We are living through difficult times. On the global scale, we face climate change, political uncertainty, the growing threat of war, and the lingering effects of the pandemic. A little closer t0 home, we face the increasing cost of living, housing unaffordability, racism, joblessness, and homelessness. Even closer to home, we all have our own personal and family worries and challenges.

Many of us are thinking, what can we do in the face of all this uncertainty, all these problems? Well, we may not be able to solve the world’s biggest problems, but we certainly can do something, in a small but significant way, to help our neighbours: in particular, disadvantaged Surrey youth.

Helping a marginalized high school student achieve their dreams of a post-secondary career will give you a feeling of accomplishment. The students we support not only get the chance to receive an education leading to a satisfying career, but they also gain the ability to give back to their communities. Can you imagine a better seasonal gift?

Let me tell you a little about some of our BBF students: their challenges and their successes — successes that belong to the students, but also to BBF, and also to you, BBF’s generous supporters.

Source: Pickpix

Challenges:

BBF students face multiple challenges at a young age. Their families struggle with poverty. For various reasons, parents were unable to save for their children’s education or even manage the household’s day-to-day expenses. Some of the high school graduates BBF has supported have struggled with the following:

  • Adapting to life in Canada as a refugee
  • Unemployment or underemployment of parents
  • Parental illness and disability
  • Responsibility for running the household
  • Responsibility for supporting family members emotionally and financially
  • Needing to live away from the family home

These high-school students are faced with an almost impossible task: supporting themselves and their families while attending high school full-time and achieving excellent grades. All this is on top of working after school and on weekends.

Our students are true heroes!

For all of these young heroes, a post-secondary education and the chance of living a life free from poverty was a distant dream – until Bright Beginnings – and YOU – entered the picture!

Successes:

So far, the Bright Beginnings Foundation Fund has provided full educational support to five students. Two have graduated from their postsecondary institutions, and three are enrolled in their programs of study.

One of our two graduates has obtained a Bachelor of Arts and Science with majors in Psychology and Criminology and a certificate in Forensics. Our second graduate has obtained a diploma in Music and is pursuing a Nursing degree. Our three continuing students are enrolled in a Bachelors program in Chemistry, a Bachelors program in Business Administration, and a Science Associate degree. This student hopes to eventually earn a degree in Psychiatry.

With YOUR help, our first two graduates are now well-equipped to obtain professional careers that will allow them, and their families, lives of financial independence and years of giving back to their communities. The others are well on their way!

If you’re now feeling inspired to make a positive change in a young person’s life – to allow them to fulfill their dreams and to give back to the world we all live in – here’s your chance!

Click on “Donate” to help a marginalized Surrey youth realize their potential.