Summer is Here. Hunger Did Not Take a Vacation.

It is Canada Day, The barbecue is firing up. The kids are out of school. The garden is starting to produce. Summer is finally here, and for most of us, that means more time with family, more good food, and more reasons to smile.

But here is something easy to forget when our own plates are full.

For too many families in Port Coquitlam and other communities across Canada and the United States, summer is not a break from hunger. It is when hunger gets harder.

Why? Because school meal programs stop. Because summer jobs for parents do not always cover the bills. Because the cost of feeding kids at home all day adds up fast. Because the food bank sees donations drop just when demand stays high.

Everyone is thinking about vacations and long weekends. No one is thinking about the empty cupboard.

That is where you come in.

The food bank can turn every dollar into three or four dollars worth of food. They know what is needed. They have buying power you do not. A $20 donation buys more than $20 worth of groceries at the store. It is the most efficient way to help.

If you prefer to donate food, summer needs are different.

In the summer, the food bank needs (this list is generic, please check with your own food bank before you donate food:

·         Canned meat (tuna, chicken, ham)

·         Canned fruit (packed in juice, not syrup)

·         Canned vegetables (low sodium)

·         Peanut butter

·         Whole grain pasta and sauce

·         Rice (small bags)

·         Hearty soups and stews

·         Shelf-stable milk

·         Baby formula and baby food

·         Cereal (low sugar)

·         Granola bars and snack packs (great for kids at home all day)

Please avoid: Glass jars (they break), expired items (they cannot use them), and perishable food (they have limited refrigeration).

July, and August are months when we focus on our own families. That is natural. That is good. But hunger does not take a holiday.

If you have a little extra this summer, even a few dollars or a few cans, please drop it off at the food bank. Or leave it in a collection bin at your local grocery store. Or donate online.

Every bit helps. Every bit matters.

Because no one should wonder where their next meal is coming from. Not in winter. Not in summer. Not ever.

Thank you for remembering.

It's Not Too Late to Take Control (And You Are Not Alone)

 For Women in Their 50s, 60s, and Beyond

You have spent decades managing everything for everyone else. The household finances. The kids' education. Maybe caring for aging parents. You have been so focused on everyone else's future that your own financial planning got pushed to the back burner. And now, as retirement approaches, you may be feeling a knot of anxiety.

Here is what you need to hear: You are not alone, and it is not too late.

The statistics can be frightening. Women retire with an average of 28% less savings than men. They are more likely to live in poverty during retirement. But those numbers do not have to be your story. The financial industry is finally waking up to the fact that women need and deserve a different kind of conversation, one that starts with your life, not with a product.

Here is what the experts want you to know:

Confidence is the secret ingredient.

It turns out that confidence matters more than knowledge. Highly confident savers put away 64% more of their income than their less confident peers. Knowledge alone only boosted savings by 12%. The takeaway? You likely know more than you give yourself credit for. Start acting like it.

You have powerful "catch-up" tools available to you.

If you are 50 or older, you can make additional "catch-up" contributions to your registered accounts. Use them. Max out your TFSA first if your income is modest (withdrawals don't count as income and won't claw back your government benefits). Then focus on your RRSP. Every dollar you put in now is a dollar that will work for you in retirement.

Women are expected to hold the majority of wealth in the coming years.

Financial advisors are beginning to understand that women have unique needs when it comes to retirement planning, including a need for guaranteed income that isn't subject to market swings. You deserve an advisor who understands that your priority is not beating the market, it is never running out of money.

It's never too late to get good advice.

Many women in your age group have never worked with a financial advisor. Or they have, but they felt talked down to or ignored. But when women do find the right advisor, one who respects them, speaks plainly, and takes their life goals seriously, their participation in investing more than doubles. It is worth the effort to find a good fit.

So, what can you do today? Gather your statements and get a clear picture of what you have and what you owe. If you are still working, increase your retirement contributions, even by 1%, it adds up. If you are retired or close to it, work with an advisor to create a sustainable withdrawal plan so you don't outlive your money.

Most importantly, stop letting the "I should have started earlier" voice paralyze you. You did the best you could with what you knew. Now you know more. And there is still time to make a difference.

