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Launch Okanagan hosted a breakfast fundraiser Tuesday, November 5th to celebrate Financial Literacy Month. The Launch Okanagan Breakfast, presented by TD Bank Group, brought together over 175 guests from local businesses, financial services and non-profit agencies to celebrate and discuss the impact of financial literacy in our region.

The morning included a buffet breakfast reception, sponsored by Highstreet, followed by a special presentation and panel discussion with program partners. This year’s focus was on client barriers and challenges with respect to financial needs.

All set!

Breakfast guests at Higher Grounds Cafe and dining area – sponsored by Highstreet:

Program – presentation, panelists and video: 

Thanks again to our amazing sponsors:

Presenting sponsor: TD Bank Group

Breakfast reception: Highstreet

Video sponsor: Nicola Wealth

Supporting sponsors: BMO Private Wealth, Enriched Academy, Lawson Lundell LLP, Mike Wright & Associates, Three Point Capital, and Valley First, a division of First West Credit Union.

The fundraiser supports Launch Okanagan’s free programs and services in the community. To donate or get more info visit: http://launchokanagan.ca

Launch Okanagan’s workshops sponsored by MNP will run this fall on Zoom 

This year, the theme of November’s Financial Literacy Month is “Money on Your Mind. Talk about it”. Money is a difficult topic for many Canadians to discuss, but research shows that talking about money builds financial confidence, and can lead to better financial outcomes.  

Sponsored by MNP, Launch Okanagan will offer four one-hour Zoom workshops on each Thursday in November. Everyone is welcome!  Participate in Financial Literacy Month by attending one (or more!) of the following workshops: 

• Launch My Budget is the first workshop of the series. Participants learn how to create a budget and, more importantly, how to stick to it. After the workshop, all participants will be provided with a budgeting guide and other tools and resources to help keep their budget organized and up to date. 

• Managing Debt 101 is the second workshop that tackles the big, and often stressful, topic of debt. This workshop helps participants take a step back, review their debt situation, and create strategies on how to work on repaying and taking control of their debt. 

• RESP Essentials is the third workshop that explains these special savings accounts that allow you to save for your child’s education after high school. The workshop reviews the requirements and steps to opening a RESP, as well as commonly asked questions and useful tips. Finally, Launch Okanagan share various grants you can apply for to help grow your savings. 

• RDSP Essentials ends the month with information on Registered Disability Savings Plans, aka RDSPs. Similarly to RESP Essentials, the workshop covers who is eligible, how to apply, and extra supports that may be available to grow your savings. 

“At MNP, we believe that financial literacy is a key component to personal and community success, and we are proud to partner with Launch Okanagan to bring these workshops to our community,” says Jeané Herman, Kelowna Licensed Insolvency Trustee. “Through this partnership, our goal is to provide individuals with practical tools and resources to take control of their finances, to reduce stress, and to build a better future for themselves and their families.” 

All workshops are free to attend and will be delivered on Zoom by a Launch Okanagan facilitator. If you can’t join a workshop live, you can still register, and you will be emailed a recording of the class and any related materials. You may choose to attend any of the available workshops, and all levels of participation are welcome. Participants can choose to interact and ask questions or simply listen and be an anonymous participant.  

“At Launch Okanagan, we understand the real challenges that people are currently facing with their finances,” says Jennifer Robins, Executive Director.  “Now more than ever it’s important to learn practical financial skills that you can put into action right away.  Building your financial skills will also help to build your confidence and ability to make sound financial decisions.” 

To register, visit https://launchokanagan.ca/workshops or contact Launch Okanagan at [email protected].  

Local financial services community gathers for 3rd annual breakfast fundraiser 

Launch Okanagan is hosting their 3rd annual breakfast fundraiser to celebrate Financial Literacy Month November 5th at the Trinity Church Hub.

The Launch Okanagan Breakfast, presented by TD Bank Group, will bring together local businesses, financial services and non-profit agencies to celebrate and discuss the impact of financial literacy in our region. The morning will include a buffet breakfast reception, sponsored by Highstreet, followed by a special presentation and panel discussion with program partners. This year’s focus will be on building community connections to enrich local lives.

“This year we are excited to celebrate the people that participate in our programs and the impact that our programs have on their lives,” says Jennifer Robins, Executive Director of Launch Okanagan. “The audience will hear from recent graduates of our Matched Savings program, and I will share more about the impact we have created over the past year.  We are also thrilled to have 4 other non-profit agencies join us on stage to discuss how we can work together to overcome the challenges to achieving financial inclusion in our community.”

