Financial reports and publications

The Rotary Club of Steveston-Richmond charitable society

Constitution, purposes, and activities

Constitution

1. The name of the Society is the Rotary Club of Steveston-Richmond charitable society.
2. The purposes of the society are:
   • a) To receive and maintain a fund or funds and to apply all or part of the principle and income therefrom, from time to time, to qualified donees as defined in subsection 149.1(1) of the Income Tax Act (Canada).
   • b) To advance education by providing publicly available bursaries, scholarships, other forms of financial assistance and educational materials to elementary, secondary and post-secondary students.
   • c) To relieve poverty by providing food and other necessities of life to individuals and families in need.
   • d) To advance education by improving literacy and employment skills for First Nations communities in Canada, by establishing and equipping library, learning centre and skills training facilities.

Activities

Purpose a)

To receive and maintain a fund or funds and to apply all or part of the principle and income therefrom, from time to time, to qualified donees as defined in subsection 149.1(1) of the Income Tax Act (Canada).

Activities to achieve this purpose

This purpose is supported by the following activities by the Rotary Club of Steveston-Richmond charitable society (the Society):

The Society encourages, receives and administers donations to support its charitable activities. It also raises funds from the proceeds of fund-raising events.

The Society researches and assesses charitable options for application of the funds, and determines the allocation of funds to Qualified Donees.

Purpose b)

To advance education by providing publicly available bursaries, scholarships, other forms of financial assistance and educational materials to elementary, secondary and post-secondary students.

Activities to achieve this purpose

This purpose is supported by the following activities by the Rotary Club of Steveston-Richmond charitable society (the Society):

The Society provides scholarships based on academic achievement and bursaries based on need to students for post-secondary education. The students are chosen by the Society based on input from the local School District.

The Society provides financial assistance that is open to all elementary and secondary school students for participation in formal educational programs that advance the knowledge and training of the students, but are not included in the regular school curriculum. This includes training through Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) retreat workshops. These events teach RYLA participants leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills, as well as the importance of community service. They are selected by the Society from interested members of “Interact” clubs in secondary schools, based on their club participation and demonstrated commitment. These Rotary supported school clubs are open to all students.

The Society provides free educational materials, including dictionaries, to elementary and secondary students. Dictionaries are distributed and introduced to students by Society members during school classes.

The Society finances these activities with revenues from donations and general fund-raising events. These programs are maintained and expanded as funding allows.

Purpose c)

To relieve poverty by providing food and other necessities of life to individuals and families in need.

Activities to achieve this purpose

This purpose is supported by the following activities by the Rotary Club of Steveston-Richmond charitable society (the Society):

The Society provides free meals to needy individuals and families. The Society offers this service to the general public through events such as serving free meals at churches and other community facilities.

The Society distributes free food and other necessities of life directly to needy families. This includes programs such as providing hampers to needy families, which requires sourcing the supplies, filling the hampers and delivering them directly to homes. These needy families are identified through input from public schools. These and other activities are performed directly by members of the Society on a volunteer basis. There are approximately 25 members, which has proven to be adequate to carry-out the scope of the activities. No fees are charged to those being assisted. The Society finances these activities with revenues from donations and general fund-raising events. These programs are maintained and expanded as funding allows.

Purpose d)

To advance education by improving literacy and employment skills for First Nations communities in Canada, by establishing and equipping library, learning-centre, and skills-training facilities.

Activities to achieve this purpose

This new Purpose is proposed as an addition to the existing Constitution of the Rotary Club of Steveston-Richmond charitable society (the Society) to provide for its involvement in the Write to Read BC program (Write to Read BC).

Background

The Club is a separate, parallel organization to the Society. The Club provides support to a very broad range of charitable activities and organizations that are often beyond the scope of the Society, and raises money primarily through various fund-raising events. Since Write to Read BC was originally created, the Club has provided it with financial donations on numerous occasions. While the process to add this specific educational purpose to the Society is underway, no financial resources of the Society are being utilized for Write to Read BC.

Write to Read BC program

Write to Read BC acts as an umbrella program that supports participating First Nations communities by providing project facilitation and coordination to assist the local development and construction of libraries and learning centres. It also provides the design and the equipping of the project facilities. The facilities have been constructed with donated modular units, repurposed buildings, purpose-built structures or inclusion in new community buildings. The facilities have evolved from “libraries” based on print materials, into “learning centres” that add computer and internet resources for online learning. The actual construction, control, operation, maintenance and servicing of the project facilities are the responsibility of the local First Nations communities.

