ABOUT NORTH VAN CARES FOUNDATION
A grassroots organization, started during COVID, to support the community of North Vancouver. We count on our amazing North Van neighbours to step up and step in when needed.
NVC Founders
NVC was founded by Jacquie McCarnan, a local North Van Realtor, and her daughters, to provide help to seniors and immuno-suppressed people during the first months of the COVID pandemic. It has grown into one of the North Shore’s most trusted and prolific fund raising machines providing help and funds for other local charities and non-profits. The goal was, and remains, to stay un-burdened by bureaucracy and provide help fast to whomever needs it.
Founder
Jacquie McCarnan
Jacquie is a North Vancouver-based Realtor®. Her life's mission is to help others whether that's through North Vancouver Cares or with buying or selling Real Estate. Her mantra is "Wake up each day with the intention of doing something for someone else with no expectation of return."
Creator/Marketing
Layne
O'Donnell
Layne is a North Van-based entrepreneur who runs her own travel company. She has been a driving force behind the vision for North Vancouver Cares!
During COVID Layne pivoted her company to create super cool candles and started a sustainable bathing suit brand!
Community Liason
Shaye
O'Donnell
Shaye is studying Environmental Studies at SFU and keeps us all hyper-aware of our commitment to the planet!
Her plan is to work in Ocean Conservation with a focus on reef rehabilitation and marine mammal care and rescue.
Always Remember
$140k+
In March of 2021 a horrific act was perpetrated on 6 victims in Lynn Valley. A, very disturbed, man stabbed these victims leaving 5 seriouslyl injured and a 6th dead. It was the worst tragedy we’ve seen in our beautiful community. In the aftermath the entire community of North Vancouver rallied to the aid of these folks. With offers of counselling, physio, support and money North Vancouverites, through the North Van Cares Foundation, raised over $140,000 that was distributed to the victims when they most needed it. Since that fateful day the folks involved have forged strong bonds with each other and with the Foundation. We continue to support them with resources and will always do so.
Senior Support
300
After starting NVC in March of 2020 and connecting over 300 seniors and immuno-suppressed folks to a personal shopper/volunteer we were left with little to do. As a way to try to “help more people” our Founder, Jacquie, dug out her old graphic design skills and began making t-shirt designs. The first was just the NVC logo but it was hugely successful and allowed the NVC Foundation to donate $700 to local charity, Backpack Buddies. From there more designs were made for more charities and non-profits.
Travel Trailer
$2,000
The NVC Foundation raised $2000 to purchase a travel trailer (affectionately known as Trixie) to house a homeless person and their dog. While this initiative kind of blew up in our faces it did bring some much needed attention to the need for more homeless rescources on the North Shore and we are now committeed to helping the Lookout Society of North Vancouver to renew the good Karma. (Trixie has been completely renovated and will be sold. The $2000 in donations will go back to the NVC Foundation, the cost to renovate will make be recouped by the sale price...hopefully :)
Candles
600
The NVC F0undation, collaaborating with the Lion’s Gate Hospital Foundation, donated over 600 candles to front line workers in North Vancouver.
The candle tins were labelled by some amazing, young volunteers from the North Vancouer Ranger and Pathfinder groups.
These wonderful volunteers also worked with elementary schools in North and West Van to make sure each candle gift had a hand-written thank you card.
Recipients were over the moon with gratitude and joy.
Totes
200
Our 2nd annual SPEAD JOY ON THE SHORE campaign was a huge success. Over 200 NVC totes, candles, and gifts were donated to lonely folks in our community who needed a little extra job over the holidays! Again, the elementary schools hand-made beautiful cards to include in each gift providing a wonderful pick me up to those in need.
Partnerships
Local
North Van Cares partnered with Deep Cove Collective to have our merchandise represented in a local shop. Owner, Erian Baxter (a fantastic NVC supporter) gratiously offered to carry several NVC items and host a shopping night that was a great success making it possible for us to make new donations to Backpack Buddies, North Shore Rescue and The North Shore Black Bear Society!
"Too Cool To Be Cruel"
$450
“Too Cool To Be Cruel” ~ anti-bullying campaign. We created cool, pink shirts for the National anti-bullying day and were able to donate the profits to the Kid’s Help Line Vancouver. Over $450 was donated and that money was able to fund help for many kids who needed a compassionate ear.
We also ran a Happy Valentine’s card campaign through the elementary schools where kids made cards for seniors. The cards were distributed to several North Shore senior communities much to their surprise and delight!
Pillows
150
Our FIRST EVER “Spread Joy on the Shore” campaign kicked off. Over 150 folks who needed “just a little extra joy” due to separation from family or melencoly from the first year of COVID received a custom-made pillow (tailored to their neighbourhood), a donation from a local store or artisan and a hand-made card from the kids. NVC volunteers (Holiday Helpers) hand delivered the gifts and the response was just lovely! So many people called to say it was the only gift they received that year and it just made their day.
Fuel and Food
$1,500
The NVC Foundation donated $1000 to help off-set the price of fuel to fly 46 helicopter flights to aid BC residents cut off by flooding. We also donated $500 worth of food to add to the over 30 tons collected.
The Beginning
When the whole world shut down we knew that there would be many folks who simply could not, or did not know how, to access the resources necessary to get their basic needs met. We created the North Van Cares group on Facebook on March 17, 2020 not expecting much. To our astonishment. within just a few days over 1000 people had joined. We were immediately able to get the word out to seniors and others who needed help that it was just a phone call away. Over the next several months people would call asking for help and we would have someone there within a few hours. This still happens today!
Though no one really knew we needed this at the time, the North Van Cares Foundation has become a part of the fabric of the North Vancouver community. It’s the go-to, grassroots organization that is, and always will be, accessible to anyone who needs a hand without the bureaucracy of many of the established social services. We’re here to fill in that time gap between needing help and getting help. We work with North Vancouver charities, non-profits and government socieities to try to help folks get the help they need without a lot of added stress and fear.
Your help has always been what keeps us going. We can’t do any of this without you. The Gala is our way of saying “Wow, we really love our community and we love that you are all so amazing and want to help. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
There’s a reason North Vancouver was voted CANADA’S MOST GENEROUS CITY in 2021!!
