Living with Pride Foundation - Client Success Stories

Living with Pride Foundation logo alongside a rainbow Pride flag displayed on the balcony of a residential building in Vancouver, representing the foundation's mission to create affordable housing and community for queer seniors.

Living with Pride is a registered BC society founded in June 2022. Their mission is to empower queer seniors through community activities that address social isolation, with a primary mandate to tackle affordable housing issues for 2SLGBTQ+ older adults in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Their flagship project is an ambitious plan to build a 100-unit affordable housing complex in the West End. It’s designed not just as housing, but as an integrated wellness model that fosters a sense of belonging and community, allowing queer seniors to age in place.

Eric Berthelet & Rodney deJong, Living with Pride Foundation

Eric Berthelet, Co-Founder and Board Director, and, Rodney deJong, Founder and Chair, started the foundation with a deep passion for their cause. They even used their wedding in August 2022 as a fundraiser to kickstart the organization, raising $18,000. However, coming from project management and medical backgrounds, respectively, they admittedly lacked formal financial expertise.

The Challenge

In the early days, Living with Pride operated with a “scrappy startup” mentality. Financial management consisted of pulling out a credit card when needed, and board meetings revolved around a simple question: “How much money do we have left in the bank?”

As the organization matured and set its sights on Imagine Canada accreditation and registered charity status, the need for robust governance and financial reporting became critical. They realized that to engage with major funders, politicians, and housing partners for Nelly’s House, they needed a level of financial acumen and transparency that they simply didn’t possess internally. They needed to move beyond basic bookkeeping to industry-standard financial instruments.

No Financial Systems or Structure

Living with Pride started with no formal accounting setup. Board meetings revolved around one question: "How much money do we have in the bank?" With no chart of accounts, no financial statements, and no reporting process, the organization had no visibility into where money was going or how to plan ahead.

Growing Ambitions Without the Right Foundation

As the foundation pursued Imagine Canada accreditation and registered charity status, the gap between their mission and their financial infrastructure became impossible to ignore. Without industry-standard reporting, they couldn't credibly engage with funders, government bodies, or housing partners.

The Solution

Living with Pride turned to Enkel for nonprofit bookkeeping support. They chose Enkel because of our approach, we didn’t just act as a vendor; we listened to understand their specific problem space regarding queer seniors’ issues and approached the relationship as a true partnership.

Setting the Foundation for Growth

Enkel guided Living with Pride through a comprehensive onboarding process. We gathered necessary documentation, set up their chart of accounts, and established a structured QuickBooks file. This upfront work provided clear visibility into funding sources and related expenses, which was crucial for their evolving needs.

Expert Guidance and Year-End Support

Recognizing that Rodney and Eric didn't "know what they didn't know," Enkel's team provided recommendations and implemented best practices. We also connected them with a year-end accountant. Because Enkel had prepared the books accurately and in accordance with industry standards, the year-end process was seamless, with the accountant requiring no rework.

I think what you would want to do is if you're going to engage with a vendor, consider them a partner... the relationship and the responsiveness of the people that you work with, and them understanding what you do and are empathetic to your cause, I think is just as valuable.

- Rodney deJong, Founder and Chair (Living with Pride Foundation)

Results

Since partnering with Enkel, the Living with Pride Foundation has transformed its financial operations, enabling it to achieve significant milestones:

Successfully attained registered charity status in February 2026.
Transitioned from basic bank balance updates to presenting robust, meaningful financial reports at their Annual General Meeting.
Developed and delivered a markedly improved annual report with greater visibility and transparency.
Enabled the leadership to send out detailed pre-reads before board meetings, increasing the board’s confidence in the organization’s financial standing.
Established a solid financial foundation to support their ongoing Imagine Canada accreditation process.
Gained the financial clarity and industry-standard reporting necessary to confidently engage with government bodies and partners for their House’s project.

Is your nonprofit ready to take control of its finances?

Whether you are transitioning to charity status, preparing for accreditation, or simply need a trusted partner to bring clarity to your numbers, Enkel can help. From bookkeeping and payroll to fractional CFO services, we provide the expertise you need so you can focus on your mission.

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