April 29, 2020

In 2015, Alejandro Diaz opened El Santo, a contemporary Mexican restaurant in New Westminster.

In the five years since, El Santo has quickly gained critical acclaim – both regionally and nationally. They have been featured in publications such as The Globe and Mail and Vancouver Sun, and have been listed in OpenTable’s Top 100 Restaurants in Canada for a Big Night Out and Vancouver Magazine’s Best Latin Restaurant.

As a business owner, Alejandro firmly believes in using his success to positively impact the community around him. For his family, this means supporting Canucks Autism Network (CAN).

Around the same time his restaurant opened, Alejandro’s son Parker was diagnosed with autism.

“As a father, I understand both the challenges and joys of raising a child with autism,” Alejandro shared with us.

“We have experienced first-hand the need for inclusion and acceptance in the community.”

While searching for organizations that could support Parker, Alejandro’s family found CAN in 2016.

As members of the CAN community, they have participated in Family Events like our annual Festival of Lights, Rogers Arena Skate and Sports Day. Meanwhile, Parker has benefited from CAN’s weekly swimming lessons and overnight camp in the summer.

Alejandro’s three children at the CAN Festival of Lights

“We have participated in many CAN programs,” Alejandro said.

“But what we appreciate most is how they train other businesses and groups to take action and join them in supporting individuals with autism. That’s why I believe so strongly in giving back to CAN.”

Learn more about CAN Training & Community Engagement.

Since joining CAN, Alejandro has used his restaurant as a platform to raise incredible financial support for our programs, training and community engagement initiatives.

For every kids meal purchased at the restaurant, $1 is donated to CAN.

Additionally, his fundraising dinners have brought in upwards of $11,000 on an annual basis. Featuring multiple courses paired with carefully-curated drink pairings, they are highly-anticipated events that quickly sell out.

At our own fundraisers, El Santo’s exclusive dining experiences are consistently among the most coveted auction items. At our recent CAN Reveal Gala, El Santo donated a private dinner for 24 that raised an incredible $20,000!

After just four years, Alejandro and El Santo have raised over $88,800 for CAN – an astounding contribution from a pillar of the CAN community.

But like many small businesses and restaurants, El Santo has had to temporarily close their doors due to the current COVID-19 crisis.

It should come as no surprise that despite having to shut down, Alejandro was still finding ways to give back. Rather than letting fresh perishables go to waste, the chefs at El Santo whipped up hundreds of meals for those in their community to pick up free of charge.

And this past month, they have begun taking fresh meals over to healthcare workers at Royal Columbian Hospital. Despite their own hardships, it is inspiring to see El Santos’ efforts to continue lifting up their community.

If you or someone you know lives in the New Westminster area, please consider purchasing a gift card to El Santo. And if you aren’t connected to the New West community directly, trust us – it’s worth the trip when they re-open their doors.

Gift cards can be purchased by calling Alejandro Diaz directly at 604-727-8176 or emailing alejandro@elsanto.ca.

Better yet, El Santo is currently accepting pre-orders for Mother’s Day takeout!

$110 for a three-course meal for four — visit their Facebook page or email alejandro@elsanto.ca directly to order.

Learn how you can help CAN

Starbucks: An extra shot of good

Cooking with Keara: Keeping it fresh and healthy

Pokerrito to donate 100% of sales to CAN

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April 22, 2020

It’s been a couple of years since we moved our headquarters to the Kitsilano neighbourhood in Vancouver.

But for years, we called the corner of Yukon and 2^nd home. And just across the street is where our office staff got their daily caffeine fix at Starbucks. It wasn’t long before Store Manager Ann-Marie Lee-Teahen knew virtually the entire Canucks Autism Network (CAN) office team by name.

Although we’re no longer immediate neighbours, our friends at Starbucks remain CAN supporters who we are proud to celebrate this National Volunteer Week.

“When I became the community lead in my district, I reached out to CAN for volunteer opportunities,” said Ann-Marie.

“At that time, one of the managers in our district, Evelyn Campbell was a CAN mom.”

“Through CAN, her son Logan has been enrolled in so many sports and social programs. He has come leaps and bounds!”

As a group, Ann-Marie, Evelyn and their fellow baristas began volunteering in our office to help organize and prepare our program supplies. Ann-Marie even donated her time to support our Weekly Youth & Adult Program for a season.

“I received training and learned so much from the program with respect to understanding people with autism,” Ann-Marie said.

Our neighbours across the street were eager to contribute more to our community. So when we asked them to put up some posters to promote our CAN Family Festival in 2016, Ann-Marie got the idea to get involved with our events as well.

Hundreds of families needing to stay warm at our annual Festival of Lights at Van Dusen?

Starbucks was there.

Hockey players arriving early in the morning for an 8am game?

Starbucks was there!

Over the past six years, Starbucks has volunteered at CAN Family Festival, CAN Relay 4 Autism, CAN Festival of Lights and most recently the CAN Pro-Am.

And at each event, they were on hand bright and early or late at night offering a warm smile and a free coffee or hot chocolate!

