Vancouver Foundation
Vancouver Foundation is saddened at the loss of Dr. Carol Matusicky, our friend and a true community champion.
Dr. Carol Matusicky was a renowned and respected family advocate who dedicated her career to serving families in British Columbia. We will miss her experience, wisdom and compassion.
Carol actively supported the work of Vancouver Foundation, and over the years played many influential roles, including Chair of the Labour Market Partnership project. She was a dedicated Advisory Committee member on our Children, Youth and Family Advisory Committees. Carol believed that strong, vibrant communities held a key to resilience for children and families, and that her work with the Foundation made a true difference in the lives of BC families.
Vancouver Foundation’s Lidia Kemeny remembers Carol fondly:
“What set Carol apart was that she never forgot to express compassion towards those who found themselves in impossible situations of wanting to make change but were immersed within systems that seemed – and often were – immovable.”
This conundrum of changing systems, and the role that individuals could play in that work, was the focus of many conversations Carol influenced at Vancouver Foundation.
Carol felt strongly that it was ultimately individual action that was the key to system change. In one of her last emails with Vancouver Foundation she shared this quote from renowned business philosopher Jim Rohn, who stated,’You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight.’
Everyone who came into contact with Carol breathed a little easier and her influence and legacy will be felt far into the future at Vancouver Foundation.
Vancouver Foundation is donating $10,000 to the British Columbia Council for Families Carol Matusicky Endowment Fund, as a gesture of respect and support for her tireless commitment and extraordinary contributions to the well being of families in BC.
To add your gift of support, you can donate to this fund in her memory:
Your donation supports the BC Council for Families parenting education and support programs, the creation of information resources for families, research, and network development and ongoing learning for community practitioners.
Carol’s leadership has shown us that the actions of an individual can change the system. We will miss her.
More about Carol’s work and influence:
Dr. Carol Matusicky was a renowned and respected family advocate who dedicated her career to serving families in BC and beyond. Since starting with the BC Council for Families in 1981 as a Board member, and subsequently becoming the Executive Director from 1984 – 2007, Carol continually championed the BC Council for Families as a unique resource for various communities. In her work Carol always demonstrated good judgment, sincerity, optimism, and a proactive stance on issues facing families of many different compositions. Carol’s tireless commitment to improving the well being of families in BC is an outstanding example for many individuals and organizations alike.
