December 21, 2023
At-risk youth in Metro Vancouver have a greater chance of finding employment through paid work experience opportunities, thanks to a $20,000 Community Board grant from TELUS Friendly Future Foundation and the TELUS Vancouver and Coastal Community Board to Dan’s Legacy. The funding will go towards providing paid work experiences to 16 at-risk youth working in Dan’s Legacy’s “Dan’s Diner” social enterprise in New Westminster.
“Over the past five years the TELUS Friendly Future Foundation and the TELUS Vancouver and Coastal Community Board have generously provided a total of $73,000 in funding to Dan’s Legacy, and we are incredibly grateful for their support,” says Barbara Coates, Dan’s Legacy’s executive director. “What makes our programming so successful is that all the youth have access to our team of therapists, social workers and outreach workers who provide the clinical support necessary to help them achieve their goals.”
“Through our partnerships with charities supporting at-risk youth, we understand the challenges young people in these situations face,” said Shanan Spencer-Brown, Executive Director of TELUS Friendly Future Foundation. “We are proud to be able to support Dan’s Legacy with a Community Board grant, from our Vancouver and Coastal Community Board, in order to help them provide these critical opportunities for the youth.”
Dan’s Legacy’s “Dan’s Diner” social enterprise operates Monday to Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at #150 – 131 11th Street in New Westminster. Under the direction of professional chefs, and using donated surplus food, the youth learn how to repurpose the food in a commercial kitchen into healthy meals and sell to the public at affordable rates. By providing culinary and life-skills training in a clinically supported environment, Dan’s Legacy empowers the youth to build their self-esteem as well as secure meaningful careers in the hospitality industry. All Dan’s Legacy’s programs are provided to youth free of cost.
About TELUS Friendly Future
TELUS Friendly Future Foundation is a Canadian registered charity that believes all youth, regardless of circumstance, deserve an equal opportunity to reach their full potential. By funding more than 500 charities each year that provide education and health programs, many enabled by technology, TELUS Friendly Future Foundation is helping more than 2 million youth in communities across Canada build skills, gain confidence and feel a sense of belonging. In 2022 alone, we provided more than $10.6 million in grants to charities across the country.
For more information on TELUS Friendly Future Foundation visit friendlyfuture.com
Media Contacts
Linda Vu – Manager Marketing & Communications – [email protected]
Barbara Coates – Executive Director – [email protected]