It might seem easy to casually say that things are getting back to normal. School is back in session, minimum wage went up to $11.35 an hour, and the provincial state of emergency relating to B.C.’s wildfires has finally ended.
But for many people, “normal” does not aptly describe the state of life right now.
Some students with disabilities in B.C. schools will continue to lack the extra attention they need to thrive.
People with little left over at the end of the month after paying their rent, in a Greater Victoria housing market where it’s hard enough to even find a place to call home, will still have to scrimp and cut out the extras to afford groceries.
And those affected most drastically by the Interior wildfires remain months or even years away from getting back to some semblance of a regular routine.
So what can we do here at home to make an impact on those who need our help?
There are many ways to reach out, including contributing to the United Way of Greater Victoria, through its annual workplace giving campaign that kicked off last week, in combination with the announcement that phone, texting and online referral services are available through BC211.
In 2016 United Way funded 109 social service organizations in the Capital Region to the tune of $4.2 million, helping those groups provide needed assistance to 111,000 people.
By funding local service providers, United Way helps people in all walks of life, sometimes even our neighbours without us knowing. Programs for youth, people in poverty, those battling addiction and/or mental illness and more are paid for with donors’ dollars.
And thanks to the availability of regional service directories on BC211.ca since this past June, families and individuals affected by wildfires had a valuable resource to find information on evacuations, emergency shelters and other services.
So, there are ways to help those who find themselves in dire circumstances. If you’re looking for a good one, try checking out BC211.ca or uwgv.ca.