
The Kamloops-Thompson Board of Education is committed to engaging in meaningful community partnerships that help support and celebrate students, staff and community members throughout the Kamloops Thompson School District.
As a board, we are committed to the district’s strategic plan values of equity, connections and relationships, well-being and sustainability—values we share with our long-standing community partners at United Way BC
For more than two decades, we have been proud to partner with the United Way, which shares our commitment to those values by supporting programs that bring people together to inspire local action and build stronger, more resilient communities across our district.
Over the last 20 years, Kamloops Thompson School District staff have contributed annually to support United Way BC. The 2024 SD73 United Way Employee Giving Campaign ran from Oct. 16 to Dec. 20, 2024. Staff could support United Way by making either a one-time donation or setting up ongoing donations throughout 2025.
United Way BC’s commitment to local giving creates local results through various initiatives that support kids and youth within the Kamloops Thompson region and School District No. 73 communities.
The Schools Out Program provides free or low barrier after-school care for vulnerable kids aged five to 12, between the critical hours of 3 p.m and 6 p.m. A Schools Out Program is located in Kamloops to help support children with homework help, life skills, basic needs like food and nutrition and social and emotional support.
The Youth Futures Education Fund helps create equal educational opportunities for youth who have been in government care by providing low-barrier access to funds for basic living expenses like food, rent, technology, child care and more. This program, available for any student coming out of government care across British Columbia (who is also using the B.C. Tuition Waiver Program to access free tuition), supports TRU in Kamloops/Williams Lake and Nicola Valley Institute of Technology in Merritt.
The United Way’s regional community food hub coordinates efforts between local non-profits serving marginalized and underserved groups, school districts, faith-based organizations, food suppliers, and food recovery groups who deliver rescued food to local hubs. Programming includes food hampers, meal distribution, community gardens, food literacy, skill building and funding for staff and infrastructure.
In Clearwater, a United Way BC regional community food hub was established in July 2023 to provide critical resources for the community. Recently, the hub completed a renovation of its community garden (partially funded by United Way Thompson Nicola Cariboo), offered a two-part canning workshop in both Clearwater and Barriere, and had a "blender bike" set up at the Clearwater Farmers Market last summer, where people could blend smoothies using their own energy.
The Community Services Recovery Fund is a $400 million investment from the Government of Canada to support charities and non-profits as they build resilience by making investments in their people, organizations and program innovation.
Some of the the local charities and non-profit organizations that receive funding through the fund include 2 Rivers Remix Society, the Barriere Recreation Society, the Cariboo Child Care Society, Community Futures Development Corporation of Central Interior First Nations, the Kamloops Film Society, the Kamloops Sexual Assault Counselling Centre Society, the Kamloops-Cariboo Regional Immigrants Society, Lii Michif Otipemisiwak Family and Community Services and the Kamloops and District Society for People in Motion, to name a few.
The B.C. Wildfire Recovery Fund provides immediate and long-term support to communities most affected by B.C. wildfires. That fund goes towards addressing important needs like food assistance, trauma and mental health support.
On behalf of the Kamloops Thompson Board of Trustees, I would like to thank the SD73 staff who supported the campaign and helped raise nearly $11,000 for United Way BC programs in our communities.
We are proud to continue our support of partnerships that create a positive impact on students and families in the school district.
Cara McKelvey is a Kamloops Thompson School District trustee.