Last year, Launch Okanagan delivered 46 programs and collaborated with 20 local program partners enabling 904 participants (an increase of 30% from the previous year) to take part free of charge. Launch Okanagan is the only local provider of these types of programs which are delivered online via Zoom and in person by partnering with local non-profit organizations. The people that Launch support are considered financially vulnerable, including people with disabilities, newcomers to Canada, single parents, youth and people recovering from addiction. With the help of Launch’s programs and one on one coaching, people develop crucial money management and budgeting skills allowing them to prepare and plan for a more resilient financial future.

Join Launch Okanagan and the local business and non-profit community to enable access to financial literacy for everyone in our community. All proceeds of the event will support Launch Okanagan programs.

Get your tickets at: http://launchbreakfast.ca  

Presented by:

Launch Okanagan’s Executive Director, Jennifer Robins was invited back to Money Tips Monday on December 1. In this segment, Jennifer discusses the importance of financial literacy and Launch’s recent fundraising event.

Check it out here!

November 28. 2023

Today is Giving Tuesday, a movement that unleashes the power of radical generosity around the world. Giving Tuesday’s mission is to build a world where generosity is a part of everyday life.  At Launch Okanagan, we love this mission because we believe that when you give, you get so much more in return. There are an unlimited number of ways that you can make giving a part of your everyday life, both big and small. I am so grateful for everyone that continues to give to our organization in every possible way, that I thought today was the perfect day to send out our newsletter and say thank you.

I was fortunate to learn the benefits of giving at a very young age. I watched my mom, a kindergarten teacher, find special ways to be generous to her students. Sometimes this involved giving her time and attention, while other times it involved buying backpacks and Christmas concert clothing for her students. Later, in high school, I remember selling candy canes to collect money to buy Christmas presents for families in need. I don’t remember how much money we raised, but I do remember the feeling of buying and handing over that big bag of toys. The memory of how that felt stays with me and is the reason why I made donating toys into a holiday tradition with my boys.

In our programs, we often talk about the positive effects of giving and how no amount is too small.  If someone can give $2, then that is a meaningful donation and one worth making. If donating is a part of your holiday giving this year, we are gratefully accepting donations of any amount to support our work. You can learn how to donate by visiting our website or clicking the “donate now” button below. However, we recognize that donors often have many causes that they are passionate about. Fortunately, there are so many worthy charities in our community. I understand this deeply because, at Launch Okanagan, we are privileged to work in partnership with over 20 of them. We also know that the last few years have been extra challenging for charities in our community and the need keeps getting greater. No matter where you decide to donate, just know that your donation is deeply meaningful, and will have an impact in our community.

While giving our time and money is so important, I believe that giving a smile and taking a moment to connect meaningfully with others is just as important.  I’ve personally shared smiles and connections with complete strangers that have left such a lasting impression on me.  Today, I’m challenging everyone in my family to come up with a way to be generous this week. I hope you will consider joining me.

So, on Giving Tuesday and at the start of the holiday season, please accept my gratitude for following Launch Okanagan on its journey this past year. Whether you are a program participant, donor, volunteer, staff, or community member – thank you for being a part of the impact we have made in our community.

I wish you a holiday season filled with gratitude. 

Jennifer Robins

Executive Director, Launch Okanagan

On November 7th, we celebrated Financial Literacy Month with our 2nd Annual Launch Okanagan Breakfast Fundraiser. Nearly 200 guests from the finance, non-profit and business community attended to support access to financial literacy in the Okanagan. Guests started their day by mingling over a canapé breakfast at the Coast Capri Hotel. Following this, they learned about Launch Okanagan’s work and the importance of finance literacy in our community.

This year’s special guest was Nancy Phillips. Nancy is the award-winning author of Wela Way Financial Life Skills resources – accredited by the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada and FINRA in the U.S. She is a international business consultant and Founder of Wela Strategic Consulting. Her informative and timely presentation topic was Hope and Possibility in Challenging Financial Times: Powerful and Shareable Tips for Improving Personal Well-Being Now. We were lucky to have her join us!

Not only did Nancy deliver a wonderful presentation, she was also generous enough to license two of her financial life skills books to Launch. 100% of the proceeds from these books will support Launch Okanagan’s work in the community. The books are available to be purchased here.