Our Story

CONNECTING A CARING COMMUNITY WITH CAUSES THAT MATTER. IT’S WHY WE FOCUS ON BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS, GROWING SUPPORT AND CHANGING LIVES.

WHO WE ARE

The PCF (Peninsula Community Foundation) began in 1998 as the White Rock-South Surrey Community Foundation. It was established by a group of local business people who wanted to leave a lasting legacy in the Semiahmoo Peninsula community.

Our aim is to make giving easy, efficient and effective. We act as partners and advisors to those who are committed to raising funds, accepting donations and establishing long-term giving plans in the community.

Over the years, we’ve committed $500,000 to the Centre for Active Living and have administered grants totalling close to $1,000,000. All annual administrative expenses are covered by sustaining partner grants.

10 Reasons to Work with Us

1. Local

We’re a local organization with deep roots in the community.

2. Expertise

Our staff and volunteers have broad expertise regarding community issues and needs.

3. Personalized

We provide highly personalized service that’s tailored to each individual’s charitable and financial interests.

4. Tailored

Our funds help people invest in the causes they care about the most.

5. Versatile

We accept a wide variety of assets and can facilitate even the most complex forms of giving.

6. Professional

We partner with professional advisors to create highly effective approaches to charitable giving.

7. Advantage

We offer maximum tax advantage under federal law.

8. Growth

We multiply the impact of gift dollars by pooling them with other gifts and grants.

9. Legacies

We build endowment funds that benefit the community forever and help create personal legacies

10. Leaders

We’re a community leader, fostering collaboration on issues of broad interest to create positive change.

10 Reasons to Work with Us

1. Local

We’re a local organization with deep roots in the community.

2. Expertise

Our staff and volunteers have broad expertise regarding community issues and needs.

3. Personalized

We provide highly personalized service that’s tailored to each individual’s charitable and financial interests.

4. Tailored

Our funds help people invest in the causes they care about the most.

5. Versatile

We accept a wide variety of assets and can facilitate even the most complex forms of giving.

6. Professional

We partner with professional advisors to create highly effective approaches to charitable giving.

7. Advantage

We offer maximum tax advantage under federal law.

8. Growth

We multiply the impact of gift dollars by pooling them with other gifts and grants.

9. Legacies

We build endowment funds that benefit the community forever and help create personal legacies

10. Leaders

We’re a community leader, fostering collaboration on issues of broad interest to create positive change.

What is a Community Foundation?

Did you know community foundations are among the fastest-growing forms of philanthropy in Canada today? Three unique features differentiate a community foundation – like the PCF – from other forms of organized charities.

ENDOWMENT BUILDING

As a community foundation, the PCF builds endowments and other funds to provide lasting support for local priorities by accepting a wide variety of gifts and providing donors with a number of charitable options. Contributions can be made in the form of cash, stocks, property and other assets. An individual or family may establish a fund in their name or in the name of a loved one as a memorial. In most cases, gifts qualify for maximum tax advantage under federal law.

LOCAL GRANT-MAKING EXPERTISE

All PCF board members, volunteers and staff work tirelessly to achieve an in-depth understanding of the issues, opportunities and resources that shape our community. We evaluate all aspects of community well-being: from youth to seniors, education to the environment, social services to healthcare and arts and culture to sports and recreation. The PCF can also assist in helping contributors learn more about local organizations and programs that are making a difference in those areas that are important to individuals or organizations.

LOCAL GRANT-MAKING EXPERTISE

Because community foundations like the PCF support all kinds of charities, they are uniquely positioned to bring people and organizations together, assembling diverse yet connected voices to address local issues and opportunities. A community foundation is sometimes referred to as a “charity of charities”. Simply put, our business is building community.

Find out more about what we do, who we work with and how we can help you, your family or your company make a difference at the local level. You’ll find answers to some common questions below. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Contact us and we’ll get back to you within two business days.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Joe Pereira

Director

Jared Harman

Director

Carter Hawk

Director

Brad Keillman

Director

FAQ

ask us
anything

The PCF (Peninsula Community Foundation) is a tax-exempt public charity created by and for the people of the White Rock and South Surrey communities. We act as partners and advisors to those who are committed to raising funds by accepting donations and establishing long-term giving plans in the community. We’re volunteer-driven, community-focused and locally-based.

Since 1998, our mission has been to connect a caring community with causes that matter. We focus on building relationships, growing support and changing lives. Over the years, we’ve committed $500,000 to the Centre for Active Living and have administered grants totalling close to $1,000,000. All annual administrative expenses are covered by sustaining partner grants.
Yes, we are a registered non-profit with Canada Revenue Agency. Our registration number is 891528929 RR0001.

We adhere to strict CRA guidelines for annual reporting and issuing of tax receipts. For more information, please refer to our profile on the CRA website. You’ll find access to current and previous years’ reports along with additional information such as a list of directors or trustees.

