Sep 25: Vancity Celebrates Dr. Peter Centre

Vancouver, September 25, 2003 - The Dr. Peter Centre, a day centre and residence and the first HIV/AIDS health care centre of its kind in Canada, opened the doors to its new home today with the help of a variety of community partners including Vancity Credit Union.

"From early on in the project, Vancity played an important role in this project," said Maxine Davis, Executive Director of the Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation. "Their steadfast belief in the centre and Dr. Peter's vision, and the invaluable support they have given us have been instrumental in getting us here today."

Vancity supported fundraising with a $25,000 grant approved by the Board of Directors and through the efforts of CEO Dave Mowat who personally raised $125,000 for the Dr. Peter Centre Capital Campaign.

"The expansion of the facility ensures stability in a health care system coping with the growing AIDS crisis," said Greg McDade, Chair of the Partnership Committee, the Vancity Board of Directors' granting body. "We are very proud to have been involved in the project and are particularly honoured to have the waterfall at the centre named on Vancity's behalf."

Vancity's support for the project has been varied and far-reaching across the organization. Vancity Enterprises, the socially responsible development subidiary of Vancity, was hired as development consultant to manage the project, coordinate funding partners, manage consultants, oversee the process of construction and administer the finances during construction.

Unique financing was another way that Vancity has supported the centre. Vancity's Community Business Solutions Centre, the Vancity Community Foundation, as well as CEO Dave Mowat all came forward with some of the most innovative not-for-profit lending solutions in the organization's history.

Specialists at Vancity also eagerly volunteered their skills, experience and countless hours in areas such as facilities planning.

Vancity is Canada’s largest credit union, with $9.3 billion in assets, 305,000 members, and 41 branches throughout Greater Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and Victoria. Vancity was chosen as the best place to work in Canada for 2005 by Maclean’s Magazine as part of its annual Canada’s Top 100 Employers issue. Vancity owns Citizens Bank of Canada, serving members across the country by telephone, ATM, and the Internet. Both Vancity and Citizens Bank are guided by a commitment to corporate social responsibility, and to improve the quality of life in the communities where we live and work.