Busking Brothers Step up to Help People in Need

Three brothers holding a yellow neon Bristol board sign
by SalvationArmy.ca
Categories: Articles, Feature, Mobile, Newswire
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Last year, three young brothers from Qualicum Beach, B.C., resolved to do more to improve the lives of others in their community. And they did.

“We hope our music continues to make a difference for the most vulnerable people in our community,” says Liam, 10.

After hearing an urgent fundraising appeal from their local emergency shelter, Liam and his younger brothers, Ewan and Connor, set out to play and sing pop and blues songs at the local market. They had busked before to make a little bit of money for themselves. But this time they were eager to raise funds for the shelter. The trio raised enough money to feed and house 30 people for two nights.

“Since then, the boys have busked every year for a worthy cause,” says mom, Natalie. “They like using the talents they have to help others in difficult circumstances.”

Over the past couple of years the brothers have raised enough money to provide a child from the community food bank with three meals a day for a year and, most recently, provided one-full week of meals at The Salvation Army’s soup kitchen.

“We spoke with The Salvation Army and learned that it costs $400 to run the soup kitchen for one day, which feeds 100 men, women and children,” says Natalie. “The boys set a goal of $1,600 to cover the costs for four days. They surpassed their goal and raised over $1,700!”

Liam, Ewan and Connor recently won the Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy Award in Victoria, B.C., and at the awards ceremony, Liam spoke on behalf of his brothers.

“We would like our final thank you to be to The Salvation Army and the work they do both in our local community and elsewhere,” says Liam. “We see homeless people and hear about food banks. It’s good to see our donations at work.”