Since 2007 alone, the Van Tel/Safeway Legacy Fund has granted more than $1.5 million back to the community. But that is just dollars. The magnitude of the real gift is much larger, as it lives on in the lives of every person touched by the hundreds of organizations that received funding, and in all the future grants to come, built on the 60-year history of these credit unions and the goodwill of thousands of their members.

Common Thread is a cooperative social enterprise based in Vancouver. The co-op provides practical and flexible training and employment in industrial sewing for women who are newcomers to Canada, who are living with mental health challenges, or who are experiencing other employment barriers. These women are able to thrive and learn in a supportive environment, acquiring new skills and taking...