|
« Return
 Landscaping with Heart
BC Technology Social Venture Partners (BCT SVP) is a network for senior technology leaders who care about their communities. It seeks to catalyze significant, long-term positive social change by:
- Encouraging individuals to be well informed, effective and engaged philanthropists
- Investing time, expertise and money in innovative nonprofit organizations while helping to strengthen them in the process
BCT SVP takes an innovative approach to philanthropy, leveraging dollars, networks, and professional skills to support Grantees. We have found that this "time plus money" approach helps our Grantees increase their capacity to deliver positive social impact.
Here is just one brief story from SVP Grantee Coast Landscaping with Heart, about people whose lives are being affected in a positive way.
Wolf, a Coast outreach worker, met "Bob" when he was living in a cardboard box outside a downtown church. Like many homeless people, "Bob" had a serious mental illness and was not receiving treatment but he trusted Wolf. Wolf helped "Bob" get medical mental health treatment, disability benefits to pay for his medications and got him involved in activities. One of "Bob’s" favorite activities was working in the garden of one of Coast’s residential facilities. The gardening group started taking on a number of projects. Some of them were paying contracts and as a result, "Bob" got paid for the work he did. "Bob" became a crew leader in 2003 and even took a course as a Landscape Technician. "Bob" went from living in a cardboard box to helping turn piles of dirt into beautiful garden enjoyed by the community, working regularly as a paid landscaper, having friends, his own apartment and having stable mental health.
By Cindy Pandini, Executive Director, BCTSVP. Cindy can be contacted at cpandini@bctsvp.com
« Return
|