But their incredible contributions don’t stop there. Through the Starbucks Foundation, Ann-Marie and her South Central Vancouver Starbucks District have donated a total of $3,000 to support CAN programs, training and community engagement initiatives.

Like many businesses, most Starbucks locations are closed due to the current health crisis. And our hearts go out to the many store managers, baristas and all those who are waiting to get back to work.

But knowing how committed they are to giving back, it came as no surprise that the Starbucks at Yukon St and 2^nd Ave remains open to frontline workers.

Ever since our new life of social distancing began, Ann-Marie and her team have been serving free coffee to the many first responders and health care workers in their neighbourhood, including those from Vancouver General Hospital and Vancouver Police Department headquarters.

“It has been a very fulfilling experience, ensuring that our first responders can be the best they can be,” said Ann-Marie. “If only through a cup of coffee.”

For most, a good day begins with a cup of coffee. For us, our daily lattes and cappuccinos turned into a friendship we have treasured for over six years and counting.

Thank you, Ann-Marie and Starbucks!

Volunteer Spotlight: “Be friendly to one another”

Vancouver Foundation: Extending CAN’s impact in Nanaimo and Kamloops

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Oct 2, 2019

Since our inception in 2008, the Canucks Autism Network (CAN) community has grown from a handful of families in Vancouver to thousands of members province-wide.

But we haven’t achieved this growth on our own. Behind every community impacted, there is an incredible network of compassionate supporters who share in our vision.

That’s why in 2016, the Vancouver Foundation dedicated $138,000 to expand our weekly sports and rec programs in both Nanaimo and Kamloops over three years.

At the time, we were just beginning to offer programs in those regions – with 23 participants in Kamloops and 22 in Nanaimo. But the need among that relatively small group of families was immediately clear.

“So incredible to watch your child move forward”

Within one month of the funding period, CBC caught wind of the impact that the new swim program in Kamloops was having on children with autism.

Riley swimming at Westsyde Pool in Kamloops with the support of a Canucks Autism Network staff. Photo by Jennifer Norwell, CBC.

Melanie Whitaker shared with CBC reporter Jennifer Norwell how previous swim programs were unable to meaningfully engage her son Riley.

With instructors unable to connect with Riley, he struggled to develop his skills in the water. And for children with autism who are 160 times more likely to drown than their peers, water safety skills can be life-saving.

The difference after one swim season with CAN?

“Amazing to watch,” Melanie said. “It’s so incredible to watch your child move forward and know that you don’t have to be frustrated.”

At the same time and over 400 kilometres away, families on Vancouver Island were also experiencing CAN for the first time.

A CAN participant and staff members with in our skate program in Nanaimo.
*(Participant pictured not Jason.)*

“CAN programs have seriously changed his life”

But while Riley was developing his swim skills in Kamloops, another young boy was building confidence on the ice in Nanaimo.

“We had tried putting Jason in skating lessons before,” Carrie shared back in 2016. “But he spent the first lesson in tears, clinging to the boards. He said that he never wanted to skate again.”

After six weekly lessons with CAN Skate, Jason had a newfound passion. Through the individual attention that he received, his skating skills improved. He had so much fun on the ice, he kept asking his parents to keep going to the rink throughout the week. A far cry from his first experience ice skating.

In a more recent follow up with the family, Carrie gave us an incredible update.

“Jason and his sister participated in an after school rec skate program where he was able to skate with his friends like a neurotypical kid! We are so grateful for these programs. They have seriously changed his life and given him so much confidence.”

Thanks to Vancouver Foundation’s commitment to support CAN’s weekly sports and rec programs, we can also give that same confidence to kids in Swim, Skate, Active and Multisport in both Kamloops and Nanaimo.

At the beginning of the granting period in September 2016, we had a total of 55 participants in those regions.

Three years later, our weekly programs have impacted 370 participants in Kamloops and Nanaimo.

With 192 participants in Kamloops and 178 in Nanaimo, that’s a nearly 700% increase in individuals impacted. Since September 2016, those 370 participants have filled 679 weekly program spots.

But it is only because of generous community supporters that these opportunities exist.

It is because of Vancouver Foundation that moms like Melanie can have peace of mind. And that kids like Jason get a second chance at having fun in their community.

On behalf of the hundreds of CAN families in Nanaimo and Kamloops, thank you.

Aug 23, 2019

Earlier this summer, everyone at the CAN Relay 4 Autism wanted to know.

Who. Was. Spiderman?

The first-ever CAN Relay 4 Autism invited families, supporters and the general public to Swangard Stadium for a day of fun, fitness and festivities.

Attendees were encouraged to come dressed in their best retro attire, superhero suit or whatever fun costume they had in their closet.

Even with a field full of games and activities, festival goers found their attention was repeatedly pulled back to the track where a certain masked crusader just kept running and running.

And running.

Beginning at around 10:30 in the morning and continuing well into the afternoon, the anonymous superhero completed 40 laps. That equates to 16km, in support of Canucks Autism Network.

