Impact of donor gifts to support students and education recognized at AGM
The Justice Institute of British Columbia Foundation reported a successful year at its June Annual General Meeting (AGM). Donor generosity saw over $682,000 received and almost $655,000 disbursed in support of justice and public safety education and students at JIBC.
Donors support education and students
JIBC’s paramedic programs continued to benefit from gifts to fund training equipment. The Chilliwack Foundation, which has given over $30,000 to support paramedic training at JIBC’s campus in Chilliwack since 2015, granted $9,100 to fund equipment. Meanwhile, donors to The JIBC Foundation’s annual appeal helped fund a birthing simulator for training Emergency Medical Responder, Primary Care Paramedicine and Advanced Care Paramedicine students at the New Westminster campus.
The annual appeal, which raised $20,125, including a $10,000 match from The JIBC Foundation, also generated almost $3,000 for the JIBC Library and over $6,700 to help students in financial need.
The Vancouver Foundation provided an additional $30,000-grant for the Community Disaster Resilience Planning program, a free, online source for disaster planning tools and strategies. The grant will support development of a plan to mobilize use of the website within communities, stakeholders, and organizational groups.
Emergency management capacity in B.C. also benefited from BC Hydro’s continued support for the JIBC Community Public Safety Award. BC Hydro’s grant of $9,000 helped cover the cost of specialized emergency management training for three communities during the year.
More than $543,000 was disbursed in awards, bursaries and scholarships to over 110 recipients. Nine new awards were established during the year including three for students in paramedicine and two each for students in firefighting and law enforcement studies. Three of the new awards provide support for Indigenous students.
Natasha Tabatabaei, recent graduate of the Bachelor in Law Enforcement Studies program, was the guest speaker at the AGM. Tabatabaei spoke about her applied research project, “Safeguards for New Westminster Police Investigating Child Exploitation Files,” which earned her an award at JIBC’s 2023 Applied Research Day. She also expressed her appreciation for the awards and bursaries she received while attending JIBC and explained how the impact went beyond financial assistance.
“I'm feeling really grateful today because the Foundation has been a huge part of my academic career here at JIBC for the last four years…. I find that these opportunities for support and bursaries have actually opened more doors. For instance, I was the recipient of the Press for Progress Award a couple years ago, and upon receiving that award, I then had the opportunity to speak at JIBC's International Women's Day event where I got to connect and network with so many incredible people.”
The JIBC Foundation Board of Directors
The JIBC Foundation bid farewell to three directors at the AGM, current Vice-Chair John Oakley, Treasurer Curtis Campbell, and Director Jennifer Killam. Special thanks were also expressed to Stephen Gamble, LLD for his many years of service. Gamble served on the Foundation board before joining the JIBC Board of Governors in 2017 for six years, including four as Chair, and serving throughout that time as liaison to The JIBC Foundation board.
Kathy Wunder was re-elected Chair and Louise Nagy as Secretary; with Terry Wong elected Vice-Chair and Emily Walmsley as Treasurer. Sean Millington, Beatrix Nicolato, Lisa Paull, Tanya Ponnan, and Wayne Schnitzler continue as Directors.
“Donations for public safety education and students have a widespread and long-lasting impact,” said Wunder. “First, they help the students who receive awards or train on donor-funded equipment and then donations make a difference through the work students go on to do. Thank you to all our donors for your generosity – your gifts really are just the beginning.”
About the Justice Institute of British Columbia Foundation
The Justice Institute of British Columbia Foundation (The JIBC Foundation) raises funds for justice and public safety education and students at JIBC including student awards, specialized training equipment and resources, and new initiatives. By donating to The JIBC Foundation, our donors help JIBC achieve its vision for safer communities and a more just society.