NEARLY 700,000 blankets
in 18years
OUR IMPACT
While walking out of a movie theater in downtown Vancouver on a chilly October night in 2005, Gregory Ould noticed a man lying in an alcove at the side of a building. Greg went up to the man, whose appearance looked weathered and rough, and asked the man if there was anything that he could do to help him out. Expecting he would ask for money, cigarettes, or coffee, Greg wasn't prepared for what the man did say to him.
I could use a blanket…
to survive the night.”
Since collecting 67 blankets on their first blanket drive, Blanket BC has grown into an incorporated charity and has been able to distribute nearly 700,000 blankets by 2023!
There are well over 165 shelter programs throughout British Columbia that Blanket BC has delivered to over the years. We've also been able to send over 20,000 blankets and warm clothing to far off places like the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan back in 2013, Zimbabwe & Mozambique Africa after Cyclone Adai in 2019 and earlier in 2023 to families in Ukraine.
Every third week of November, Blanket BC Society runs their annual “Drive on the Line Campaign". This incredibly large two-day-long Blanket Drive set along the Canada Line that runs from Waterfront Station to Richmond has helped in the collection of over 105,000 blankets and over 75,000 articles of warm clothing to date! It's as far as we know, the largest blanket drive in North America! We are also grateful to the schools and corporations who have helped us #spread the warmth and donated a large volume of blankets while
Blanket BC Society's Non-Profit Certificate: #S57485. We are also currently pending Charity Status.
LOCAL SHELTERS
Centre of Hope - Salvation Army – Abbotsford, BC
Red Lion Inn - The Red Lion Tavern Ltd. – Chetwynd, BC
Brigadier Arthur Carmell House - Salvation Army – Chilliwack, BC
Gateway of Hope - Salvation Army – Langley, BC
Ann Davis Society - Chilliwack, BC
Hope and Area Transition Society Shelter, Hope, BC
Caring Place - Salvation Army - Maple Ridge
Haven in the Hollow - Mission Community Services Society, Mission, BC
Samaritan House - Island Crisis Care Society – Nanaimo, BC
New Hope Centre - Salvation Army – Nanaimo, BC
Elizabeth Gurney House - Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver - New Westminster
The Russell - Lookout Emergency Aid Society
North Shore Shelter - Lookout Emergency Aid Society
Prince George Bridget Moran Place - Active Support Against Poverty
Ketso Yoh Centre Men's Hostel - Prince George Native Friendship Centre Society
Richmond House Men's Shelter - Salvation Army
Squamish Shelter - Squamish Helping Hands Society
Sheena's Place - Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver
Cynthia's Place - Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver
Hyland House - Options: Services to Communities Society - Surrey, BC
Gateway Shelter and Front Room Drop In - Keys Housing and Health Solutions - Surrey, BC
Cloverdale Shelter - Options Services to Communities
Bridge Women's Emergency Shelter - Atira Women's Resource Society
Covenant House - Youth Shelter
Downtown Eastside Women's Centre
Yukon Shelter - Lookout Emergency Aid Society
Lookout Downtown Shelter - Lookout Emergency Aid Society
Springhouse - The Bloom Group
Powell Place - The Bloom Group
The Umbrella – The Bloom Group
Belkin House - Salvation Army
The Haven - Salvation Army
The Beacon - Salvation Army
Family Shelter, Vancouver, BC
Triage Shelter - RainCity Housing and Support Society
The Gathering Place - City of Vancouver
Evelyne Saller Centre - City of Vancouver
Portland Hotel Society
WISH Drop in Centre - Vancouver
Victoria Out of the Rain Night Shelter - Beacon Community Services
Our Place Society – Victoria, BC
Next Steps - Victoria Cool Aid Society
Rock Bay Landing - Victoria Cool Aid Society
Sandy Merriman House - Victoria Cool Aid Society
Vancouver Homeless Emergency Action Team (HEAT)
New Fountain Shelter
Aboriginal Central Street Shelter
Ruth & Naomi's Mission, Chilliwack, BC
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
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Honoured by Kwantlen First Nations - Traditional Blanket Ceremony - 2018
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Humanitarian Award Winners - BC Country Music Association - 2015
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Recognized in the House of Commons - Ottawa, Ontario, Canada - 2013
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Benjamin Ould, Co-Founder - Recognized as the Youngest Founder of an NPO in Canadian History
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House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada - 2013
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Proclamation - November 26 Blanket BC Day in Vancouver - Gregor Robertson, Mayor of Vancouver, BC, Canada