At DP World Vancouver, we believe that businesses can help the community in many ways; by making donations, by encouraging employees and customers to volunteer, and even by operating their own charities through a corporate responsibility programme.
Our Community Kinship programme points the way to organizations that are contributing to the greater good. In this article, you’ll learn about Harvest Project, a charity that operates as a social safety net for people who’ve fallen on hard times and need a little help.
What Is Harvest Project and How Does It Work?
Harvest Project was founded on Vancouver’s North Shore in 1993. Its mission is to offer a broad range of services to individuals and families in the community who are dealing with life crises, including family breakdowns, job loss, physical or mental illness, and other hardships. It’s an organization that truly believes in and practices extending a hand up, not a handout.
Harvest Project provides a holistic basket of client care services:
- One-to-one coaching and counseling is available for families who need comprehensive help.
- The grocery programme provides food and food assistance for families each month. This programme helps some families for the long term but also has a short-term component for those who need food assistance on a drop-in basis.
- Clothes for Change provides clothing for families in all four seasons of the year to help those in need get back to school or work, or to stay in school or work.
What Motivates the Folks at Harvest Project?
Harvest Project’s efforts are driven by volunteers from across the North Shore community. Over 130 volunteers donate their time each week, and hundreds of others volunteer when they can.
Project volunteers range from students to members of community organizations to representatives of corporate teams. They share a commitment to inclusivity, and to helping neighbours who have been marginalized or who are in danger of falling through the cracks. They believe that helping the less fortunate creates a safer and more cohesive community for everyone to enjoy.
How Your Business Can Get Involved with Harvest Project
There are many roles that an individual volunteer can fill, from administrative positions to handling and sorting the tens of thousands of pounds of food donations that come in each month. Those with more specialized skills can help manage the many relationships between Harvest Project and its partner organizations. Experienced coaching or counseling volunteers can find roles, too.
For a corporate team looking to volunteer on a single weekend or a few days per year, a variety of opportunities are available from helping in the warehouse to appearing at community events to help tell the Harvest Project story.
In addition to its ongoing work, Harvest Project presents several major annual events which are operated by volunteers. For instance, the Adopt-a-Family campaign allows contributors to underwrite the care of a client-family for an entire season, for a year, or with a one-time donation. And in the summer, the annual BBQ is a free event for clients, volunteers, neighbours, and friends. It’s held near Harvest Project’s own facility, a terrific outdoor setting at Lower McKay Creek Park in North Vancouver, and it’s become a popular event in its short history.
Get in Touch
If you or your company would like to make a donation or volunteer to support the North Shore Vancouver community, contact Harvest Project directly. To get basic information, email or visit their contact page.
You can also follow them on Twitter or visit the Harvest Project Facebook page. It provides a window into what’s going on day to day and week to week at this important Vancouver charity.