Residents and Employees of Tapestry at the O'Keefe - Arbutus Walk are Pleased
to Announce New Foundation Aimed at Improving Quality of Life for Vancouver
Seniors

The O'Keefe Foundation Will Help Senior Citizens In Need

VANCOUVER, April 6 /CNW/ - Since opening its doors in January 2003, The O'Keefe Retirement Community, now known as Tapestry at The O'Keefe - Arbutus Walk, has helped a variety of Vancouver-based charities through hosting events and other philanthropic efforts.

In 2008, residents and employees of this world-class retirement community wanted to do more for their community. With a focus on supporting seniors and senior organizations in Vancouver, The O'Keefe Foundation was born.

Many seniors, especially those with lower incomes and those living on their own, depend upon community adult day centres to provide programs and activities to enhance their quality of life. These include exercise and yoga classes, music therapy, crafts, games, discussion groups and outings. Combined with general social interaction, conversation with friends, and the enjoyment of good food, seniors are able to realize important lifestyle advantages.

The economic recession has adversely impacted communities and services across Canada, and senior adult day centres are no exception. The resulting cutbacks in programs and level of services provided, including the number of hours and days that centres are able to remain open, has negatively impacted the quality of life for many seniors. Without access to these programs, many seniors are being deprived of regular social interaction - a critical factor in the health and happiness for all human beings.

    
                          ------------------------
                           The O'Keefe Foundation
                           will focus on a single
                             charitable purpose:

                           Helping seniors in need.
                          ------------------------
    

The O'Keefe Foundation will provide much needed support to these organizations and the seniors that rely on them. Managed under the umbrella of the Vancouver Foundation - the largest and most successful community foundation in Canada - The O'Keefe Foundation will take the form of an endowed fund that will provide a permanent source of financial support for two senior day centres in Vancouver, specifically Crossreach and Chown.

The charitable donations provided to these centres on an annual basis will allow them to remain open longer and provide more services for seniors in need. By establishing The O'Keefe Foundation, residents and staff will be able to expand their philanthropy beyond their walls and into the community-in effect, seniors helping seniors.

    
    What is a Community Foundation?
    -------------------------------
    

A community foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to improving communities in specific geographical areas. This is accomplished by pooling the charitable gifts of donors to create endowment funds and using the investment income to make grants. Some community foundations support a city, while others like the Vancouver Foundation, support an entire province.

The Vancouver Foundation is a member of Community Foundations of Canada-the national membership organization for the 163 community foundations across Canada and the Transatlantic Community Foundation Network-representing 17 countries in Europe and North America.

    
    How it Works
    ------------
    

Vancouver Foundation provides not-for-profit organizations with the opportunity to establish their own endowment funds. These funds, which grow and give in perpetuity, help ensure a consistent stream of income that can be used for specific philanthropic purposes. The Foundation invests endowed funds into a pool of funds managed by investment professionals for long-term charitable purposes.

The investment policy of Vancouver Foundation provides organizations with the assurance that their fund capital is preserved and that a dependable income stream is available to meet philanthropic needs.

    
              --------------------------------------------------
                  The O'Keefe Foundation Mission Statement:

               To enhance the quality of life of Lower Mainland
               seniors, by supporting community programs that
                           assist senior citizens.
              --------------------------------------------------

    About the Vancouver Foundation
    ------------------------------
    

Established in 1943 by W.J. VanDusen, the Vancouver Foundation is the largest community foundation in Canada and one of the largest in North America. It is dedicated to creating positive and lasting impacts in communities by supporting charities in the Lower Mainland and throughout British Columbia. The Foundation is the custodian of more than 1,200 endowment funds with a total market value of more than $650 million.

The Vancouver Foundation is governed by a 12 member Board of Directors. In addition, more than 150 professional leaders from the community, business, legal and finance sectors volunteer their time and expertise to advance the mandate of the organization for the benefit of British Columbia residents.

    
    About Tapestry at The O'Keefe - Arbutus Walk
    --------------------------------------------
    

Owned by Concert Properties and managed by Leisure Care Retirement Communities, Tapestry at The O'Keefe - Arbutus walk is a magnificently complete community all on its own, intelligently designed for seniors with high expectations. What makes it so positively brilliant is the setting in a diverse master-planned neighbourhood - Arbutus Walk - in Vancouver's desirable Kitsilano neighbourhood.

Living here, you are within easy reach of the area's best diversions and destinations including shops and services for every need, restaurants and cafes for every mood, and recreation opportunities from parks to prestigious golf courses - all nearby. With transit right outside the door, complemented by our own transportation services, Tapestry at The O'Keefe - Arbutus Walk situates you for a life full of activities and adventure.

Back at home, the exhaustive list of onsite amenities means the toughest part of your day may be deciding how to spend it. Devoting generous spaces for activities galore is how we add pleasure and challenge to your daily life.

For further information: Media Contact: Sam Zeitoun, General Manager, Tapestry at The O'Keefe - Arbutus Walk, Cell: [phone], Tel: [phone], [email protected]