When 10-year-old British Columbia resident Jonathan “Bear” Yeung and 18-year-old Landon Brown learned that the kids at BC Children’s Hospital were feeling increasingly isolated because of COVID-19 restrictions, they knew they had to help in any way that they could.
“Each of us has a role to play (big and small) to help support those on the frontlines and our most vulnerable residents,” said Kevin Yeung, Bear’s father. And help they did.
When Bear and Landon reached out to Rogers for help, our team jumped at the chance to contribute devices to help these young patients stay connected to the people and things that matter most. Vancouver-based Rogers CSR Manager Kaitlyn LeFeaver hand wrapped tablets, wrote personalized cards for each individual device and coordinated with a local Rogers Pro On-the-Go representative to ensure a safe delivery to the hospital, just in time for the holidays.
Over the course of just a few weeks, Bear and Landon managed to secure 159 tablets and more than 1,000 toys, along with $13,000 worth of donations – for a total of over $60,000 worth of items and monetary donations, from companies and individuals alike. Despite their young age, Bear and Landon’s efforts have made a lasting impact on supporting those on the frontlines and our most vulnerable communities, and are an inspiration to us all.
Tell us a little bit about yourselves. How old are you, where are you from, how did you guys meet?
Landon: My name is Landon Brown, I’m 18 years old and I’m from North Vancouver, BC.
Bear: I’m 10 years old from West Vancouver. I met Landon when he helped my family raise funds to buy a car for a family who got into a car accident, and destroyed their car. We both love to ski and we’ve been good friends ever since.
Why did you feel inclined to give back to your community this holiday season?
Landon: Bear and I have been struggling ourselves this year as the pandemic has changed all aspects of our lives. We couldn’t begin to imagine how the pandemic has affected the lives of the incredibly brave kids in BC Children’s Hospital. After learning that tablets would be a great thing to donate as they can not only support games and apps to keep kids occupied, they can also keep kids in touch with their families. We reached out to many corporations like Rogers, as well as private individuals for a toy drop off, and ended up bringing a trailer full of tablets and toys to the hospital.
What was the result of your outreach to organizations for support in giving back to those in need?
Bear: We’re truly grateful that companies like Rogers and others wanted to help us. Rogers generously donated more iPads and tablets than any other corporation or individual. These tablets will help so many kids stay connected with their family and friends and feel loved. Love will give them strength. They can watch movies, play games and do their school work on their tablets while they are getting treatments at the hospital or when they are recovering at home.
What would you say to young Canadians who are thinking about giving back to their communities but aren’t sure where to start?
Bear: Landon and I love our community. We’re proof that any one at any age can help their communities. We believe in what young Canadians CAN do!
Landon: To every young Canadian who wants to give back to their own community, here are two things to remember.
- The smallest start is still a start, no matter what you can achieve, it’s still more than nothing, and will make someone happier than you could ever imagine.
- Anyone can do anything they put their mind to. Take us as an example, a 10-year-old and an 18-year-old had some of the largest corporations in Canada supporting us, and we raised over $60,000 worth of donations. We aren’t any different from anyone else, all we did different was start writing emails and didn’t stop until we achieved our goals. Even with a 90% rejection rate, we pushed through, and made the holidays special for many kids and families!
Thank you, Bear and Landon, for all your efforts in going above and beyond to make a difference. Your dedication to making your community a better place to be for those most vulnerable proves that you are never too young to make a difference in someone’s life.
Supporting individual community contributions like Bear and Landon’s.
One of the ways Rogers is helping to make a better Canada possible.