Eighty years ago, a man working at a local soup kitchen had an idea that changed Victoria forever.
Burges Gadsden was one of many people doing what he could to help out fellow citizens who had been hit hard by the Depression. A successful businessman, alderman and resident of Victoria for 34 years, he established the Sunshine Inn on Pandora Street, a place where the multitude of unemployed could get a hot meal and some help finding what little work there was.
His experience led him to envision a permanent organization with a solid source of funds that could provide support to charities across all sectors. With his determination — and an initial $20 donation from his mother, Fanny — the Victoria Foundation was born in 1936.
Through the generosity of thousands of donors who followed in Fanny’s footsteps over the eight decades since, the foundation has grown from a relatively small and unknown organization to the single largest non-government funder of charities in the region. Now with 471 funds and more than $270 million in assets under management, the foundation distributes more than $1 million a month in scholarships and grants to charities from the returns on invested capital.
To celebrate this enduring legacy of philanthropy, and to mark the occasion of the Victoria Foundation’s 80th anniversary in 2016, two signature events are taking place in the coming months — and you’re invited.
First, this summer we will be playing host to Canada150Mosaic, a three-day event where 600 individual tiles will be painted by members of the public. The tiles will be assembled into an eight-foot-by-12-foot mosaic of a Coast Salish orca to be placed in a prominent location.
Once complete, the mosaic will be one of 150 similar artworks created across the nation to help celebrate another important milestone in 2017: the 150th anniversary of Confederation.
Then on Saturday, Sept. 17, we will hold Victoria Foundation Day, providing free admission to a number of attractions around the region. With the intent of including venues that match our priority areas of arts and heritage, health and wellness, and the environment, look for things such as recreation facilities, heritage buildings, arts venues and others to be part of this exciting event.
For more information on Canada150Mosaic or Victoria Foundation Day, including dates and times, be sure to check our website for regular updates at victoriafoundation.ca.
Sandra Richardson is CEO of the Victoria Foundation.
