On March 4, 2013, City of Richmond City Council has approved the request of the RCD to write a support letter to Premier Christy Clark to increase the “Persons with Disabilities (PWD)” benefits from $906 to $1,200 per month for a single individual. This initiative is launched by the BC Coalition of People with Disabilities’ (BCCPD) – Disability Without Poverty Network which released a paper in July 2012 entitled “Overdue: The Case for Increasing the Persons with Disabilities Benefit in BC”, which includes the following key proposals:
Richmond News caught sight of the story and through the liaison of RCD, contacted Ravinder, one of RCD’s staff for an interview about living on PWD benefits.
Click here to view the article on Richmond News for more details.
Click here to view the support letter from the City of Richmond.
In an effort to provide better services to RCD participants, and to introduce a more sophisticated record keeping system within the RCD, we are revising our membership and participation registration framework.
One of the key changes that may involve people with disabilities is the annual renewal for RCD participants. A participant is a person with disabilities who accesses the services of and participates in the activities at the RCD. When an individual wants to join an activity at the RCD, our staff will need to know that the person has registered as a participant for the current year.
Click here to download the 2013 Participant Renewal Form.
Registered Disability Savings Plan – Statement of Entitlement (SoE)
A Statement of Entitlement (SoE) will be sent to all RDSP holders at the beginning of 2013. This annual mail-out was implemented last year. The SoE provides important information about the amount of grants and bonds that an RDSP beneficiary is entitled to receive from the Government of Canada each year. Unused grant and bond entitlements from past years can be claimed as well (going back to 2008, the year that the RDSP became available). Grant and bond entitlements are based on the beneficiary’s family income, as determined through the Canada Child Tax Benefit or Income Tax Returns filed. Grant entitlements also depend on how much money is contributed to the RDSP.
To ensure receipt of the SoE, RDSP holders are encouraged to contact their financial institution as soon as possible, if their mailing address has changed.
Should RDSP holders have questions about their SoE, they may contact RDSP Grant & Bond Outreach Team by telephone at 1-866-204-0357, TTY at 1-866-260-7723 or by e-mail at rdsp-reei@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca (Callers should have their Social Insurance Number (SIN) available; however, inquiries submitted by e-mail should not include the SIN.)
General information about the RDSP, the grant and the bond continues to be available on web site www.disabilitysavings.gc.ca, or by calling 1 800 O-Canada (1-800-622-6232). TTY users may call 1-800-926-9105.
The following summary is extracted from the News Release from the Office of the Premier and Ministry of Social Development on June 11, 2012
Click here to view the complete News Release
* Modest increases to personal assets
* Earnings exemption enhancements for disability assistance clients
* Trust and asset enhancements
Two Chinese students from Southwest University for Nationalities in Sichuan China visited the RCD on May 16, 2013. Sponsored by the Canadian International Education Assistance Foundation (CIEAF), 2 students travelled from Sichuan to Canada to learn the social service system here. The Southwest University for Nationalities is a school of Sociology and Psychology. The 2 students are studying undergraduate majors in social work and applied psychology, and they belong to one of the minority groups living in Sichuan.
Sichuan has more than 15 minority groups living with the Han people. Among these are the Yi, Hui, Tibetan and Miao peoples. Each of these minorities has its own charm, ethnic style and folk custom.
Accompanying the students are two professors from the university Prof. Chen Yong and Prof. Chen Qiuyan, as well as Mr. Chak Au and Ms. Heidi Xiao, both are directors of CIEAF. We had a delightful presentation on the services provided by the RCD and also conducted in-depth discussion on Independent Living Philosophy and various operational topics with not-for-profits social service agencies.
City of Richmond hosted a Move for Health Week from May 6 to 10, 2013. There were many free activities to promote healthy lifestyle by increasing movement. The RCD played a major role in supporting this event because we felt that our busy lifestyles created numerous barriers to exercising on a regular basis, and this was one thing we knew was one of the missing links to healthy lifestyle.
RCD offered different free activities to the general public to have an opportunity to “Move”. On Monday May 6 a Speedminton tournament was held at the front parking lot, and attracted many RCD members and people who walked by. Tuesday was the Walking & Wheeling Club, andWednesday was the Martial Arts class, where the city film crew came and videotaped some footages. Thursday was table tennis who is a popular sport in the RCD; and Friday we had FUN Exercise Class.
