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over 800,000 blankets
in 19 years

OUR IMPACT

While walking out of a movie theater in downtown Vancouver on a chilly October night in 2005, Gregory Ould noticed a man lying in an alcove at the side of a building. Greg went up to the man, whose appearance looked weathered and rough, and asked the man if there was anything that he could do to help him out. Expecting he would ask for money, cigarettes, or coffee, Greg wasn't prepared for what the man did say to him.

 

I could use a blanket…
                         to survive the night.
 

Since collecting 67 blankets on their first blanket drive, Blanket BC has grown into an incorporated charity and has been able to distribute over 800,000 blankets by 2024! 

There are well over 165 shelter programs throughout British Columbia that Blanket BC has delivered to over the years.  We've also been able to send  over 20,000 blankets and warm clothing to far off places  like the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan back in 2013, Zimbabwe & Mozambique Africa after Cyclone Adai in 2019 and earlier in 2023 to families in Ukraine.


Every third week of November,  Blanket BC Society runs their annual “Drive on the Line Campaign". This incredibly large two-day-long Blanket Drive set along the Canada Line that runs from Waterfront Station to Richmond has helped in the collection of over 105,000 blankets and over 75,000 articles of warm clothing to date! It's as far as we know, the largest blanket drive in North America!  We are also grateful to the schools and corporations who have helped us #spread the warmth and donated a large volume of blankets while 

Blanket BC Society's Non-Profit Certificate: #S57485.  We are also currently pending Charity Status.  

LOCAL SHELTERS

Centre of Hope - Salvation Army – Abbotsford, BC

Red Lion Inn - The Red Lion Tavern Ltd. – Chetwynd, BC

Brigadier Arthur Carmell House - Salvation Army – Chilliwack, BC

Gateway of Hope - Salvation Army – Langley, BC

Ann Davis Society - Chilliwack, BC

Hope and Area Transition Society Shelter, Hope, BC

Caring Place - Salvation Army  - Maple Ridge

Haven in the Hollow - Mission Community Services Society, Mission, BC

Samaritan House - Island Crisis Care Society – Nanaimo, BC

New Hope Centre - Salvation Army – Nanaimo, BC

Elizabeth Gurney House - Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver  - New Westminster

The Russell - Lookout Emergency Aid Society

North Shore Shelter - Lookout Emergency Aid Society

Prince George Bridget Moran Place - Active Support Against Poverty

Ketso Yoh Centre Men's Hostel - Prince George Native Friendship Centre Society

Richmond House Men's Shelter - Salvation Army

Squamish Shelter - Squamish Helping Hands Society

Sheena's Place - Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver

Cynthia's Place - Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver

Hyland House -   Options: Services to Communities Society  - Surrey, BC

Gateway Shelter and Front Room Drop In - Keys Housing and Health Solutions  - Surrey, BC

Cloverdale Shelter - Options Services to Communities

Bridge Women's Emergency Shelter - Atira Women's Resource Society

Covenant House  - Youth Shelter

Downtown Eastside Women's Centre

Yukon Shelter - Lookout Emergency Aid Society

Lookout Downtown Shelter - Lookout Emergency Aid Society

Springhouse - The Bloom Group 

Powell Place - The Bloom Group

The Umbrella – The Bloom Group

Belkin House - Salvation Army

The Haven - Salvation Army

The Beacon - Salvation Army  
Family Shelter, Vancouver, BC

Triage Shelter - RainCity Housing and Support Society

The Gathering Place - City of Vancouver

Evelyne Saller Centre - City of Vancouver

Portland Hotel Society

WISH Drop in Centre - Vancouver

Victoria Out of the Rain Night Shelter - Beacon Community Services

Our Place Society – Victoria, BC

Next Steps - Victoria Cool Aid Society

Rock Bay Landing - Victoria Cool Aid Society

Sandy Merriman House - Victoria Cool Aid Society

Vancouver Homeless Emergency Action Team (HEAT)

New Fountain Shelter

Aboriginal Central Street Shelter

​Ruth & Naomi's Mission, Chilliwack, BC

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

  • Honoured by Kwantlen First Nations - Traditional Blanket Ceremony - 2018

  • Humanitarian Award Winners - BC Country Music Association - 2015

  • Recognized in the House of Commons - Ottawa, Ontario, Canada - 2013

  • Benjamin Ould, Co-Founder - Recognized as the Youngest Founder of an NPO in Canadian History 

  • House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada - 2013

  • ​Proclamation - November 26 Blanket BC Day in Vancouver - Gregor Robertson, Mayor of Vancouver, BC, Canada

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