Kootenay Columbia College Sponsors the Friends of PICS Gala and Fundraiser 2026 in Surrey, BC
On Friday, March 13, 2026, Kootenay Columbia College was proud to sponsor the Friends of PICS Gala and Fundraiser at the Bombay Banquet Hall in Surrey, BC. The annual formal event brings together business and community leaders, including Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke, BC Premier David Eby, Garry Begg (MLA for Surrey-Guildford), Jessie Sunner (MLA for Surrey-Newton), Jagrup Brar (MLA for Surrey-Fleetwood), and Rachna Singh (MLA for Surrey-Green Timbers), organizations, and residents to support the Progressive Intercultural Community Services (PICS) Society and the programs it delivers across the Lower Mainland.
About the PICS Society
The Progressive Intercultural Community Services (PICS) Society has been serving British Columbia’s communities since 1987. It is a non-profit organization with offices across the Lower Mainland, including Surrey, Vancouver, Delta, and Victoria.
PICS delivers a broad range of programs and services to residents who need them most, including new immigrants, seniors, farm workers, women, youth, and individuals facing housing insecurity. Its service areas include:
- Employment programs and WorkBC employment services
- Settlement and immigration support services
- Language training and English conversation programs
- Social programs and community inclusion initiatives
- Housing services for seniors and survivors of violence
With decades of work embedded in Surrey’s multicultural fabric, PICS is one of the Lower Mainland’s most established and trusted community organizations.
The Friends of PICS Gala and Fundraiser 2026
The Friends of PICS Gala is PICS Society’s annual flagship fundraising event. The 2026 edition took place on March 13 at Bombay Banquet Hall in Surrey, BC, bringing together guests for a formal evening of community recognition, networking, and fundraising.
This year’s gala focused on raising funds for PICS community programs and services, with particular emphasis on the Guru Nanak Diversity Village project. This major undertaking will deliver 125 publicly funded long-term care beds to Surrey’s South Asian and broader senior communities.
The Guru Nanak Diversity Village Project
The Guru Nanak Diversity Village is a 125-bed long-term care facility being developed by PICS Society in Surrey, BC. The facility is designed to provide culturally sensitive senior care, with services offered in multiple languages, including English, Punjabi, and Hindi, and tailored to reflect the cultural backgrounds of the residents it serves. The project represents a significant investment in Surrey’s senior care infrastructure.
Surrey is home to one of Canada’s largest South Asian communities, and the Guru Nanak Diversity Village will help address a real and growing gap in culturally appropriate senior care in the region. Gala proceeds directly support PICS’s ability to advance this project and its broader community programs.
KCC’s Connection to the Surrey Community
Kootenay Columbia College is committed to being an active part of the communities where we operate. As we grow our presence in Surrey, we are proud to connect with the organizations and causes that shape the city.
When an organization like PICS Society brings together hundreds of community members around a cause this meaningful, being in the room matters. Surrey is home to some of BC’s most dedicated non-profits, and the work PICS does across employment, settlement, senior care, and housing represents exactly the kind of institution-building that makes a city stronger.
We were glad to be there on March 13, and we look forward to continuing to support the work PICS Society does in our shared community.
Surrey, BC: Diversity, Growth, and Community
Surrey is the second-largest city in British Columbia and one of the most culturally diverse municipalities in Canada. It is also one of the fastest-growing, with a population that includes large South Asian, Southeast Asian, Filipino, and East African communities, among many others.
Organizations like PICS Society are essential to how that growth stays equitable. From helping newcomers navigate employment and settlement to providing housing for vulnerable seniors and mental health support for youth, PICS fills gaps that would otherwise go unaddressed. The annual gala is a direct expression of community investment in those services.
For institutions like Kootenay Columbia College, showing up matters. It signals that we understand our role extends beyond our classrooms, and that the health of the communities our graduates serve is something we take seriously.