All the events were with good attendance and we thank the City of Richmond in organizing this event to mobilize our community to a healthy and active lifestyle.
Click here to view the gallery.
RCD hosted a first ever Book Launch for an Anti-Bullying Story Book created by the RCD Youth Interns – The Beginning, on May 3, 2013.
The 2012-2013 RCD Youth Intern Team Argon, Edmark, Kellen, Shelton, Simon and Vanessa, collectively created a story about a girl named Melody. It is a touching story of how Melody faced the bullying happened at school. The Book Launch was attended by over 40 participants and the event assumed the format of a discussion forum with interactive activities.
After the event was kicked off by City of Richmond’s Mayor Malcolm Brodie with his encouraging and affirming speech, the RCD Board Vice Chair Tom Parker welcomed the crowd. Our MCs Eliana and Carven did an excellent job to move the event onward smoothly and engagingly. The Youth Interns expressed their thoughts of the project and the book, read a short excerpt of the story; the event moved onto some discussion.
We thank all the attendees for their overwhelming participation, as well as thank City of Richmond for their support to help making this event a reality. We all agree that the Youth Interns did an awesome job, and demonstrate fully the essence of Independent Living Philosophy and team work.
Click here for more photos.
Click here to download an e-copy of the book “The Beginning”.
On April 29, 2013, over 130 people gathered at the Richmond Minoru Place Activity Centre for the RCD’s All Candidates Meeting for the 2013 Provincial Election. There was good attendance of the candidates including:
Richmond East: Cliff Wei (Independent), Gian Sihota (BC NDP), Linda Reid (BC Liberals), Nathaniel Lim (BC Conservatives), Ping Chan (BC Excaliburs)
Richmond Centre: Chanel Donovan (Unparty), Gary Law (Independent), Michael Wolfe (BC Greens), Richard Lee (Independent)
Richmond Steveston: Mike Donovan (Unparty), Jarome Dickey (BC Greens), Scott Stewart (BC NDP)
Questions from the floor were submitted on Question Form and moderators Frances Clark and Ella Huang sorted the questions and asked the candidates. Tom Parker was the timer. The meeting went very smoothly, many questions asked and responded. The meeting was concluded at 9 p.m.
Thank you to Richmond citizens who joined the meeting, and many thanks to the candidates who took time to share their thoughts, policies and platforms with the general public.
Remember to vote on May 14, 2013.
Click here to view the gallery.
Over 20 front line staff of City of Richmond attended a Disability Awareness and Sensitivity Training presented by RCD staff Ella, Viet and Dina. The 3-hour training was packed with information and resources to provide better services to people with disabilities. The session was interactive and the audiences brought many questions for discussion.
The RCD offered a series of financial literacy workshops to our participants and community members, in partnership with Vancity’s Each 1 Teach 1 Program. The instructor Aspi Usted is a financial consultant of Vancity and volunteers his time to deliver the training, which is simple, straightforward and practical. The series was offered from February to May 2013.
Click here to view the photo gallery.
A group of volunteers at the SUCCESS Chinese Help Line visited the RCD on March 20, 2013. Kathie and Tom represented the RCD to welcome them and planned a whole morning of activities for the group. We did a presentation of the centre’s services and activities, as well as information regarding services for people with disabilities in Canada and government resources. It was a productive morning and we thanked the group again for taking time to visit us.
Thank you to member at large of RCD Board of Director Jenny Wong for her innovative way of fundraising for RCD. When celebrating her husband Ivan’s birthday in February 2013, Jenny found a creative way to raise fund for the RCD. When they invited their guests to Ivan’s birthday party, they asked them not to bring any gifts, but to make a donation to the RCD. They raised a total of $2,000 for the RCD.
In the photo, Vince Miele, RCD Board Chair, on behalf of the RCD, thanked Jenny for her wonderful contribution. We greatly commend Jenny for her passion and creativity; she has indeed set an excellent example showing creative way of a successful fundraising endeavour.
RCD thanks the contribution from the Vancity Community Grant to make possible the launch of Job Skills Project, effective January 2013. Ella Huang received the cheque of $10,000 from the Richmond Branch Vancity staff.