We have a volunteer Board of Directors who are independent of our administrative staff. The Board members ensure accountability and adherence to our mandate and reporting requirements. They also provide high-level direction and guidance as needed.

The PCF is governed by leaders with strong ties to the community. All PCF board members, volunteers and staff are focused on understanding the issues, opportunities and resources that shape the local community. This means we can be better equipped to foster development of new organizations and programs while still being sensitive to the changing needs of the community that lets us redirect funds as required.

We’re constantly evaluating the various aspects – along with related activities and programs – that contribute to community well-being and development, including:

  • Arts & culture
  • Sports & recreation
  • Children & youth
  • Seniors
  • Education
  • Environment
  • Social Services
  • Healthcare

We also help contributors learn more about local organizations and programs that are making a difference in those areas.

These are a few of the local community clubs, agencies and organizations that we’ve been proud to support/partner with:

  • Centre For Active Living
  • Pearce Arch Community Services
  • Community Policing
  • Semiahmoo House Society
  • Semiahmoo Peninsula Marine Rescue Society
  • White Rock Players Club
  • Pearce Arch News Christmas Fund

There are several ways that we facilitate various forms of giving in the community, including:

  • Identifying charitable giving options;
  • Sharing knowledge on community priorities (current and future);
  • Customizing giving approaches to match personal interests and tax planning;
  • Assisting with recommended uses of a gift;
  • Offering grant-making expertise and administrative services;
  • Helping people create personal legacies through named funds;
  • Providing the option to donate anonymously.

We’ve identified and established five service offerings to assist individuals, companies and organizations with their charitable giving and fundraising efforts.

  • Raise money to support local initiatives
  • Partner with associations and organizations
  • Plan and manage fundraising events
  • Connect donors to community causes
  • Administer endowment, scholarship and legacy funds

You can learn more by going to our Services section. 

We want to make giving easy, efficient and effective. Donations can be made using a variety of charitable forms, including:

  • Outright gifts (cash, stocks, real estate or other assets)
  • Appreciated securities (helps eliminate capital gains tax)
  • Bequests (designate a portion of an estate)
  • Life insurance (receive a portion or all proceeds from a policy)
  • Charitable remainder trust (pays a beneficiary for life then assets are transferred)

In most cases, gifts qualify for maximum tax advantage under federal law.

Tax receipts can be issued for a donated amount of $20 or more if made in person or by check. For online or e-transfer donations, a tax receipt can be issued for any amount over $5.

Currently, we offer five fund options to individuals, families, agencies, schools, service groups, businesses, organizations and non-profits.

  • Donor-advised funds – involves donors and the use of their gifts.
  • Legacy endowment funds – establishes and manages endowments for local charities.
  • Community funds – set up to meet the ever-changing needs of the community.
  • Field of interest funds – addresses needs in a specific area or part of the community.
  • Designated funds – directs gifts to specific charities or purposes.
Absolutely. You can establish a fund using the name of a friend or relative, your family’s name, even the name of another person or organization that you would like to honour. Any grant money distributed from that fund is awarded using the fund’s name so the person, the family or the organization is always remembered and linked to the work being done in the community.
Our funds are managed by professional third-party money managers who adhere to best practices regarding fund performance, returns and risk tolerance levels. For funds containing $50,000 or more, monthly reporting is issued directly to fund holders from National Bank.
As we are a local charity, and because we prefer to keep funds here in the community, we are not set up to allocate or manage funds outside of Canada.
Scroll to Top

Sean Peach

President

Sean has been an advisor at Sunlife Financial for over 16 years. He believes that wealth has a different meaning for everyone and the key is to find a successful balance between wealth and health. Sean was a professional hockey player fortunate enough to experience the value of having a great coach in his corner. He helps his clients see their vision and develop a strategy and a winning game plan. Sean has been on the board of the PCF for the last 7 years.

Russ Morrison

Vice President

Russ is a senior mortgage broker with Morrison Mortgage Team. They have been helping homeowners find the right mortgage for over a decade. He encourages a ‘pay it forward’ attitude and ‘to treat others the way that you would like to be treated.’ Never judge another person until you have walked a day in their shoes. Russ is new in 2020 to the PCF board and he sees PCF as a way he can ‘pay it forward’ to the community and help create long-lasting legacies that give back for many years to come.

Mike Anderson

Vice President

Mike is a partner in MNP’s private enterprise group and works extensively with family-owned businesses and incorporated professionals. His experience includes complex accounting and tax issues, advice relating to client financing arrangements, as well as negotiations with banks, and key suppliers. Mike is passionate about giving back to the community and has been involved with several charitable organizations and is actively involved with coaching minor hockey and baseball. For the last 3 years, he has served as the President of the PCF and has been a board member for 10 years.

Doug Clifford

Director

Doug is a managing partner at Hugh & McKinnon Realty, BC’s oldest real estate brokerage. They offer strata management, rental management and real estate sales and leasing services. Doug and his team have been a long-time supporter of the PCF Foundation and in 2020, he joins the PCF board as a way to give back to the community.