McKinnons sew Days for Girls kits, aid Coquitlam recovery home.
In Port Moody, retired teachers Chris and Val McKinnon lead a volunteer chapter of an international non-profit called Days for Girls, producing reusable menstrual health kits for girls in developing countries to help them overcome barriers to education. The local group, which includes about two dozen volunteers and another contingent on Mayne Island, produced 1,300 kits in 2025 from the couple's condominium, which serves as their work area. This output exceeded the 1,000-kit annual target they had set five years prior.
The international Days for Girls organization was founded in 2008 by Celeste Mergens after she learned that girls in a Kenyan orphanage were missing school during their periods because they lacked access to sanitary products. The organization provides kits with reusable cloth pads and health education to communities in over 100 countries, having reached more than one million girls and women by 2018. Volunteers are organized into teams and chapters globally to create the kits.
A significant part of the Port Moody chapter's work involves a partnership with the Talitha Koum Society, a residential addiction-recovery facility for women in Coquitlam. Since 2017, the McKinnons have held weekly sewing sessions at Talitha Koum's Starr House, teaching the residents new skills and offering them a way to contribute to society. Talitha Koum operates two recovery homes and a "bridge home" in Coquitlam, providing a 12-step addiction program, life-skills training, and a supportive environment where women can have their young children live with them.
The Port Moody chapter of Days for Girls was initially established by Vida Peterson, a member of the Port Moody Rotary Club. The Rotary Club of Port Moody, formed in 1999, is a local service organization that supports various community projects, including youth and health care initiatives. The McKinnons became involved with the sewing group ten years ago and eventually took over its leadership before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Support for the chapter's work comes from several community and faith-based organizations. The Catholic Women's League, a national service organization, provides assistance. This organization engages in charitable work, often supporting women's programs in developing countries. Additional support is provided by local Catholic parishes and the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, a charity that addresses poverty through various programs, including emergency assistance and housing support. Last year, the chapter also received a grant from the R.R. Smith Memorial Fund Foundation, which was established to advance public education in British Columbia and developing nations. This foundation is considered the charitable arm of the British Columbia Retired Teachers' Association.
