Van Tel/Safeway Credit Union Legacy Fund

The Van Tel/Safeway Credit Union Legacy Fund provides grants to charities supporting positive futures for vulnerable youth, and enhanced wellbeing for vulnerable seniors.

 

APPLY

Thank you for your interest in the Van Tel/Safeway Credit Union Legacy Fund. The program has been placed temporarily on hold while we review the program design with an aim to create a more inclusive and trust-based process that centers community and equity. During this review, you may contact us at give@vancity.com if you have an urgent funding request or would like to be considered for other funding opportunities at Vancity Community Foundation. 

Impact areas

The Van Tel/Safeway Credit Union Legacy Fund provides grants of up to $5,000 to charitable organizations in the following impact areas:   

Positive Futures for Vulnerable Youth

Our Goal is to support the most vulnerable youth to access opportunities and supports that will enable them to succeed in school and to develop skills, abilities and connections that help kids thrive and achieve future economic and social well-being.

Examples of project outcomes include:

  • Enhanced educational attainment and success in school
  • Enhanced skills and employability , economic self-reliance
  • Improved access to affordable housing
  • Improved social connections and access to services/support
  • Improved health and social well-being


Potential target populations include:    

  • Children, youth and families living in poverty
  • Immigrant/ newcomer families and youth
  • Indigenous families and youth
  • Youth in care/aging out of care
  • Youth with disabilities
  • Youth at risk: experiencing homelessness, mental health challenges, addiction, etc.


Examples of types of initiatives or projects:      

  •  Access to Education, Recreation and other Activities:
    Projects that help vulnerable youth with educational attainment and skills development.
    - Literacy, after-school programs, alternative education,
    - mentorship programs
    - food /meal programs
    - recreation and arts programs for low income youth
     
  • Mental Health and Addiction Services:
    Programs and projects that aim to prevent and/or support vulnerable youth facing addiction and mental illness.
     
  • Homelessness, Housing and Supports:
    Projects that provide transitional housing and supports to youth that are homeless or at risk of homelessness, including youth transitioning out of care, and/or young mothers.
     
  •  Employment and Skills Development:
    Projects that support youth through...
    - Employability services or training, or employment placements
    - Transitional employment through social enterprise or other types of programs that create employment opportunities


Enhanced Well–Being of Vulnerable Seniors

Our goal is to contribute to social and material well-being of vulnerable seniors, including enhanced independence and age-friendly physical environments, access to affordable housing options and services, positive mental and physical health, reduced social isolation and sufficient income to meet needs.


Sample outcome areas include:

  • Increased access for vulnerable / low income seniors to affordable and safe housing options and other basic needs
  • Improved ability for seniors to age in place; stay in their homes
  • Reduced social isolation
  • Improve accessibility in the built environment to support seniors economic and social inclusion
  • Reduced poverty for vulnerable seniors


Potential target populations include:

  • Economically vulnerable – seniors on fixed income
  • Seniors who are homeless or at risk of homelessness
  • Seniors facing isolation


Examples of types of initiatives or projects:

  • Affordable housing programs and buildings
  • Food/ meal programs
  • Health and wellness programs
  • Computer literacy programs
  • Social service initiatives supporting seniors
  • Seniors abuse programs/services

    Previous Grant Recipients

    To date, over $1.5M has been granted to all corners of our beautiful province, originally from the Van Tel/Safeway Credit Union Foundation and in more recent years, through the Van Tel/Safeway Credit Union Legacy Fund. 70% of all earnings from the Van Tel/Safeway Credit Union Legacy Fund are used to collaborate with the Vancity Community Foundation to support their core granting program.

    Reports on projects funded in previous granting cycles are available here:

    Fund History

    Van Tel/Safeway Credit Union was established as a result of a merger that included VanTel, Safeway Employees and Pacific Paper Credit Unions. It was a closed bond credit union for the employees and retirees of TELUS, Safeway, Kruger Products (Scott Paper), Pacific Newspaper Group (Vancouver Sun & The Province), Summit Logistics Inc., and/or one of their affiliated companies and unions.

    The Van Tel/Safeway Credit Union Foundation was created in 1999 to encourage volunteerism among bond members while providing grants to support these organizations in which they dedicated time.

    Van Tel/Safeway Credit Union merged with Vancity Credit Union in 2007. The Van Tel/ Safeway Credit Union Legacy Fund was established to provide a legacy to honour the history of and relationships built during more than 60 years of service Van Tel/Safeway Credit Union provided and to serve as a place where donations can grow and be made available for future generations.

    For over 60 years, our credit unions provided a safe haven for our closed bond membership. Unlike most credit unions of today, in order to become a member of our credit union, you had to work for the parent company, union, or be a relative of someone who worked for the company, union etc. That is where the term "closed bond credit union" comes from. The financial world has changed very quickly and although we provided great service to our members, we had to keep up with the changes and merged with Vancity. We saw this as both the ending of an era, and the beginning of a new relationship. It was with the strong bond we built with our members, a sort of extended family, that we created this VanTel/Safeway Credit Union Legacy Fund (VTSCULF).
     

    Focus Areas
    Fund Type