I first learned about Cause We Care many years ago through Andrea Hill and Vandana Varshney Lecky. I watched as the organization evolved over the years from a grassroots movement to a professionalized, focused non-profit. I had known Shannon Newman-Bennett through her work with Big Sisters, so when she joined Cause We Care, I was keen to learn more. Her involvement spoke to the organization’s potential and to the thoughtful way it was evolving. As Cause We Care sharpened its focus on single mother-led families, I saw a clear response to a need that is often overlooked by other agencies. CWC’s practical, community-based approach made me want to become a more active supporter.
As a working mother myself, I understand the demands of balancing parenting with the many practical responsibilities of daily life. I’m fortunate to have resources and support. Many mothers in our community do not have that same privilege. That perspective has made it important to me to use the advantages I have to help create greater stability and opportunity for other mothers and their children.
Beyond financial pressure, single mothers often carry the full practical and emotional load of parenting. That can mean navigating childcare, healthcare, housing, food security, work schedules, school commitments and family needs—often with very little flexibility or backup. The challenges are interconnected. A mother may need immediate basics such as safe housing and nutritious food, while also needing childcare, education, training and access to meaningful employment. Supporting single mothers well means recognizing that they are raising the next generation while working to build greater security for themselves.
I wish more people understood the scale and complexity of the challenges many single mothers face. Their needs are rarely one-dimensional, and effective support must be timely, practical and connected to what families are experiencing on the ground. Cause We Care’s focused approach is one of its strengths. By directing support toward trusted organizations that are meeting real needs in the Lower Mainland, it helps donors make a meaningful difference where it is needed most.
Golf for Good began with a straightforward idea: not every worthy local organization has the capacity to run a large fundraising event on its own, but several can benefit when supporters come together around a shared initiative. We created the tournament to direct proceeds to grassroots organizations that “do a lot with a little”, particularly those supporting women and children in our community. Cause We Care has grown to become a key administrative partner to Golf for Good, and its support is central to our ability to deliver the tournament and direct its proceeds to community beneficiaries. Since 2007, Golf for Good has raised more than $4 million for those beneficiaries. Our goal is to raise meaningful funds while making it easy and enjoyable for people and businesses to give back to the local community.
The business community has resources beyond financial contributions: networks, expertise, relationships and the ability to convene people. Often, the obstacle is not a lack of willingness to help, but a lack of a clear and practical way to participate. Golf for Good offers that opportunity. It is an enjoyable day for teams and clients, but it also turns relationship-building into tangible support for important local causes. I believe corporate philanthropy is most effective when it is accessible, purposeful and connected to a clear community outcome.
I’m particularly inspired by the bursaries and educational supports Cause We Care provides to help single mothers continue their education and training. Education can be a powerful lever for long-term change: it can open the door to stronger career opportunities, greater financial security and more choices for families. The outcome I hope to see is more mothers equipped to provide for their families with confidence and greater independence.
I love Winston Churchill and a quote from him that I often return to is: “What is the use of living, if it be not to strive for noble causes and to make this muddled world a better place for those who will live in it after we are gone?” For me, it is a reminder to give back while I am here – and not after I’m gone - to use my time, resources and relationships to contribute to causes that can improve people’s lives today and strengthen the community for the future.
I am currently reading King of Kings: The Iranian Revolution by Scott Anderson, about the reign of the last Shah of Iran. It’s timely given current events, and a compelling reminder that progress is not meaningful unless people all across a society can participate in it and feel its benefits. The book has reinforced for me the importance of ensuring that opportunity, dignity and support are broadly shared—especially with people who might otherwise be left behind.
What has always stood out to me is the generosity and humility of the Hill family and Andrea’s leadership in building an organization with a clear mission and a strong community focus. Cause We Care does more than direct funds to important work; it brings people together and encourages others to contribute their own time, networks and resources. It does all of this with a lean staff, hundreds of inspired volunteers and a growing group of corporate supporters. I can’t wait to see where this organization goes!