Click here to download the Job Skills Project brochure.
For more info, call Kaye at 604-232-2404 or email her at kaye@rcdrichmond.org.
Congratulation to the entire team, especially our very own Vince Miele, chair of RCD Board of Directors.
You're the champions!!!!!!
The info session was well attended. The youth and their parents have expressed great interest in signing up and achieving the award. Many of them have also asked great questions regarding the award and how RCD can help youth with disabilities in the process.
We also handed out RCD Youth Group Newsletter and introduced the different activities held by RCD.
If you are interested in joining the Youth Group or the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, please feel free to contact us for more information.
Expedition Info for Participants
RCD Executive Director received the 2013 Ethel Tibbits Award in the Community Professional Category on March 8, 2013. The 20th Annual Ethel Tibbits Women of Distinction Awards, held on International Women’s Day, marked a momentous time in the event’s history, with the unveiling of a Wall of Fame honouring the contributions made by 90 previous Ethel winners to the local community.
RCD is the proud recipient of the “2012 Association of the Year” of the Business Excellence Awards hosted by the Richmond Chamber of Commerce on November 21, 2012. 
RCD Youth Group Sports Combo in July & August 2012. 
Although it was a gloomy morning on June 29, RCD members really had great time exploring the Ships to Shore event at Steveston. Dave, the public education coordinator of the RCD, was a navy man before and he explained the history of each ship to us. All members were able to board and view the sailing vessels. The crew from all of the ships showed greatest hospitality and loved sharing stories with the crowd. It’s a fabulous event and I feel it should be brought back next year. We appreciate the invitation from the City of Richmond and all of the hard work for the event.
The RCD Youth Group was a success despite of rain. We set up the tent and BBQ at the front door of RCD and grilled hot dogs. About 12 people came to the party. We had salad, chips, cookies and soft drinks at first. Everyone got to eat 2-3 hot dogs and chat with other members and RCD staff in the activity room. Then we started the first game: musical chairs. 7 people joined in the game and Gary Wong was the final winner. The 2nd game was Wii Mario & Sonic Olympic. Everyone had a chance to play at least one game, like bobsleigh. The most important part of the Olympic game was that 4 people had to be in one team and worked together to reach the goal and get the championship. It was a very good opportunity for the members to work with one another and build up the team spirit. Meanwhile, those who were not playing the game were having some in-depth conversations with Ella Huang about topics like the social issues in downtown East side. The party ended with the cleaning crew: Spencer Lee and Gary Wong vacuuming the whole room, Tony helping out with all dishes and Shelton & Kevin Liu taking care of the Wii machines. Also, the Youth Council invited all members to join the Sports Combo events in summer. It was overall a great party and we sincerely hope to see more members participate next time :)
Thank you to Richmond Chinatown Lions Club gave a donation to RCD of $1,000 in support of our Summer Camp. Immediate Past President Keith Wong presented the cheque to RCD Executive Director Ella Huang on Jun 16, their 2012 installation dinner. 
RCD co-hosted with Community Living BC (CLBC) on May 3, 2012 a Family Forum on Individualized Funding (IF) at Richmond Minoru Activity Centre. The forum was well attended by over 30 families. Nancy McNeill, CLBC’s Director of Organizational Development was the keynote speaker; she gave an astounding presentation of all the ins-and-outs of IF. Then there were two parents sharing their experience and success stories of utilizing IF and the key issues of application and organizing the services. 
Safe Harbour: Respect for All is a long-standing 
The Royal Bank of Canada presented a cheque to the Richmond Centre for Disability (RCD) for $20,000 on March 20, 2012. The funds support people with disabilities to gain employment skills through the RCD’s Skills Development Project. “This is a wonderful partnership between RBC and RCD,” said Vince Miele, RCD Board Chair, adding that this coveted initiative gives people with disabilities the chance to gain different skills to enhance their employability. This support goes a long way toward building a strong and vibrant community. 
Congratulation to Spencer Lee receiving the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Level Award!
