Metro Vancouverites Unite to Help on World Kindness Day | The Canadian News

Saturday is World Kindness Day, and groups around Metro Vancouver marked the occasion by stepping up to do good to their neighbors.

In Richmond, volunteers gathered at Quilchena Elementary for their first annual clothing drive, collecting men’s clothing for their local homeless shelter.

Organizer Angela Dinnell said the need was “huge.”

“There are 60 beds and they tell us that they are almost at maximum capacity and that they have no clothes,” he said.

“Some of the men wear women’s clothing, not because they want to, but because they just need to keep warm and in something clean. And then jackets, shoes, socks, everything for winter. “

And it seemed that kindness was not in short supply on Saturday. The event had to close two hours early after an “overwhelming response” in which organizers packed their entire U-Haul truck plus five other vehicles.

In Delta, the city launched new “goodness meters,” dismantled parking meters that have been painted in the designs of local high school students.

The meters do not actually charge for parking, but are placed to collect spare coins, the proceeds of which will go to local community service groups.

“I always said we would never have parking meters, but we made an exception,” joked Delta Mayor George Harvie.

The five unique meters were created in partnership between the Delta School District, the Delta Community Resilience and Economic Team, and the Delta Community Foundation.

Harvie said they will move around town every six months so more people can see the creations.

The mayor said the meters are just one way locals can participate in World Kindness Day.

“Show an act of kindness to the many people who are helping you,” he said.

“The people who serve us in a restaurant, the employees at the grocery store, just tell them how much you appreciate their work. They’ve been through a lot during this pandemic. “

World Kindness Day, celebrated every November 13, began in 1998 as an initiative to foster goodness around the world by promoting good deeds in the community.