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100% Local

Every dollar of your donation stays in central and northern Vancouver Island, building stronger communities, helping kids succeed, and moving families out of poverty.

Together, we continue to work tirelessly to support our communities. 

UPDATES & RESOURCES

Reaching Home COVID-19 Emergency Response Plan Funding

APPLY NOW

Funded by the Government of Canada, United Way is now accepting applications supporting organizations in the homeless-serving sector responding to the COVID-19 outbreak in the Nanaimo for emergency expenses.

Nanaimo area: COVID-19 Emergency Response Plan
 

Click here to visit our grants page to learn about all our open applications


To help vulnerable seniors in your community visit bc211.ca or call 2-1-1

If you can, please consider a gift to United Way. As our communities adapt to the ever-changing pandemic landscape, more and more people need help. DONATE NOW and make sure that no one is left behind.

What We Do

What We Do

How we're helping
Lives You've Changed

Lives You've Changed

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Ways to Help

Ways to Help

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What's New

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Gender Journeys post #1: The journey to 'They'

February 2021
This is the first post in a series of three that will share what the Nanaimo Family Life Association’s Gender Journeys program, supported by United Way CNVI, is all about. First, we’re taking a look at the Gender Journeys support group. 
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The Reaching Home Blog: National investment – Community investment

February 2021
Hello,  My name is Julie Miller Rushton. I’m the Director of Community Grants here at United Way Central & Northern Vancouver Island. The following post is part of my series addressing the federal government’s Reaching Home initiative, and how it’s…
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Zero-interest loans to keep people housed

February 2021
HOUSING AND HEALTH SERIES: This is the first post in our Housing and Health series, where we explore several of the Nanaimo Region John Howard Society’s housing programs. In this series, we’re looking at the connection between housing and health, and…
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How people are using 211 in the Central and North Island

February 2021
February 11th is 211 Day across North America!   This year, for the first time, anyone living anywhere in Canada can pick up the phone and dial 2-1-1 to reach a Service Navigator for information on community-based health, social and government…
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Lives You've Helped Change

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Outreach worker shares story of resuscitating man, and how he responded

February 2021
Being homeless means having no lock on your door. Tent nylon and a zipper won’t protect your belongings – the items you need to survive – from being stolen. And taking everything you own wherever you go is no solution.
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The Work to Recover from Opioids: Here is Annie's Story

February 2021
VIDEO: Opioid addiction is an ongoing epidemic.  And during the pandemic, it has grown immensely.  Last November alone, 153 people in B.C. died of a suspected drug overdose. That’s an 89 per cent increase in overdose deaths compared to the previous…
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Holiday sacrifice to help the homeless in Cowichan

January 2021
UPDATE. VIDEO: Local builders come in over winter holidays to build cabin shelters for people unhoused
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Cabin Shelters Bring Warmth, Security to Cowichan-Area Residents Without Homes

January 2021
VIDEO: On Friday, Jan. 8, the lives of a handful of Duncan residents living in tents changed for the better thanks to United Way, local service providers and the federal governement.
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Where Your Donation Goes

Your donation helps people overcome poverty, kids be all that they can be, and communities become strong.

 

Overcoming Poverty

Overcoming Poverty

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Successful Kids

Successful Kids

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Strong Communities

Strong Communities

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Need Help?

If you’re looking for mental health support, shelter, addictions treatment, food banks and more,
we can help. 

The United Way-funded bc211 program is a confidential referral service (by phone/text at 2-1-1 or online at bc211.ca) get free information and support right in your community.

Call or text, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. 

The program operates in over 160 languages! 
 

See more resources
BC 211

United Way Central & Northern Vancouver Island would like to acknowledge that we are working and living on the traditional lands of the Kwakwaka’wakw, Nuu-chahn-uulth, and Coast Salish people.