The Write to Read BC program has been very successful. As of the middle of 2018, 17 library/learning centres have been completed in First Nations communities throughout B.C., many in rural and remote locations. Another 10 have been designed, while a further 9 are in the discussion phase. There has also been interest in the program from other provinces.

These literacy activities have also identified a substantial need, and the resulting opportunity, for improved employment skills training for members of First Nations communities. Write to read BC is building on the results of the literacy program to provide similar facilitation and coordination to support the establishment of recognized skills training projects and facilities. Some of these projects can provide community members with trades training, which can be applied to the manufacture and installation of construction materials for learning centres and other community facilities. As with the literacy program, the creation and operation of the specific employment skills training projects are the responsibility of the local communities.

Specific Write to Read BC activities include:

• Building awareness of Write to Read BC programs and identifying potential projects through referrals from participating First Nations communities and Rotary clubs, and from the Write to Read BC website.
• Working in partnership with communities to identify specific community needs, facility options and potential local funding for Literacy and Employment Skills Training projects.
• Selecting projects for Write to Read BC support by reviewing commitments from the stakeholder communities, and their local project sponsors, donors and volunteers. (many projects include support from local Rotary Clubs and individual Rotarians).
• Providing facility design.
• Providing input to, but not the actual construction of the facilities.
• Collecting, storing and distributing books for the learning centre libraries.
• Providing shelving, furniture, and computer and communication equipment for the learning centres.

Administration

Financial support for the Write to Read BC program comes primarily from donations to the Society of cash, materials and services, from other Rotary clubs, charitable organizations, businesses and individuals – from Canada, the USA and Europe. Cash donations to Write to Read BC over the length of the program to the end of 2017 were approximately $190,000. No fees are charged to the participating communities.

The specific construction projects in the First Nation communities themselves are supported by local volunteers, and by donations of cash, materials and services. These are sourced by the local community, often with the participation of local Rotary clubs.

Once the Write to Read BC Purpose is approved, Write to Read BC will be directed and controlled by the Society through its members, directors and officers. Donations and expenses will be approved and paid directly by the Society. Write to Read BC financial activity will be included in the Society’s existing financial books and records, and its annual T3010 tax return.

Write to Read BC has been successful due to the dedicated efforts of a team of approximately 20 unpaid volunteers who continue to participate in the program. Write to Read BC expenses include travel costs to the First Nation communities by volunteers and the design team—by vehicle, boat or air (sometimes supplied by government forces). Design services for the projects are donated to Write to Read BC by design professionals. Facility costs covered by Write to Read BC include the supply of books, shelving, furniture, computers and communication equipment. Other Write to Read BC costs include website and communication expenses. The Society has adequate financial and administrative resources to manage the current scope of the Write to Read BC activities.

Not yet available.

Not yet available.

Revenue ($)

Gifts receipted

Gifts not receipted

Gifts from charities

Fundraising revenue

Total

General

Write to Read BC

—————

Total:

Expenses ($)

General¹

Write to Read BC²

—————

Total:

—————

Total surplus (deficit)

Revenue ($)

Gifts receipted

Gifts not receipted

Gifts from charities

Fundraising revenue

Total

General

2,114

18,523

10,855

31,492

Write to Read BC

1,624

5,000

6,624
—————

Total:

38,116

Expenses ($)

General¹

20,652

10,887

31,539

Write to Read BC²

7,710

320

7,710
—————

Total:

39,250
—————

Total surplus (deficit)

(1,134)

As of November 19, 2024. Filed with BC Registries and Online Services.

Robert Blacker
5 – 6600 Lucas Rd
Richmond, BC, V7C 4T1

Laura Grant
4655 Britannia Dr
Richmond, BC, V7E 6B1

John Kibblewhite
43 – 11391 7th Ave
Richmond, BC, V7E 4J4

Bruce Marshall
309 – 8840 No. 1 Rd
Richmond, BC, V7C 4C1

William McEwen
10111 Hollywell Dr
Richmond, BC, V7E 5C7

Gary Poole
5300 Brunswick Dr
Richmond, BC, V7E 6J3

David van den Kerkhof
6431 Princess Ln
Richmond, BC, V7E 6T3

Brian van Sickle
463 Fader St
New Westminster, BC, V3L 3T2

Gordon Yusko
103 – 1366 West 13th Ave W
Vancouver, BC, V6H 1N8