BURST
Six years ago, former CTV journalist and news anchor Renu Bakshi went to see for herself how The Vancouver Sun Children’s Fund was helping a school in Nanaimo.
She took a floatplane to Vancouver Island and spent a morning with teachers and children at a school that was asking for assistance from The Sun’s Adopt-A-School campaign.
What she found inspired her to become an advocate for the children’s fund and its work feeding and caring for impoverished school children.
“They told me about a child who was living in a car, others were living in motels. I could see firsthand the children and put faces to the crisis,” said Bakshi, a Vancouver communications consultant with local and international clients.
“For me, child hunger is Canada’s biggest crisis. I look at the stuff governments spend money on and I ask myself why are they ignoring the need in their own backyard and spending money on stuff that is less important. It upsets me.”
She has donated to Adopt-A-School since 2019 with individual donations directed to various schools in Nanaimo and Vancouver.
She has even made provision for the children’s fund in her will.
“Just so whatever I have left when I’m gone goes to a worthy cause,” she said.
And she shares her dedication for helping impoverished children with all her clients and friends.
“When I submit a proposal for work, I state the charitable giving I do. It’s included in my conversations and posted on my website,” she said.
“I’m fortunate I have some influential clients and when I first began with a children’s fund a number of them reached out and said, ‘Hey, this is a worthwhile cause’. Over the years, I’ve seen some of them being featured in The Sun for contributing. That’s a really good feeling.
“Recently, I was having breakfast with a client and he asked about it. I’m pretty sure he’ll be involved soon.”
Bakshi credits her parents with teaching her concern for others.
Born in Vancouver, she was raised on a blueberry farm in Richmond.
“My dad had three jobs, never took a cent from the government, and we were so poor that at times he didn’t eat. So, you’d better believe we didn’t have people over for dinner.
“But I was raised by parents who were committed to giving back to the community and I owe them a lot for teaching me compassion.”
She said she still had one more thing to do for this year’s campaign.
“I want to give that school in Surrey (Guildford Park Secondary) the $5,000 it needs to help families with food and clothes.”
No administration costs are charged against donations, which are directed entirely to schools.
How to donate
1. ONLINE: Donate online with a credit card at www.vansunkidsfund.ca
2. PHONE: To pay by credit card, call 604-813-8673.