The RCD is thankful to the RiverRock Casino Resort for their generous donation of $5,000 in support of our services for people with disabilities and our work in the community in promoting accessibility and disability awareness. On November 18, 2011, RCD Board Chair Vince Miele and Board Secretary and Founder Frances Clark received the cheque on behalf of the Centre from RiverRock General Manager Rick Duff. Thank you RiverRock, your generosity is greatly appreciated and will bring forth coveted services in the community to improve inclusion of people with disabilities. 
RCD Board of Directors, Staff, members and community members attended the Annual General Meeting on November 15, 2011 at 11 a.m. 
On November 8, 2011, the RCD hosted a raving All Candidates Meeting at the Minoru Place Activity Centre. Starting 6 p.m. we had citizens started coming and the hall was filled up to its brim with more than 200 audiences when the meeting officially commenced at slightly after 7 p.m. The meeting was attended by all the Mayoral and Council candidates, 2 for the former and 17 for the latter. RCD Founder and Board Secretary Frances Clark graciously stepped in as the moderator, in place of RCD Chair Vince Miele who was taken ill. RCD Board Vice Chair Tom Parker served as the time keeper. Thank you for all the staff and volunteers who made this event as smooth and successful as it was.
May 2010 Liao Zhi and her dance company visited the RCD and we received them with a fabulous lunch sponsored by the RCD Chinese Support Group. On Oct 21, 2011 we are very happy to see Liao Zhi again, this time she returned to Canada to promote a disability movement for international awareness, and she visited the centre, accompanied by Chak-Kwong Au from the Vancouver coastal Health. Dr. Randy Galloway from Texas always accompanied Liao Zhi on her visit. It was great joy to see how good Liao Zhi is doing and her drive to promote dancing for people with disabilities continues. She informs us that she is in ballroom dancing now, and we wish her all the success in her future endeavours. We hope to see her again next year. 
More than 180 guests attended the RCD Annual Fundraising Gala – Western Roundup. We thank you for all your support; the funds we raised will go to provide direct services to people with disabilities and empower them to lead a more independent life and to participate in the community to the best of their ability.
At around 7:15pm, our master of ceremony Dina officially started the event. We had RCD Board Chair Vince Miele welcome all the guests, followed by welcome remarks from Mr. John Yap MLA of Richmond-Steveston and Mayor Malcolm Bordie of the City of Richmond. Then there was cheque presentation from the Vancouver Airport Authority to the RCD, followed by plaque recognition from the RCD to our gala sponsors. 
After dinner the entertainment started with a performance of line dance by Liz Salikin and Group, and guests started to join in when Liz taught the crowd some simple steps for line dancing. At about 9 p.m. the Five-and-a-half Cowboy Band began their performance and brought to the guests true western and blue grass music. Raffle prize draw, silent auction announcement and 50-50 draw at slightly after 10 p.m. brought the night to its end. Most guests told us that they had fun and we hope that more people will support our fundraising event next year, for a great cause, good food and lots of fun!
On September 17, 2011, Richmond VanCity held their annual Shreddathon – free shredding service for Richmond residents. At the same time, they raised funds for the RCD through this event that $5 donation toward the RCD would bring a hotdog, drink and chips. RCD also had some staff members present to assist the event and introduce the organization.
16 volunteers attended the training; they were all recruited by the SDC Blue Ribbon Foundation. We want to thank their Volunteer Coordinators Angela Hou and Serena Li for their good work and effectiveness. Moreover the SDC Blue Ribbon Foundation Admin Team, led by their President David Wang, had made tremendous contribution to make After School Connection a reality and a success. The Admin Team includes David Wang, Jerry Zhang, Mimi Wei, Angela Hou and Serena Li. They have our most heartfelt thank you, from RCD and the children who join the activity.
The RCD hosted its first event at the Richmond Legends Pub & Restaurant on July 29, 2011. The event, Pasta Night, was to raise fund for the upcoming 
Richmond Chinatown Lions Club donated to RCD Summer Camp
On Monday, June 6th 2011, we were invited by the City of Richmond to visit one of the three tall ships that were anchored in Stevenston for a few days. Under a bright sky, a group of thirty four members of the RCD gathered at the entrance of the Garry Point Park where the tall ships were stationed.
On June 4, 2011, more than 300 people gathered at the Ismaili Centre in Burnaby attending the 
Ella and Jeremy’s family attended this great event to celebrate Jeremy’s great achievement.
