How a knock on my door sparked a $7-million push to help Vancouver's homeless
At that time, the event was called “Hockey for the Homeless,” but many people mistakenly thought it was an event for homeless people to play hockey.
No, it was an event for hockey fans to raise money for homeless support services. It was a one-day charity game where participants played hockey alongside former NHL pros — mostly Canucks — through the Canucks Alumni. Their support from day one has been invaluable.
I helped spearhead a rebrand and the event got rechristened with a new name and logo, Hockey Helps the Homeless. In that first year, we raised about $36,000 — not a great sum, but something we could build on.
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Since then, the event has grown and grown. There are also numerous events across the country, but Vancouver now raises the most of any city in Canada. Last year, our fundraising total broke $1 million, which is an amazing amount — a far cry from where we started, and it means we can really do some impactful things.
Over the years, Vancouver has raised almost $7 million in total to help many local charities.
All money raised locally stays in Vancouver through outreach partners like First United, Bloom Group, Lookout, Urban Native Youth, Salvation Army, and many others.
And while we are doing this fundraising, participants have had the privilege to skate with such greats as Dave Babych, Guy Carbonnau, Geoff Courtnall, Mike Krushelniski, Kirk McLean, and even Henrik and Daniel Sedin, among many others.
David Fine with Henrik, or is it Daniel? It’s a Sedin! (David Fine)
The event is an amazing day, but we never lose sight of the main purpose.
The event sometimes claimed to be seeking to “help end homelessness,” but I never felt that this was a realistic goal given the complexity of the issues. Helping and caring and raising awareness was the goal.
Our committee is a wonderful group of people from diverse backgrounds who review proposals from a range of outreach partners. We determine which specific projects in the city to fund — whether it’s a van to help people get to appointments, food programs and kitchen renovations, recovery services, or even tax services for those experiencing homelessness. That last one is surprisingly important, as many rely on OAS or other benefits to get by.
Every year, I produce a short five-minute documentary featuring one of our outreach partners. We screen these films at the event to show participants and sponsors just how impactful their fundraising truly is. I love creating these stories because I get to meet the dedicated people working tirelessly to support others, and I see firsthand how much our funding means to them. It’s incredibly moving — and deeply meaningful to me on a personal level.
Together We Can handing out care packages and food. (David Fine)
Mark Brand of A Better Life Foundation speaking at the Save On Meats Diner. (David Fine)
Last year, I made a video about the funding we provide to Together We Can. We funded care packages — with socks and other provisions — and pop-up food events. To see people line up for hot food on the street and how much they value and appreciate this is really moving. I am careful about how I film so as not to make anyone feel uncomfortable, but when I explain to them what I am doing, so many are really eager to say thank you on camera.
The year before, I made a video about A Better Life Foundation. This is an organization started by local restaurateur Mark Brand, an award winning chef who refurbished Save on Meats on Hastings Street as a high-quality retro diner, but subsequently closed it to the public and instead made it his mission to provide not just food, but really good food to homeless and needy people. He wanted to raise the bar in terms of the quality of the food he was aiming to provide.
He also created a token program that allowed people to purchase tokens and give them directly to individuals in need, who could then exchange them for food. The tokens not only provided a clear path for people to offer meaningful help, but also opened the door to conversation and connection.
What Mark Brand has accomplished with his talents as a chef and entrepreneur is truly extraordinary, and having the chance to meet him and share his story on film was very special.
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Our next event is coming up on Nov. 28, 2025 — held at UBC Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre — and once again, we are on track to crack $1 million in total raised.
We have great sponsors who cover the various costs of the event, which means that personal donations pretty much go directly to outreach partners. That’s incredibly important to me, because I would not want people donating to a cause where a large portion of their contribution is spent simply putting the event on.
I am honoured to be a part of helping make this event happen and I thank Ewan for knocking on my door 16 years ago and asking me to get involved, even if he is a Habs fan.
If you wish to donate to Hockey Helps the Homeless, click here.