VANCOUVER, BC – You’d be hard-pressed to find an individual more passionate about the city of Vancouver than Rebecca Bollwitt. Her pseudonym, Miss 604, says it all.
Bollwitt, an award-winning blogger, loves this city – and cares deeply about its future.
And that, largely, is why she’s so passionate about Whitecaps FC’s BuckUp for Mental Health campaign, which is raising funds for Covenant House Vancouver. Bollwitt, a Vancouver Southsider who was featured in the campaign video, knows all about the impact Covenant House can have on the lives of youth in Vancouver, having participated in the organization’s Sleep Out for four straight years.
Hear her story below.
Why is this cause important to you?
I grew up in the Greater Vancouver area. I was a teenager in the Greater Vancouver area. When you think about the impact Covenant House makes, it’s not just their crisis program, it’s the steps beyond that as well. They have so many layers to what they do, and so many layers to how they help at-risk youth in the Lower Mainland. You can see start to finish someone’s life being changed and I love getting behind that.
What have your been experiences been like at the Covenant House Sleep Out?
Every year is meaningful, but the most meaningful experience I had was the first year I did it. We were at the Pender location for Covenant House. We had a meal, got to meet some of the youth and got ready to go outside with our scrap of cardboard. One of the youth in the program said: “You guys are crazy. Who would voluntarily do this?” So she came out and brought some of her own blankets from her own room to give us. It was so moving that she wanted to comfort us even though she had been through what she had been through in her life and now she’s at Covenant House and wanted to give back. It was just so powerful.
Has anyone in your life been affected by mental health?
It’s hard, because we always say to talk about it, but it’s hard to talk about. I have someone very close to me who struggles with mental health issues. And I don’t talk about. That’s kind of the issue with the stigma there. It’s a personal story, but mental illness has really touched my life since I was a teenager to this day.
Is that what motivated you to get involved?
What motivated me was just seeing the work they do over the years and being able to share my online voice with an in-person cause. Growing up where I grew up, I grew up in Surrey, there are a lot of ways when I was younger that I could have gone astray, or things could not have gone a certain way. I was fortunate enough to have that support system with friends and family. But I can’t imagine not having that. That’s why Covenant House plays such an important role.
What’s your message to people reading this?
Covenant House is important to our community, to our city. Anywhere from homelessness to mental health issues to just helping kids find their way in the world, drug addiction, various different issues, it covers a broad spectrum. But it covers an age group that has an opportunity to really turn their lives around. We can really see change with Covenant House and the impact in the community.
Fans can support the ‘Caps #BuckUp for Mental Health campaign and Covenant House Vancouver in a variety of ways:
- Purchase a raffle ticket for a chance to win two round-trip tickets anywhere WestJet flies! Only 1,000 tickets are available and can be purchased for $20 each!
- Participate in the ‘Caps online auction, which includes a variety of unique items and one-of-a-kind experiences
- Donate online at whitecapsfc.com/buckup
- Donate in-person at the ‘Caps match on Saturday, June 3 versus Atlanta United FC