A group of Korean Delegation, including social worker and representatives from Korean disability agencies, visited the RCD on April 4, 2011. We gave a presentation of the centre, and the Government services available for people with disabilities. They were enthusiastic with questions and we had a very fruitful discussion on the similarities and differences of our government system and policy.
In April 2011, the RCD Martial Arts Class students joined a competition at the Burnett High School, organized by the Sirota Alchymy. The group included Amy, Gary, Meera, Tony, Tylone, Shelton and Wilson. They all obtained medals and competed wholeheartedly. Congratulation to their hard work and achievement. 
This year’s volunteer training was held on March 25th. This session was designed for the newer volunteers of RCD. The topics for this 2-hour training session included leadership, volunteerism, learning about different disability types, and sharing of experience.
BNI (Business Networking International) Breakfast of Champions presented a cheque of $750 to RCD on December 16. Vince Miele, RCD Board Chair, received the donation from 
RiverRock Casino Resort gave a donation of $2,000 to RCD supporting their services for people with disabilities and their work in the community in promotion of accessibility and disability issues. RCD Board Chair Vince Miele with Board Secretary and Founder Frances Clark accepted the cheque on behalf of the Centre, from RiverRock General Manager Rick Duff, also Peter Goudron and Roland Monteiro.
Mr. John Yap, MLA of Richmond Steveston, presents to Vince Miele RCD Board Chair a 
Our annual Volunteer Appreciation Party was hosted on the 15th of June. Over 30 volunteers were able to join us at RCD to celebrate the success of their hard work throughout the year. Everyone was able to get a share of his or her snacks, drinks and laughter during this gathering. After the short speeches from our directors and the presentation of the volunteer certificates, we proceeded straight to our highlight of the day: The Wii Competition. There were many competitors, but only the best three could take home with them bragging rights and a Starbucks gift card. Congratulations to Kevin, Nana, and Jacqueline for being the RCD Wii Champions!
Knowledge is Key; and Peer Support Empowers!
Development”. More details will be announced shortly. 
Bob McHale, President of Richmond Kiwanis Club, presented a cheque of $2,450 on May 19, 2010 to Ella Huang, in support of the 2010 RCD Summer Camp for children and youth with special needs which is offered from July 2 to August 20. 
On May 12, around 30 attendees participated in 2 Info Sessions of Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) at Richmond Culture Centre delivered by the RCD. In addition, more RDSP Info Sessions have been arranged throughout the Lower Mainland.
On April 21, a group of RCD youth joined the Richmond in 3D Workshop on Diversity and Multiculturalism, hosted by the Richmond Intercultural Advisory committee. Over 25 youth attended the workshop which was facilitated by Richmond in 3D Group of 7 facilitators. 
RCD presented to Richmond City Council – Apr 12, 2010 
The RCD exhibited a display at the Richmond City Hall to showcase some wheelchair sports, in honour of the 2010 Vancouver Paralympics Games. The 4 banners showed different sports performed by athletes with special abilities, plus two banners about the 25th Anniversary of the RCD in 2010 and our services. We hoped to heighten the awareness of public and community members towards the ability of people with disabilities. We thanked the BC Wheelchair Sports Association supporting our display with their banners, and the City of Richmond for arranging the display venue. 
On behalf of RCD, Carrie Chan received a donation of $2000 from Mr. Anthony Poon, President of AssetPlus Financial Services Inc. through a “Singing for Charity” at the AssetPlus Financial Services Inc. Annual Fundraising Dinner on January 23, 2010.
Nature/Bird Watching Club made a trip to O.W.L (Orphaned Wild life) Rehabilitation Society in Delta on Tuesday July 28. We left in vehicles from the RCD at noon and got back at 2:30 pm. During the visit, slide presentations, visual aids, and a close-up view of owls, eagles, hawks and falcons were shown by the education coordinators. 
Surprisingly, different species of owls sound differently. They might sound like dog, wolf or snake. For more information on our upcoming outdoor activities, please call Rich at 604.232.2404 or email: 
Member of Parliament Alice Wong, hosted a press conference to promote the Registered Disability Saving Plan (RDSP) and its matching grant and bond at the RCD on Thursday, July 23, 2009. Frances Clark, the Director of RCD, made an opening speech for Alice during the press conference.
