© IMAGES COURTESY OF VANCOUVER CANADIANS BASEBALL FOUNDATION
At Vancouver’s Nat Bailey Stadium, summer baseball has always meant more than balls and strikes. It is tradition, neighbourhood pride, and one of the city’s most beloved gathering places. But every Wednesday night this season, it has also become a platform for something deeper: a celebration of the charities helping British Columbians live with more hope, dignity, opportunity, and support.
The Vancouver Canadians and RBC have brought back RBC We Care Wednesdays for 2026, a partnership that has grown into one of the most meaningful community initiatives in local sport. Now in its fifth season, the program reflects not only the strength of the relationship between the C’s and RBC, but a shared belief that community investment should be visible, accessible, and deeply local.
Over the course of the season, 11 charities are being highlighted at Rogers Field at Nat Bailey Stadium through public awareness, in-stadium recognition, and ticket-based fundraising, with $5 from every ticket purchased through each charity’s unique link going directly to that organization.
It is a simple idea, but an effective one: use the draw of baseball to spotlight the people and programs doing essential work across British Columbia.
That spirit fits naturally with the broader mission of the Vancouver Canadians Baseball Foundation, which was built on the belief that sport can help young people find self-confidence, improve their health, develop life skills, and imagine a bigger future for themselves. The Foundation’s work has long extended beyond the diamond, from opening the game to more children through the Vancouver Canadians Baseball League to helping create Western Canada’s first fully accessible synthetic baseball field for children with physical and cognitive challenges.
In that context, RBC We Care Wednesdays feels less like an add-on and more like an extension of the organization’s values. This year’s lineup reflects the depth and diversity of charitable work happening across B.C., with each game shining a light on a different organization making a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
UNITED WAY BRITISH COLUMBIA
The series began on April 8 with United Way British Columbia, an organization helping to build healthy, caring, and inclusive communities across the province. Its work spans emergency response, food security, and supports for seniors, children, and youth, strengthening the connections people rely on in times of need.
ARTS UMBRELLA
On April 22, Arts Umbrella took the spotlight. Founded in Vancouver in 1979, the internationally recognized not-for-profit provides arts education to more than 20,000 children and youth each year through programs in art, design, dance, theatre, music, and film. Access is central to its mission, with the majority of participants able to take part at no cost thanks to donor support.
GROWING CHEFS
Then on April 29, Growing Chefs connected children to nourishing, culturally relevant food through hands-on cooking and gardening programs. Its work helps young people build confidence, practical life skills, and a stronger sense of belonging, while encouraging healthier relationships with food and community.
VANCOUVER CHINATOWN FOUNDATION
On May 13, the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation will be recognized for its commitment to preserving one of Vancouver’s most important cultural communities while supporting those who live there. Through affordable housing, seniors housing, cultural programming, and economic development, the Foundation is working to ensure Chinatown remains vibrant, resilient, and rooted in its heritage.
RICK HANSEN FOUNDATION
The Rick Hansen Foundation, featured on May 27, continues the legacy of Rick Hansen’s Man In Motion World Tour by working to build a more accessible Canada. From improving accessibility in built and natural spaces to supporting spinal cord injury research and youth education, the Foundation is helping break down barriers for people with disabilities across the country.
ARTS CLUB THEATRE COMPANY
On June 10, Arts Club Theatre Company takes centre stage. One of Canada’s largest not-for-profit theatre companies, it is a cornerstone of British Columbia’s cultural life, reaching more than a quarter million people each year through productions, touring shows, and engagement programs that deepen community connection through live performance.
MUSIC ON MAIN
Music on Main, featured on July 1, has become one of Vancouver’s most adventurous and welcoming arts organizations. With hundreds of concerts and events, world premieres, and festivals, it has created space for emerging artists, bold programming, and new ways for audiences to connect with music and one another.
VANCOUVER FOOD RUNNERS
On July 8, Vancouver Food Runners will be honoured for its innovative response to two urgent issues: food waste and food insecurity. By redirecting surplus food from businesses to nonprofits through app-based technology and volunteer support, the organization has delivered millions of pounds of food while also reducing environmental impact across Metro Vancouver.
PACIFIC AUTISM FAMILY NETWORK
Featured on July 29, Pacific Autism Family Network is dedicated to supporting Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent individuals and their families. Based in Richmond, it operates Canada’s first purpose-built centre of excellence for autism, bringing together services, expertise, and community support in one accessible hub shaped by families and Autistic advisors.
MAKE-A-WISH CANADA
On August 12, Make-A-Wish Canada will be recognized for creating life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. For families facing some of the hardest moments imaginable, those wishes can provide strength, hope, and resilience, and research increasingly shows they can have meaningful benefits as part of a child’s treatment journey.
BALLET BC
Closing out the season on August 26 is Ballet BC, Canada’s leading creation-based contemporary dance company. Based in Vancouver and celebrated on stages around the world, Ballet BC continues to push the boundaries of contemporary dance while showcasing the creative excellence of British Columbia on a global level.
COMMUNITY CARE IN ACTION
Taken together, the 2026 RBC We Care Wednesdays roster offers a powerful portrait of what community care looks like in this province. It is food and housing, accessibility and health, arts and culture, childhood support, inclusion, and the preservation of community identity. It reflects the many ways organizations across B.C. are helping people not only get by, but truly thrive.
To learn more, support the featured charities, or attend an RBC We Care Wednesday game this season, visit CanadiansBaseball.com/Community/rbcwecare and help turn a night at The Nat into meaningful support for communities across British Columbia.
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What began simply as a vision to provide underprivileged youth with an opportunity has now become much more. The Vancouver Canadians Baseball Foundation (VCBF) has already begun the process of helping local children grow into student/athletes who can now focus on succeeding instead of concerning themselves with elements that are usually out of their control.
The Vancouver Canadians Baseball Foundation is committed to our community and wants to ensure that your involvement helps redefine a child’s perspective about life both on and off the field.