The system is learning to talk to you. But you don't need to wait for it to be perfect. Start the conversation today, with an advisor, with a friend, or simply with yourself. Your future self will thank you.

 

You Don't Need to Feel Ready. You Just Need to Start.

 For Women in Their 20s, 30s, and 40s

Let's be honest. The financial world was not built with you in mind. The language is confusing. The advice often assumes a stay-at-home partner or a steady, uninterrupted career. And when you don't understand something right away, it's easy to think the problem is you.

It's not. The problem is a system that hasn't bothered to learn how to talk to you. But here's the truth: the industry is finally changing. And more importantly, you don't need to wait for it to catch up.

Here is what the experts want you to know:

You are not bad with money. You have just been left out of the conversation.

A recent study found that when women are given a financial question, they often answer "I don't know" because it feels safer. But when that option is removed, their knowledge is just as strong as men's. You know more than you think. You just need to trust yourself.

Your hesitation is expensive.

Fear is the biggest obstacle to building wealth, not a lack of skill or a low salary. Women tend to be great savers, but many keep too much money sitting in cash because they are afraid of making a mistake. Start before you feel ready. Open a retirement account. Set up an automatic monthly contribution, even if it's just 100. That consistency matters more than being an expert.

Time is your greatest asset, not a big salary.

The most powerful tool for building wealth is not earning more; it is starting now. Even small amounts invested early can grow into significant sums. Every year you wait costs you compound growth. The worst mistake is waiting for the perfect moment.

Advisors are not all the same. Find one who respects you.

Many women avoid advisors because they fear being condescended to or not taken seriously. But the right advisor, one who speaks plainly, listens to your goals, and treats you as an equal, can be transformative. When women receive personalized financial planning, investment participation more than doubles. You deserve an advisor who looks at you and sees a partner, not a dependent.

So, what can you do today? If you have a workplace retirement plan, contribute enough to get the full employer match, that is free money. If you don't have a plan, open a TFSA or RRSP with an automatic monthly contribution. Take twenty minutes this week to find a fee-only financial planner who specializes in working with women. Ask your friends for recommendations. Start the conversation.

The system is changing because women like you are demanding better. But you don't need to wait for the system to be perfect. Start where you are, with what you have. The next best time to invest is now. Your future self, the one who wants to retire with dignity, travel, or simply sleep soundly at night, will thank you.

How the Financial Industry Is Finally Learning to Talk to Women

 (No More Jargon, I Promise)

This and the following 2 posts were written because my daughter and my daughter-in-law and all of their friends are turning 50 this year. They are starting to look at the idea of retirement, so this is meant to help them and hopefully other women as they try to figure out their options.

An article Older woman at risk of running out of money as gender wealth gap widens with age, written by Maisie Grice and published online in May 2026, highlights a critical reality: the financial system has often made women feel like it wasn't designed for them. The good news is that the industry is finally waking up and changing how it talks to women, focusing on clarity, respect, and real life, not jargon and one-size-fits-all advice.

For decades, much of the financial world spoke a language that alienated women. The research from CIRO found something important: women don't lack financial knowledge. They lack confidence, and a big reason for that is how the industry has talked to them. Give women the same question without a panic-inducing "I don't know" option, and the gender gap in financial literacy disappears entirely. The issue has never been ability. It's been a system that made women feel like outsiders.

The industry is finally getting the message.

• Women want plain language, not jargon. A CIRO study found 57% of women say it's important that their advisor speaks without jargon, compared to just 40% of men. And 56% of women prioritize being treated with respect.
• They want advisors who understand their life. Not just their portfolio. Women are more likely to seek advice after major life events like divorce, widowhood, or redundancy. They want someone who "gets it".
• Women are expected to hold 60% of the UK's wealth by the end of 2025. Advisors who can't speak to women are missing the boat entirely.
• Women drive the demand for advice. They're expected to inherit an estimated $3.2 trillion over the next decade, creating a huge demand for tailored financial planning and retirement income design.

The message is clear: financial marketing that has historically used language alienating women from pensions and investing is being called out. The industry is shifting to conversations that start with: "What's on your mind? What's keeping you up at night?"