As interest in the Southsiders continues to grow, we recognize that we have an amazing opportunity to make some positive changes and contributions in our community.
That’s why, although we are not a charity ourselves, we have formed the Vancouver Southsiders Community Works Committee. This team of dedicated volunteers is responsible for overseeing a variety of charitable initiatives that will provide meaningful support to great causes, whether they be local, regional or international in scope.
We believe it is important to make the world around us a better place, whether that is through football or other means. Our two main charitable campaigns for 2018 include:
#Talk4Erin
Moving forward with our #Talk4Erin mental health awareness and fundraising campaign in support of the Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Centre of BC .
From their website:
“The Crisis Centre has been providing emotional support to youth, adults and seniors in distress since 1969. As a safe place to turn when there seems to be no hope, the Crisis Centre is operated by 425+ frontline volunteers and a small team of professional staff who support and empower individuals to see their own strengths and options, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We work at the community level to provide education and training aimed at fostering resiliency and building capacity to respond to crisis and suicide.”
In 2016, the Crisis Centre impacted more than 102,000 lives across BC through its three core services:
24/7 Distress Phone Services Operating four regional crisis lines, two 1-800-SUICIDE lines and two Mental Health Support lines which are connected to a network of crisis lines across BC as well as a dedicated Seniors’ Distress Line. The phone lines are available in over 140 languages using a language service.
The Crisis Centre serves the communities of Vancouver, Burnaby, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, the Sea-to-Sky Corridor (Squamish, Whistler & Pemberton), the Sunshine Coast and Powell River. Services are also provided province-wide through web-based chats for youth and adults in distress and 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433 – operated in participation with the Crisis Line Association of BC).
Vancouver Street Soccer League
2) Growing our relationship with the Vancouver Street Soccer League, an organization which exemplifies how soccer has the power to change lives.
From their website:
“The Vancouver Street Soccer League uses soccer to inspire and empower. Our league is made up of teams that provide friendship for the homeless, physical fitness for the ill and addicted, direction for at-risk youth, and cultural focus for other unique communities such as inner-city First Nations people. There’s a reason why soccer is known as the ‘beautiful game’ – the beauty is that it can enrich people’s lives. We’re here to get the ball rolling…”
The VSSL isn’t just a recreational league for people to kick a ball around – it’s a means to bring people together to begin building self esteem, confidence, health and hope. It’s all about empowering some very vulnerable people to find their way to a better life. The VSSL is also associated with Street Soccer Canada and the Homeless World Cup. This is an organization the Southsiders are proud to support.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at info@vancouversouthsiders.ca