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Backhouse, John Endowment

Fund Type: Designated to Specific Charities
Community: Prince George

Supports local charity's: PG Public Library, Cranbrook Hill Greenway Society, as well as Youth in Philanthropy


I got the idea for a community foundation in the fall of 1994 after watching a televised presentation to Richmond City Council by the Richmond Community Foundation Board. I hadn’t realized the extent of the community foundation movement across the country. I was excited and suggested to city manager George Paul that perhaps Prince George could create such a foundation. George along with Bill Kennedy came back to me a few months later with a well developed proposal for the establishment of a community foundation and suggested, if the idea met with my approval,  the next step would be to organize a meeting of volunteer community leaders. From that point on an incredible amount of work was done until the following October when The Prince George Community Foundation was incorporated.

I had announced that I would not be running again in the next election and some of my supporters organized a tribute roast with close to 1000 people in attendance at the new Civic Centre.  $76,000 were raised and became the first major dedicated fund for the Prince George Community Foundation. 

The income from the fund is designated by me to the Prince George Public Library, the trails system and street youth programs. 

I chose these designations for the following reasons:

  • I believe that the public library is the heart of the community and always needs money for special projects. (Once a librarian, always a librarian)
  • In a city located in an area of hills, forests and rivers an integrated trail system is a priceless asset.
  • Programs aimed at helping street youth are historically underfunded, I hoped that another funding source would be of some assistance. 
  • I brought forward the idea for a community foundation, however I didn’t do the work to make it a reality. Over the years Board members and other volunteers have worked to make the Prince George Community Foundation the positive force it is in the community. It has been a resounding success, a perfect fit for a “can do” city like Prince George.

 

John Backhouse 

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