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.
Move First Forward
Buy a Brick
When you buy a symbolic brick for $50, you’ll help inspire healing and possibility in the neighbourhood and put reconciliation into action.
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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Sign up for email updates about announcements, invitations, and news about FIRST UNITED!
Latest news
Celebrating 140 years of Dignity, Belonging and Justice
Date 4 May, 2025
Category Blog
A message from Amanda Burrows, Executive Director On a Sunday in May 1885, a small congregation met together for its first church service at the Hastings Mill schoolhouse. That congregation evolved into what FIRST UNITED is today. 140 years later, we’re known as one of the oldest service providers in the community, bringing dignity, belonging […]
We love our Volunteers!
Date 28 Apr, 2025
Category Blog
It’s National Volunteer Week (April 27-May 3) and we want to show some love and appreciation for those who help us provide dignity, belonging, and justice to our neighbours in the Downtown Eastside. Volunteers help to provide vital assistance that keeps us going and ensuring that we can achieve our vision of a neighbourhood where […]
The Downtown Eastside is our neighbour
Date 22 Apr, 2025
Category Blog
Written by Rev. Lauren Sanders (Prairie Band Potawatomi/mshkodéni bodewadminwen, Kickapoo Nation of Kansas/kiikaapoa, African American/Black), Indigenous Spiritual Care Chaplain, for Good Friday The Downtown Eastside is our neighbour. But we often don’t see that reflected in our society or in government policies. This Holy Week, as Christians remember the events that led to the crucifixion […]
Attend an Event
Join us for virtual and in-person events to learn more about FIRST and connect with our community.