on the last Friday in April.