Stories
Mar 30, 2026
Ignite Volunteerism: The People Behind Beacon’s Community Impact
By Mabel Marin & Yasmin Rampuri On any given day across Greater Victoria and the Gulf Islands, a Beacon volunteer might be delivering…
Jan 14, 2026
Reflecting on 2025, Looking Ahead to 2026
By: Mabel Marin As we welcome 2026, we want to take a meaningful pause to reflect on the year behind us, a year that challenged us,…
Dec 19, 2025
Grief at Christmas: Finding Light in a Difficult Season
By: Jane McIntosh Christmas is often portrayed as a season of joy—twinkling lights, gathering around tables, exchanging gifts and laughter. But for many people, the holiday…
Nov 04, 2025
Rising to the Challenge: Beacon’s Work to Support Food Security in Greater Victoria
By Tricia Sexton-Earl Food insecurity has become a severe crisis in the Greater Victoria area, driven largely by the high costs of living, especially housing and…
Oct 24, 2025
Out of the Rain: A Beacon of Hope for Youth in Victoria
In 1997, a coalition of downtown outreach workers in Victoria, alarmed by sighting youth sleeping in the doorways of local community centers, decided to open a lifeline. They asked…
Sep 16, 2025
Staff Highlight: Jennifer Freeman
A role rooted in meeting people where they are I manage the BEAMS Project, which is a unique pilot project that provides flexible, low barrier, and easily accessible pre-employment…
Sep 04, 2025
Staff Highlight: Alice Van Blokland
Creating pathways for transformation As the Director of Employment Services, the most meaningful part of my role and the work I do is the contribution we make to the…
Aug 08, 2025
United Nations’ International Youth Day, August 12th: Empowering Victoria’s Future Leaders
By Tricia Gueulette Every year on August 12th, the world comes together to celebrate International Youth Day, a United Nations initiative. It’s a day dedicated to…
Aug 06, 2025
Alistair’s Story: Finding Stability – and a Future
When Alistair* came to us, he was living out of his van and facing a critical turning point. He had been offered a job—but there was one requirement: he…
Jul 29, 2025
Vinny’s Story: From Struggling to Thriving
Before Beacon: A Life in Limbo My name is Vinny*, a first-generation immigrant in my early thirties. After spending most of my life in BC, I moved to…