Uplifting Indigenous Families Fund
Support Indigenous families who are participating in the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. This Fund is designed to contribute to wholistic supports for families in their ongoing healing.
The Uplifting Indigenous Families Fund (UIFF) was established to provide support to the B.C. families of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls before, during, and after the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
The Uplifting Indigenous Families Fund is guided by a Working Group of established community partners and charities who have a wide geographical reach to disburse the funds. The UIFF Working Group will raise funds from individuals and organizations. These funds will be provided to charitable community partners to distribute directly to family members for activities such as:
- participation in the inquiry, including travel and accommodation,
- planning and implementing gatherings, and
- ongoing healing support.
Your generous contributions will help off set travel costs, and help with other supports for the families.
How we started
Following an Advisory Meeting on the issue of Violence Against Women in November of 2016 held in Vancouver, family members of Missing and Murdered Indigenous women were invited to a Vancouver Canuck hockey game by the Moosehide Campaign for the January 06, 2017 game.
Lillian and Brenda were among over 20 family members who received complimentary tickets. On game night while waiting for other family members, they stood outside of the stadium with a sign to support families of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Crowds and crowds of people went by on their way into the game, and one man and his young son came right up to them and said “I really support what you are doing and believe in the good work you are doing in raising awareness on the missing and murdered women, can I give you this money to help out?”
Lillian and Brenda looked at each other and said in unison “but we don’t even have an account for donations.” He said, “here take this to help out” and gave them $50, they agreed that this would help with travel costs.
Lillian and Brenda then went into the hockey game. Lillian was sitting in the lounge and just could not stop thinking about this encounter. At the same time, Stewart Anderson from Vancity sat down with her and asked how she was. Lillian told Stewart about the encounter and said, “we don’t have a bank account, can you help us out in setting one up?” Stewart turned to her and said “of course we can help.”
Lillian met with Stewart at Vancity to set up The Uplifting Indigenous Families Fund (UIFF). The UIFF grew out of this chance encounter.