The giving spirit is alive and well in the City of North Vancouver.
Thanks to the thousands of donations to local causes throughout the year, GoFundMe has named North Van the second most-giving community in Canada.
According to the platform, more than $1.3 million in total donations were made in the city in 2024. With around 9,000 unique donors in a population of more than 58,000 (per 2021 census), the result is a per-capita donor rate of 15.5 per cent.
That puts the City of North Vancouver just behind generosity rival Victoria, with a donation rate of 21.3 per cent. Previously, North Van was named most generous in 2021 and 2022.
From small acts of kindness to major community efforts, Canadians are consistently committed to lending a helping hand, said Tim Cadogan, GoFundMe CEO.
“People across Canada have exhibited unprecedented kindness and compassion, exemplified by the generosity shown – from supporting a young girl in North Vancouver hoping to train her service dog or donating dollars to keep the beloved Toronto Santa Claus Parade alive, an unbreakable spirit of solidarity defines Canadians,” he said.
Suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalitis and mast cell activation syndrome over the past couple years, Hannah Watt was beginning to doubt if she’d ever feel better.
Together, these conditions make Hannah extremely tired and susceptible to dizzy spells. Earlier this year, she had to get five stitches in her head after passing out at school.
But hope came to Hannah after a visit to Canine Valley in Squamish, where she learned of the possibility of getting a service dog. Amazingly, a dog came on the couch beside her, resting his muzzle on her lap.
“I could just see the hope in her eyes and as we were driving home, she said to me that this was the first time that she’s ever felt hopeful that she will feel better,” said her mom Rebecca Watt.
But service dogs come at a high price. At upwards of $26,000, the bill wasn’t possible for Hannah’s parents to cover.
That’s when Rebecca set up a GoFundMe. In the following weeks, the family was stunned by the support Hannah received.
“GoFundMe made it possible to where we are today with this absolutely life-changing experience,” Rebecca said, adding that she and her husband have continued to update the page with news about Hannah’s journey.
“It’s become a very passionate thing for us, creating awareness through the GoFundMe to other parents of other kids that have struggled with chronic illness,” she said.
Now, with Epix – a specialty Tamaskan-breed service dog – at her side, Hannah’s quality of life has dramatically improved.
“He’s been game changing,” she said. “The comfort of Epix being there, and knowing that he has my back, doing things like getting around school and going up the stairs, having him being able to assist me, it’s just indescribable the type of relief it brings – physically and emotionally.”
Many heartwarming campaigns in North Vancouver this year
Many other stories of generosity have touched our readers in 2024.
One of the most powerful GoFundMe campaigns this year was started in support of Caileigh Koppang, a 15-year-old pro mountain biker who suffered a devastating crash while training near Whistler in October.
With head injuries and spinal fractures, the outlook was bleak following the crash, said her mom Ashleigh Koppang. But the worst-case scenarios were avoided, as Caileigh began to emerge from her coma, and doctors confirmed she had no spinal cord damage.
To help support the North Vancouver athlete’s long recovery journey, a GoFundMe page was launched by a fellow rider. As of mid-December, the campaign had generated an incredible $85,698.
According to a Dec. 9 update, Caileigh is in stable condition while recovering from several intense surgeries. Her family is exploring specialized rehab programs in the U.S.
A heartwarming campaign came in May, after a vehicle smashed through the front window of Special Moments Flowers and Gifts at the Park & Tilford shopping plaza just as the shop was preparing for Mother’s Day.
Shocking dashcam footage of the crash showed a vehicle weaving through the parking lot at high speed, before it smashed into a parked car that was sent flying into the floral shop.
But a bloom of support came to owner Jennifer Sullivan, after a fellow florist in Surrey launched a GoFundMe. As she scrambled to remake orders, Sullivan said she was “overwhelmed” by the touching response.
Another inspiring story came from Ken Birkin, with his incredible recovery from a life-changing fall in 2015.
After being told he may never walk again, Birkin wasn’t hearing it. Though he suffered through multiple surgeries and infections, eventually he got back on his feet and taught himself how to walk again.
Now, with his hiking sticks in hand, Birkin can be seen walking more than three kilometres daily in the Seymour area of North Van. Through his GoFundMe, Birkin said he’s buying new clothes as he seeks to rejoin the workplace.
Birkin says to give him a honk of support if you see him walking on Mount Seymour Parkway.
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