Apart but Together: New Grant To Stay Socially Connected

Vancouver Foundation Responsive Neighbourhood Small Grants

 

Broadway Subway Update

Volunteering and Supporting Community

Many are calling and emailing to ask how to help, others are calling to let us know about the great things you’re already doing.   These are some local resources, local business support groups, and volunteer groups operating in our neighbhourhoods have created and/or notified us about.  This is definitely not a comprehensive list–please let us know what else you’re doing out there and what we should know about.

Van Westsiders United

Kitsilano Cares

COVID-19 coming together Vancouver

Kitsilano (Now and Then)

Kitsilano Community Projects (many past Neighbourhood Small Grants here).

Free goods and services exchanges, Kitislano: Buy Nothing Kitsilano  In these days people are often also asking for gifts of self–walking dogs or grocery shopping. Message Mary Peterson Bennett a private message on FB to be invited.

Supporting Local businesses:

West Broadway Business Improvement Association (BIA West Broadway)

Pt Grey Business Improvement Association (BIA Pt. Grey)

West Fourth Business Improvement Association (BIA W 4th)

Heritage Vancouver-interactive map with Links to Local Businesses that are still operating

Other Volunteering:

Federal Canadian Government skilled volunteer sign up COVID-19 response

Sign up to assist BC 211/United Way in responding to seniors with needs

City of Vancouver: Give a Hand Vancouver

BC Materials & equipment donations-Supply HUB

Donate blood

Vancouver Public Library:
Facebook Live Storytime

Watch Virtual Storytime with the Vancouver Public Library

Gardening Opportunities and Connections

Village Vancouver

Village Vancouver (www.villagevancouver.ca) is gardening, making free seeds available by mail, hosting online workshops, looking into creating diy planter box kits, and much more! They need volunteers to help fold seed packets (at home) for their seed library-by-mail. For information on volunteering, workshops, diy planter boxes, seeds, and gardening with them at their collaborative community gardens, please contact Ross Moster at ross@villagevancouver.ca.

Kitsilano Growing Circle Gardening Tribe

Hello Neighbours, we would like to invite you to join the KITSILANO GROWING CIRCLE! We are a virtual, all ages, all walks of life, nondenominational, apolitical place to connect, create and share with each other and the larger neighbourhood. We connect on an online space https://kitsilanogrowingcircle.tribe.so/signup/2eh5OIw50XblfWD91HzmS8w7 that acts as a virtual “community center” where we can share ideas, creativity, connection, assistance and so much more. Since this is an all-ages community space, we ask that all users get to know and respect the community guidelines that help guide us towards the most kind, considerate and healthy environment possible. We encourage community members to sign up as either individuals or family users, whatever suits you best!

If you are interested in connecting with the Kitsilano Growing Circle virtual space, please email your first and last name and where you were referred from to our admin team, Tea and Marcia at tea.kitsilanogrowingcircle@gmail.com (Your name will NOT be shared publicly on the site, it is just for our security purposes. For your security, Dulcy, a staffer from Mr. Eby’s office has kindly agreed to verify that we are neighbours known by the office). We’re so excited to connect with you!”

FREE ONLINE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES
“We know that children and families are feeling anxiety and uncertainty during these challenging times, and it’s important we provide resources to help them thrive,” said Rob Fleming, Minister of Education.Free virtual social and emotional learning plans are available through the WE Schools @home program:
https://www.we.org/en-CA/our-work/we-schools/at-home/. Accessible for grades K-12 in both English and French, these resources place a special emphasis on social-emotional learning and resiliency.  The program was developed in collaboration with B.C. educators, the Ministry of Education and University of British Columbia and mental health professionals.

Also available to parents and caregivers is the new EASE (Everyday Anxiety Strategies for Educators) at Home program

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/managing-your-health/mental-health-substance-use/child-teen-mental-health/ease.

Activities focus on tips and strategies parents can use with their children to create calming routines, help them talk about difficult emotions and manage their anxiety. Kits have been developed for grades K-3 and 4-7 and provide five weeks of activities, with a different game or story for each day. Activities are research-based and proven to help younger children calm themselves, learn relaxation techniques and understand their worries.

The WE Well-being and EASE at Home materials complement the recent Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions announcement of $5 million to expand existing mental-health programs and launch new services to support British Columbians around COVID-19. One focus of the funding is a new virtual clinic that will make Foundry services available around the province for young people aged 12 to 24 years and their families through voice, video and chat, rolling out April 20th: https://foundrybc.ca/

Here2Talk for BC Post-Secondary enrolled students from any BC institution:
Here2Talk connects students with mental health support when they need it. Through this program, all students currently registered in a B.C. post-secondary institution have access to free, confidential counselling and community referral services, conveniently available 24/7 via app, phone and web: https://here2talk.ca/home

• Kid’s Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868 to speak to a professional counselor, 24 hours a day.
• 310 Mental Health Support at 310-6789 (no area code needed) for emotional support, information and resources specific to mental health for all ages