We Are
FIRST UNITED
For 140 years, we’ve sough to build better futures in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside by providing essential services, community connection, and healing.
We Are
FIRST UNITED
For 140 years, we’ve sough to build better futures in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside by providing essential services, community connection, and healing.
The new 320 East Hastings
Opening soon!
Stay tuned for more details.
How We Help
We seek a just society by nurturing each person’s spirit through community services, advocacy, and ministry in the face of the often-intersecting challenges of extreme poverty, historical and personal trauma, mental illness, and oppression in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.
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How You Help
Be a part of building better futures through our Community Giving Program, volunteering, attending an event, or subscribing to our newsletter. However you choose to get involved, you can help us remain agile and responsive and meet the most pressing needs of our time.
How You Can Help
A Sanctuary Within our Community
We are on the frontlines
Our Work
We’re building better futures by responding to the most pressing needs of our community: providing essential services, community connection, and healing. We provide direct support to our neighbours in the Downtown Eastside and advocate for dignity, belonging, and justice for the community.
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Latest news
Thanks for celebrating this milestone with us!
Date 18 Jun, 2026
Category First Forward, Redevelopment
On Monday, June 1st, we had the honour of ringing in the next chapter of FIRST UNITED with 200 of you in our new building at 320 East Hastings! It was a day of celebration and gratitude as we looked around the new dining hall where we were gathered and saw the faces of so […]
DTES charity receives $3.5 million donation for redevelopment project to open in June
Date 30 Apr, 2026
Category First Forward, Redevelopment
A private foundation has donated $3.5 million to FIRST UNITED’s redevelopment project, scheduled to open in June. This transformational gift will support the construction of four floors of purpose-built community amenity space in the Downtown Eastside. This gift comes on top of the foundation’s previous leadership gift of $10 million at the outset of the […]
What I learned about generosity from the DTES
Date 6 Apr, 2026
Category Uncategorized
Message from Amanda Burrows, Executive Director, on Easter Monday At Easter, we’re reminded of powerful acts of love and generosity. At FIRST UNITED, I see those moments often in the Downtown Eastside. They don’t always make headlines, but they speak deeply to the humanity and generosity that live in this community. I want to share […]
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