BC FORUM News More information resource “links” added to BC FORUM website November 14, 2012 - BC FORUM recommends the following “links” as resources to find out more information and, in some cases, take action on important issues: Leadnow.ca Leadnow.ca is an independent advocacy organization that brings generations of Canadians together to achieve progress through democracy. They currently have a national campaign to stop FIPA - the Canada-China Foreign investment Protection Agreement - a deal that would "pave they way for a massive natural resource buyout and allow foreign corporations to sue the Canadian government in secret tribunals, restricting Canadians from making democratic decisions about our economy, environment and energy. Leadnow.ca has been added to BC FORUM’s “Links” page and is recommended as a resource for more information and to take action. The Canadian Health Coalition The Canadian Health Coalition is a public advocacy organization dedicated to the preservation and improvement of Medicare. Our membership is comprised of national organizations representing nurses, health care workers, seniors, churches, anti-poverty groups, women, students and trade unions, as well as affiliated coalitions in 9 provinces and one territory. The Canadian Health Coalition has been added to BC FORUM’s “Links” page and is recommended as a resource for more information. Stephen Lewis Foundation The Stephen Lewis Foundation (SLF) works with community-level organizations which are turning the tide of HIV/AIDS in Africa by providing care and support to women, orphaned children, grandmothers and people living with HIV and AIDS. Since 2003, we have funded over 700 initiatives, partnering with 300 community-based organizations in the 15 African countries hardest hit by the pandemic. These grassroots groups are the lifeline for their communities: they provide counselling and education about HIV prevention, care and treatment; distribute food, medication and other necessities; reach the sick and vulnerable through home-based health care; help orphans and vulnerable children access education and work through their grief; and support grandmothers caring for their orphaned grandchildren. The Stephen Lews Foundation has been added to BC FORUM’s “Links” page and is recommended as a resource for more information. Grandmothers Campaign African grandmothers are caring for millions of children orphaned by AIDS. The Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign raises funds in Canada for the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s work with community level organizations in Africa that provide grandmothers and the children in their care with the necessities of life, including counselling, nutrition, shelter, school supplies and income generation activities. The Grandmothers Campaign has been added to BC FORUM’s “Links” page and is recommended as a resource for more information. BC211 BC211 began in 1953 under the name Community Information Service. In 1958 we published the first edition of the Directory of Health, Welfare and Recreation Services in Metropolitan Vancouver, which later became the Red Book. Over the next 30 years, we continued to expand our information and referral services, and to publish yearly directories. In 1985 we began operating under the name Information Services Vancouver, with offices at the Heritage Hall in Vancouver where we stayed for 25 years. We began offering specialized help lines in the late 80's with the Victim's Information Line and the Alcohol and Drug TRYLine. Over the next 20 years we continued to grow, and added the Problem Gambling Help Line, Youth Against Violence Line and Shelter and Street Help Line to the services we offer. BC211 has been instrumental in advancing information and referral standards in BC (through the BC Alliance of Information and Referral Systems), in Canada (through Inform Canada), and in North America (through the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems) BC211 was the first Canadian I&R agency to be accredited through the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems (AIRS). Our accreditation was reaffirmed in 2008. In addition to the agency accreditation, our Information and Referral Specialist and Resources and Publications Specialists must become certified through AIRS. On April 10, 2010, the 211 British Columbia Services Society, operating under the name BC211, was officially launched. Since then, BC211 has been operating 211 services in the Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley and Squamish-Lillooet Regional Districts. BC211 has been added to BC FORUM’s “Links” page and is recommended as a resource for more information. | 
