A $1.5-million gift has allowed the University of Victoria to establish a new research chair in Indigenous mental health named after the late Kwakwaka’wakw artist Chief Mungo Martin.
The gift, from UVic political science alumnus Bruce McKean, will benefit the university’s clinical psychology program and help strengthen research, teaching and community engagement in Indigenous health and well-being.
“We are grateful for the donation that established the research chair in Mungo Martin’s name, and to use his name in what is an important and needed area of research all over Canada,” said Chief David Mungo Knox, great-grandson of Chief Mungo Martin.
Martin worked with Indigenous nations all along the West Coast to help communities reclaim traditions of carving and other artforms.
“This new position, with its focus on mental health and by supporting research grounded in traditional knowledge, reflects the university’s commitment to providing community support and to being accountable to the commitments we have made to taking action on truth, respect and reconciliation,” said UVic president Kevin Hall.
The university is looking for an Indigenous scholar to fill the new position, who will develop mental-wellness research and learning in consultation with Indigenous partners.
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Duncan school wins Jane Goodall award
A Duncan school has won an international award bestowed by the Jane Goodall Institute.
Khowhemun Elementary’s Indigenous garden was chosen for a Roots & Shoots 30th Anniversary award. The project was selected due to the way it connects students with nature and the history of the land, while highlighting the interdependence of plants, animals and humans.
All 280 students at the school had a hand in the garden’s creation. The 20-metre-by-80-metre plot continues to be a learning tool and outdoor classroom.
Founded in 1991, Roots & Shoots celebrates youth-led actions that are making a difference in their community.
“We are tremendously proud of the staff and students at Khowhemun Elementary,” said Candace Spilsbury, chair of the Cowichan Valley School District’s board of education. “This beautiful project started with our dedicated educators who continue to think of meaningful projects while intertwining them with our continued path on our reconciliation journey.”
The Cowichan Valley district’s boundaries reach to the Malahat to the south and Chemainus to the north and sits on the traditional lands of the Quw’utsun, Malahat, Ts’uubaa-asatx, Halalt, Penelakut, Stz’uminus and Lyackson peoples.
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Co-ops unite for food drives
Two co-operatives are joining forces this holiday season to help put food on the table in 91原创 Island and Southern Gulf Island communities.
Peninsula Co-op and Island Savings, a division of First West Credit Union, have teamed up to encourage members to donate to their local food bank. During the seasonal campaign, the two financial institutions will match member donations up to a total of $15,000.
“Co-operative organizations, by their nature, make each other stronger through partnership— and the main beneficiary of these partnerships is the community,” said Kendall Gross, president of Island Savings.
“The belief in neighbour helping neighbour guides everything we do here at Island Savings, and we are proud to partner with Peninsula Co-op and our members to give our neighbours a warm meal this holiday season.”
Donors can direct their donations to any one of 13 food banks and service agencies registered in the campaign.
Donations can also be made to Food Banks B.C. at .
Rotary Club sells homemade fruitcake
Harbourside Rotary Club is again selling its seasonal fruitcakes, made by members in their own kitchens, with proceeds going toward charities it supports.
This year, through community support, the club has donated $194,000 to the Victoria Community Food Hub, 1000x5 Children’s Book Recycling Project Society, Sanctuary Youth Centre Victoria and others.
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City funding helps build neighbourhoods
More than 40 community projects are coming to life, with residents creating celebrations, adding murals to neighbourhoods, providing food education programs and more thanks to more than $125,000 of funding channelled through the City of Victoria My Great Neighbourhood Grants.
The grants are aimed at supporting neighbourhoods through funding for projects and activities that empower residents to shape their area.
Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps said: “Since the program began in 2016, the city has invested close to three quarters of a million dollars directly into the community. This has been matched by community contributions for a total of $1.5 million.
“These investments are powerful because they continue to bring neighbours together and further strengthen Victoria’s already vibrant neighbourhoods.”
All projects have been designed to support community development and placemaking. City council has added “community resiliency” as a permanent category to help residents and organizations prepare for climate change, emergency management and food security.
The next intake for the program begins on April 1. Grants are available to residents, community groups, not-for-profit organizations, schools and ad hoc groups. For more information, go to .
ViaTec raises cash for food donations
The Victoria tech community raised more than $82,000 during the 19th Victoria Innovation, Advanced Technology and Entrepreneurship Council Foundation Food Bank Challenge, which ran from Nov. 15 to Dec. 9.
The annual effort focused on raising cash online over the collection of food donations to ensure the safety of participants and donors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to its relationship with food suppliers, cash donations allow the Mustard Seed Street Church to buy more food per dollar than individual donors can buy for the same amount.
This year’s total is enough to feed more than 650 people for a year. “This is at least the third year in a row that we have seen the total amount raised exceed the year before,” said Dan Gunn, VIATEC CEO.
“It is a testament to the big hearts in our local tech community. It has been an honour to do what we can to encourage and enable our tech community to support those in need throughout our region.
“We are proud of the companies that contributed this year and thankful to the rest of our members for their ongoing support, which make it possible for us to dedicate the staff time and resources needed to organize this initiative each year.”
Over the years, the tech community event has donated almost $2.5-million worth of food and cash to the Mustard Seed.
Started in 1989, VIATEC’s mission is to cultivate the most cohesive tech community in the world. For more information, go to .