The RCD Chinese Support Group 5th Annual Garage Sale was launched July 18, 2009. Lots of items were displayed on the tables outside the RCD for sale, such as toys, household items, electronics, books, clothing, stereo systems, shoes, handbags and other valuable collectibles. When people walked by and saw our garage sale signs, they surprisingly found that this garage sale was a hidden treasure for goodies. That included Honorable Alice Wong, Member of Parliament for Richmond and her husband, were attracted by the sign and dropped by to have a look. They paid careful attention to each aisle and finally brought a stereo system and a 
DVD. In the afternoon, here came another politician, Richmond City Councillor, Bill McNulty. They all enjoyed a good treasure-hunting time at RCD. Even though the sun was killing hot, we were all thrilled to collect over $3000 in the garage sale and the three pre-garage sales. Once again, thanks for our enthusiastic volunteers and supporters that made this event such a success. See you next year!
20 participants joined the RCD on July 10 for a newly introduced workshop - Top 10 Scams. The workshop was one of many popular presentations offered by the RCD under the Public Education Series. 
with some useful hints, like not to give out personal information on the telephone, not to use automatic banking machines which are not attached to the banks and so much more … to reduce risk of ID theft and other economic related scams. 
Summer is the time to enjoy sunshine and have fun. The annual summer picnic of RCD Chinese Support Group was launched on Saturday June 27, 2009. A group of 53 participants gathered at the RCD parking lot that morning and headed out to Stave Lake, Mission by school bus. It was a wonderful day for an outing as the weather was terrific with a breeze and sunshine. When we got there, the families started to set the tables. The picnic was a potluck, but literally it was a mini buffet with salad, finger food, chicken wings, pasta, fruit, BBQ pork, fish, fruit and dessert being served. We walked along the trail, played some games and visited BC Hydro Power House. By the time we left the Power House, it was about time to go home. Last but not least, we also had the chance to see the beautiful view of the Fraser Valley while getting on to the newly constructed Golden Ears Bridge on our way back. What a bonus!
from all volunteers, the hot dog and car wash funds were supplemented by a BC150 Volunteer Incentive Grant that will support the development and creation of the Peer Mentor Project. Not only did it raise funds and attention to the RCD, everyone who participated had fun and played a meaningful role.
RCD’s fundraising meat draw was a blast! The event was held at Pioneer’s Pub on Sunday May 3 from 2-4pm. During that two-hour event, there was a 50-50 draw. Many people came over to support us and brought home with some prime cut of meat for BBQ. We collected nearly $300 and all proceeds go to support persons with disabilities attending activities offered at the RCD.
RCD is one of the 40 venues in Richmond participating Doors Open Richmond. This event was organized by the City of Richmond in the weekend of May 2-3 from 10 am-4pm. We provided different activities for the visitors, like sing-a-long, 
marital arts demo, computer troubleshooting session, chess, table tennis and accessible lift demo. A group of 25 sea scouts who aged from 7-11 came over for a visit on Saturday. They were very curious about the adaptive technology at the CAP site and the accessible lift at the centre. What an interesting experience for the sea scouts and us! 
The 39th Provincial Election will take place on Tuesday May 12th 2009. In order to have comfortable and pleasant experience with the upcoming election, RCD organized an All Candidates Meeting on Monday April 
27th 2009 at Minoru Activity Centre from 6-9pm. The event was packed with around 100 concerned citizens. We raised a wide range of topics from economy, education, social services, aboriginal reserved land, environment, transportation and homelessness to the eight candidates from Richmond East, Richmond Centre Richmond Steveston riding. 
The Richmond School District accepted a cheque of $3,011.27 as a donation to inner-city schools whose students with special needs require wheelchair accessible transportation in order to actively participate in field trips.
There were over 30 volunteers who attended this year's volunteer appreciation party. Everyone had a wonderful time. Our board of directors presented award certificates to each and every one of our volunteers; thanking them for their efforts and commitment they've made in the community throughout 2008. A little bit of Magic Show by the RCD staff seemed to be the highlight of the day. It was a worthy Magic Show when a burst of applause was heard from the crowd!