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Parents plan café opportunities

September 16th, 2010 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Parents plan café opportunities)

Idea for a café to give their children greater opportunities takes off in Cedar

The Cedar Opportunities Cooperative was created four years ago, as a result of discussions among five families, to give their children with developmental disabilities employment and social opportunities closer to home. [Source: Nanaimo News Bulletin]

Now the group plans to open a coffee shop on Cedar Road that will employ children, trained workers that can support disabled employees, and others. Sandra Marquis, the cooperative’s president, told the Nanaimo News Bulletin, “This is a really innovative and unique business…there isn’t really anything like us across Canada.” (more…)

Bipolar Babe’s cause goes on

September 9th, 2010 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Bipolar Babe’s cause goes on)

Second annual fundraiser for BD and her stigma-stomping work will sell out fast

The newly-formed Bipolar Disorder Society of B.C., a Victoria-based nonprofit dedicated to reducing the stigma of mental illness, will host its second annual fundraising variety show on September 18th, 2010 at the Victoria Event Centre. The show is designed to raise money to promote mental health education throughout B.C.

Andrea Paquette, AKA “Bipolar Babe”, the project’s founder and Society president, says the project has “stimulated open, frank and stigma-free conversations about mental illness, promoting greater acceptance, empathy and understanding of mental health.” (more…)

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StEps for students nears a goal

August 5th, 2010 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on StEps for students nears a goal)

Tulani Ackerman’s cross-B.C. trek nears a destination point, but will Victoria listen?

On July 1st, 2010, the StEps movement hit the road to walk and bike throughout British Columbia in an effort to gather stories and ideas about challenges faced by the provincial education system. The  goal is to promote communication between  students, parents, teachers, administrators, community members, and the provincial government. We first spoke with Prince Rupert teacher Tulani Ackerman, who founded StEps for Students, on July 1st, the day she began her cross-B.C. travel. (more…)

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A personal exploration of generosity

August 5th, 2010 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on A personal exploration of generosity)

Lawrence Scanlan spent a year exploring big questions about doing good

Can one person make a difference? When we write a cheque to a charity or volunteer at a food bank, we’re part of the solution—aren’t we? Author Lawrence Scanlan went looking for answers to those questions. He selected twelve different charitable organizations and spent a month in each, and what he discovered during his year-long odyssey was the new face of philanthropy—its players, its politics, its undeniable satisfactions and its fundamental perils. (more…)

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StEps for students

July 1st, 2010 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on StEps for students)

Tulani Ackerman increases discussion about the needs of children, youth, and education

On July 1st, 2010, the StEps movement will hit the road to walk and bike throughout British Columbia in an effort to gather stories and ideas about challenges faced by the provincial education system. The  goal is to promote communication between  students, parents, teachers, administrators, community members, and the provincial government. (more…)

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Compassion clubs targeted

June 10th, 2010 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Compassion clubs targeted)

Police raids on compassion clubs providing medicinal marijuana are a reminder just how challenging change is going to be

Police launched a major marijuana crackdown in Quebec last week, targeting 35 people in raids on marijuana compassion clubs. Five clubs in Montreal and Quebec City were hit.

In B.C., Maple Ridge RCMP arrested a man who is licensed by Health Canada to grow marijuana, making it the first such case in the Vancouver area where a legal grower has had the drug seized by police. (more…)

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