In full costume. In the sweltering summer heat. Never once taking off his mask to reveal his true identity.

It wasn’t until after the event, that the mysterious masked marathoner revealed his true self.

Christian Bods Brown is an animator at Vancouver-based PIXOMONDO.

One of his coworkers Patricia de Souza, started a team for the CAN Relay at their office.

“I ran the BMO Vancouver Marathon earlier this year and I thought [the CAN Relay] was for a brilliant cause,” Christian shared with us. “So when Patricia invited us to participate, I wanted to get involved.”

Patricia’s family had just joined CAN last year – shortly after her son Silas received his diagnosis.

*Patricia and her kids at the 2019 CAN Sports Day.*

“Silas really loved the swimming,” Patricia told us. “The staff and volunteers are amazing. They are all so energetic and positive. We’ve had such a great experience so far, we wanted to give back.”

For six months, Patricia, Christian and their fundraising team at work collected cans and bottles.

“I kept bags under my desk and would bring them on the skytrain home with me,” Patricia shared with us.

Team members posted on social media, including Christian, who told his friends and family: “The more you donate, the farther I’ll run!’”

*Patricia and Christian running for a cause at the CAN Relay 4 Autism.*

In total, Christian, Patricia and Team PIXOMONDO raised $1,550!

Not all heroes wear a suit. But in this case, the costume was appropriate. Because without superhuman supporters like Christian and Patricia, who so eagerly give back, our programs and training initiatives simply would not exist.

Thank you to everyone who energetically supported us at the CAN Relay 4 Autism. We can’t wait to see you next year!

Want to get involved with Canucks Autism Network? Here’s 5 ways you CAN!

Jun 18, 2019

Earlier this year, we prepared for a reduced summer program plan. Due to a funding shortfall from the Canada Summer Jobs Grant, half of our Multisport and Bike day camps in the Lower Mainland were at risk of being cut.

That’s when Larry and Lyn intervened.

Sitting at home, they watched Global BC reporter Catherine Urquhart interview Anne, a longtime CAN parent, and her daughter Keara.

Having reached out to Catherine about the program cuts, Anne shared how CAN was the first place that her daughter found that understood and supported her.

“There was nothing else for her,” Anne said. “There was nowhere for her to go and feel accepted.”

“It’s really important to me and everyone else who has autism,” Keara reiterated.

Larry and Lyn hadn’t heard of CAN before. They didn’t have any personal connection to autism. But they heard Anne and Keara. Upon seeing the impact that CAN’s programs can have, they were moved to reach out and help.

The next day, they contacted our office to make an astounding donation of $30,000.

Larry’s former business venture, Realtech Capital Group Inc, made an additional donation. And when Vancouver Canucks Co-Owner Francesco Aquilini and his family filled out the remainder of the $60,000 required, we were able to share the good news with our families and supporters.

Instead of a reduced summer program plan, families with autism in the Lower Mainland could benefit from a full six weeks of CAN day camps.

Keara joined Stephanie Jull, CAN’s VP of Programs, Training & Community Engagement, to personally thank Larry and Lyn.

Keara baked the generous couple a tray of fresh cookies. In turn, Larry and Lyn handed over the cheque that will make an invaluable impact on countless families with autism in the coming months.

With the spring season quickly coming to an end, our first of six summer day camps in Vancouver is already scheduled to begin in mid-July.

Thanks to Larry and Lyn, twice as many families will benefit from those programs.

Giving twice as many children a place where they too are accepted.

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Pictured above: Kirk Mclean surprises the Thiessens at a Canucks game on Sandi’s birthday.

Dec 20, 2019

At Canucks Autism Network (CAN), we are so proud to celebrate the successes of our participants in our programs every day.

It can be a young girl taking her first step in the pool after years of being afraid of the water.

A boy making friends at school due to the confidence he acquired in our bike program.

Or a hockey player living his dream, thanks to the skills he first learned in our skate program.

But these opportunities to succeed wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of longtime supporters like Lawrence and Sandi Thiessen.

While the Thiessens are not personally impacted by autism, they understand the struggles that families living with autism face everyday in their community.

“We attended our first Canucks Autism Network event many years ago,” recalls Lawrence. “We learned firsthand the positive impact CAN programs have.”

“It was an opportunity to support an organization that restores hope. We saw immediately that CAN was making a difference and we wanted to be involved.”

When asked to identify their most memorable experience with CAN, Lawrence was quick to reference the CAN Birthday Festival this past summer.

Thousands of CAN families, supporters and members of the general public gathered at Surrey Civic Plaza in July 2018.

“To see the kids and their families having so much fun, and simply being themselves was inspiring.”

What he saw that day was a reflection of why he gives back. As Lawrence put it, CAN gives opportunities for “kids to be kids.”

CAN is only able to grow, thanks to the generosity of key donors like Lawrence and Sandi Thiessen who prove that it does not take a personal connection to autism to see the need for support.

The gift of hope for families living with autism can be given by anyone. Together, we can achieve our vision for a future where every individual with autism is understood, accepted and supported in all community spaces.