90th Anniversary

A safe place to call home can change everything. In this episode of 9 for 90, we explore how a transformational gift through Victoria Foundation helped support Threshold Housing Society's vision for youth housing. Discover the people behind the partnership and learn how community generosity is creating lasting impact. When community comes together, remarkable things happen.

Andrea Dicks, President of Community Foundations of Canada, discusses the work of Community Foundations of Canada, recognizes Sandra Richardson's 25 years of leadership and looks ahead to what’s possible with Ian Bird at the helm. Through collaboration and community-driven change, we are working together to build a future that is bright, just and sustainable.

Through the vision of Rob Jawl and Dave Obee, this story explores how partnership and generosity helped our region navigate the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Patrick Kelly (T'esóts'en), Indigenous Cultural Advisor for the Foundation and former Board Chair of the Victoria Foundation, reflects on the importance of building strong relationships with Indigenous communities, deepening understanding and advancing the ongoing work of reconciliation.

Meet Jim and Jackie Barker, former teachers whose passion for literacy and animal welfare inspired the creation of the Garden House Foundation Fund. Through a successful annual community book sale that had its last year 2024, they raised funds that continue to support causes close to their hearts. Their story is a powerful example of how small acts of generosity can create lasting community impact.

We sat down with Arianna Scott of BGC South Vancouver Island to discuss the organization's impact on children, youth and families, and its long-standing partnership with the Victoria Foundation. As one of the Victoria Foundation's earliest grantees and a Hosted Organization, BGC South Vancouver Island shares a deep history with the Foundation. Through years of support and a permanent endowment fund, the organization is helping build a stronger community today and for generations to come.

We sat down with Sharlene Smith, a key leader in the development of Victoria's Vital Signs, who shares reflections on the origins of Vital Signs and why understanding and measuring what matters most is essential to building a stronger Greater Victoria.

Lori Elder reflects on the programs and partnerships that have helped strengthen our region over the past nine decades. She shares about the Honorary Governors Program, created to champion the Victoria Foundation’s mission, and Vital Youth, which empowers young people to engage in philanthropy.

Ian Izard, K.C., reflects on the vision that established the Victoria Foundation and shaped its impact over the past 90 years. From a petition signed by five prominent Victorians to a Foundation built to serve the community in perpetuity, Ian shares the story behind the legislation that brought the Victoria Foundation to life. His reflections remind us that the Foundation's strength lies in creating lasting impact for generations to come.

that the first gift to the Victoria Foundation was $20 from the founder’s mother?

Captain Burges Gadsden founded the Foundation in 1936, established by an act of the BC Legislature. Fannie Gadsden, Burges’s mother, donated in 1937 “with the wish that I could afford one hundred dollars to so fine an undertaking.” That first donation is still making an impact in the community today.

that the Victoria Foundation’s very first slogan was simply, “A Community Trust?

The motto appeared on the Foundation’s first leaflet in 1937. Since then, the motto has changed to reflect the evolving nature of the Foundation’s work through time. Other mottos have been, “Your community foundation, now and forever…,” “Connecting people who care with causes that matter,” and most recently, “Uplifting.”

the Victoria Foundation’s first grant to the community was $7,000?

The Foundation began active charitable granting in 1969, with $22,000 in assets. The grant was made to The Victoria Boys Club (now the Victoria Boys and Girls Club), the Maritime Museum and the predecessor of the Victoria Association for Community Living.

that in 1957 the Times published an article about the Victoria Foundation headlined, “Forgotten charity fund still exists.”

Mayor Percy Scurrah was advised that the Foundation, which then held barely $900, was still in existence and he is a trustee. “It contains an idea which could be very important,” he stated. Indeed – a permanent source which would help uplift the community in perpetuity!

that the first schools to participate in the Vital Youth program were Belmont Secondary, Victoria High and Oak Bay High?

Originally called ‘Students who Care: Youth In Philanthropy,’ the program has now expanded to 12 high schools and has connected over 800 students with impactful causes to inspire philanthropy. Since its founding in 2003, over $544,000 has since been distributed to the community through the program.

the Victoria Foundation was one of the first community foundations in Canada to publish the Vital Signs report?

The first was produced by the Toronto Foundation as an initiative of Community Foundations of Canada. The Victoria Foundation then took part by adapting its own local version in 2006, which has since become a critical source of original research on the evolving health of the capital region.

that in 2012, the Victoria Foundation created the Smart & Caring Community Fund, responding to a challenge set by then-Governor General of Canada David Johnston.

This fund is used to respond to major community needs identified by the annual Victoria’s Vital Signs report. The first initiative it supported was called the ‘ABC’s of Physical Literacy,’ which helped children gain confidence while being physically active!

that the Victoria Foundation appointed the first Indigenous Board Chair of any community foundation in Canada?

T’esóts’en (Patrick Kelly), a member of the Leq’a:mel Nation and long-time resident of Victoria, was appointed from 2016 to 2017. For over 40 years, Patrick has been bridging cultures in roles such as Indigenous relations advisor, board member and volunteer. He was recently awarded the prestigious King Charles III Coronation Medal for a lifetime of work advancing reconciliation in Canada.