Community Update | May 4, 2025
Filipino BC is now covering the costs of hotel accommodations for the family of one victim who was affected by the tragic events that occurred on April 26, 2025. We also arranged emergency dentist services for a patient in the hospital. Our team continues to visit families and those who are still hospitalized to respond to their immediate needs and identify how we can support them in recovery.
The Vancouver Police Department has confirmed 11 people lost their lives due to the heartbreaking events that unfolded after the celebration. Several others are still in the hospital, including those who are in critical and serious condition.
Volunteers are encouraged to attend upcoming debrief sessions with Filipino BC and a mental health worker. These are safe spaces for sharing, processing and healing together.If you were a volunteer on Saturday, April 26, 2025, please RSVP to volunteers@filipinobc.com to receive information about the location of the debrief.
Tuesday, May 6, from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. – In-person session (Location will be sent via email)
Thursday, May 8, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. – Online session (RSVP required – hosted by Provincial Health Services Authority)
More than 70 people attended the temporary Resilience Centre at Killarney Secondary School over the weekend to gather with community members, talk to counsellors, social workers and other support staff. Teddy bears are being handed out to children, therapy dogs are available and local chefs and businesses are generously donating comfort food and desserts. Even if you don’t want to talk to anyone, you are welcome to stop by for a meal. The Resilience Centre reopens Tuesday, May 6, from 5 to 8 p.m.
Donations are pouring into the KAPWA STRONG fund, which we launched in partnership with United Way BC. This well-established organization is covering donation fees, which means 100 per cent of the proceeds will be going to victims and community support services. Details on a grant process for charities and community groups to apply for funding will be announced on Monday, May 5.
Through all the pain, heartbreak and adversity, we want you to remember that the Lapu Lapu Day Festival was created to honour resistance and resilience, to celebrate the courage of a leader who stood up to protect his people, his culture, and his land. It’s a day that reminds us of where we come from and what we carry: strength, resilience, and the power of collective spirit. That spirit of kapwa, of standing together, is exactly what we need to hold onto right now.
