The Little Mountain Neighbourhood House Society (LMNHS) Board of Directors wishes to extend a warm and sincere thank you to the incredible members of our community who have stood by our side during a challenging period in our organization’s history.

In the wake of the fire at our 3981 Main Street building, we were faced with unexpected challenges, and the outpouring of support from our community partners has been nothing short of remarkable. Your generous contributions of funding, equipment, and space have not only helped us replace vital resources lost in the fire but have also enabled us to continue offering critical community programming over the past few months.

Furthermore, we would like to express our heartfelt praise and admiration for the LMNHS staff, volunteers, and administration team. They have displayed exceptional dedication and resilience throughout this challenging period.

While the support we have received has enabled us to adapt and continue to serve the community, the financial burden created by the fire remains substantial. We recognize that we depend on the ongoing support of our community to help fund recovery efforts and our programs including:

• Child Care (pre-school and school-aged programming)
• Child & Youth (literacy, camps, leadership, social justice and other programming)
• Settlement (language, Employment settlement services and support for newcomers)
• Family (family support/education/drop-ins , counselling, and other programming)
• Senior Programming (lunches, seniors circles/summit, dance, walking and other programming)
• Community (food hub, NSG, music and other programming )

To contribute to the rebuilding of the Little Mountain Neighbourhood House Society and help offset our newfound financial challenges, please considering clicking on the designated donate button on our website. The donation process is simple and every contribution, no matter the size, brings us one step closer to ensuring our services continue to thrive.

We thank you, our community, for your unwavering support and belief in our mission. Together, we will emerge from this challenge stronger and more united than ever.

Adam Mattinson

President, Little Mountain Neighbourhood House Board of Directors

604-704-5988

ajmattinson@gmail.com

As August gracefully draws to a close, our thoughts naturally gravitate towards back to school, pumpkin spice lattes, the turning of the leaves, and the return to our fall programming. Our dedicated team has been busy preparing for fall and pivoting as necessary given our situation. We have lots going on and information to share with our community, including the update below

Children and Youth Back to School
With the children returning to school, the LMNHS is planning to keep the elementary school-aged children after-school program (Schools Out) at our three local elementary schools. The CREW preteen after-school program will take place twice weekly at Vancouver Fountain Alliance Church and the Homework Club and Beyond Education (social justice) will also remain at our three local secondary schools. We thank TELUS and UWBC who kindly donated Back to School Kits and children’s books to the students in our programs preparing for school.

Childcare and Back to School
Preschool and school-age childcare programs for the 100+ children in our inclusive childcare programs will seamlessly recommence within our trio of local schools. There will be many children graduating from the program, as well as new children starting in September.

LINC classes
Newcomers from around the world will resume or start our Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) Classes that enhance their integration into Canadian life using everyday language. While circumstances have necessitated the relocation of these classes, our team of educators, childminders, and support personnel have been working diligently to prepare these spaces. Additionally, Digital Literacy for Newcomers will also start up again this fall. Thank you to TELUS once again for donating laptops to replace the ones lost in the fire so this important program can continue.

Seniors Leadership Circles and Seniors Summit
LMNH has assembled a special team to facilitate our new seniors’ initiatives this fall. The Seniors Leadership Circles will bring together our elders who are leaders to discuss a coordination and collaboration strategy to support and engage seniors in the neighbourhood. Additionally, the upcoming Seniors Summit promises to be an engaging forum where a diverse spectrum of seniors shall convene to explore avenues to further empower our community seniors.

Food Hub
After a fruitful harvest season and distribution program that provided food to hundreds of food-insecure newcomer families, seniors and low-income individuals, the LMNH team is gearing up to evaluate and revamp aspects of our Food Hub. We will facilitate Harvest Circles with a growing number of Food Hub partners to learn, grow and plant the seeds, figuratively and literally beginning in September.

Family Resource Programs
We plan to restart the Family Drop-in at our new location. Fall means a new session of Family Education/Support programs such as Mother Goose, counselling and art therapy offered at various partner sites.

The entire LMNH team eagerly anticipates all the activities that lie ahead in the next few months. Thank you for being an important part of the Little Mountain Neighbourhood House Community. For more information and updates on our programs, please feel free to reach out to our program leaders directly.

Joel Bronstein, Executive Director
Little Mountain Neighbourhood House Society

In the wake of the recent fire, we have embarked on the arduous journey of sifting through the remnants of our offices. Regrettably, a significant portion of our belongings, spanning from computers and office furniture to files and program equipment, have been irreparably damaged. Despite this unfortunate circumstance, we must diligently undertake the tasks of categorization, documentation, and proper disposal. It hasn’t been easy.

This process is not only time-intensive but also places a substantial financial burden on our organization. The costs associated with restoration and replacement loom large, particularly for our modest non-profit. We have been committed to maintaining our programming by securing alternate venues for our programming and administrative functions, however, this comes with its own significant costs.

Amidst these challenges, we are heartened by recent positive developments. Just last week, The United Way of British Columbia offered funding to Little Mountain Neighbourhood House Society, designating it as one of the regional food hubs across the province. This honour comes with the task of formulating a comprehensive plan for the remainder of the fiscal year, a responsibility we eagerly embrace.

In light of the unexpected financial demands, we turn to you, our community, with a request for your financial support. Your generous contributions will aid us in offsetting our newfound financial burden and help contribute to rebuilding our Little Mountain Neighbourhood House Society. To contribute, please click on the designated donate button.

We invite you to stay connected with us through our upcoming blogs, where we will unveil exciting prospects for the approaching fall season.

With heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering support and contributions.

Joel Bronstein, Executive Director
Little Mountain Neighbourhood House Society

In the wake of the fire that struck our office and home on Main St, our spirits were shaken, but what followed was an overwhelming display of unity and compassion that left us profoundly grateful. With over 40 years of memories and countless programs impacted, the losses were substantial, but the outpouring of support from our entire community has been nothing short of heartwarming.

Our journey to recovery has been challenging, but it has been met with unwavering dedication and effort from our remarkable staff at the Little Mountain Neighbourhood House. Despite the upheaval, they worked tirelessly to find new locations and ensured that our planned summer programs continued without much delay. Their Herculean efforts deserve our deepest thanks.

The Association of Neighbourhood Houses of BC, Broadway Youth Resource Centre, and Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House deserve special recognition for generously providing us with free office space. Additionally, 411 Seniors’ offer of reduced rent for office space was much-needed support during this trying time.

We have been blessed with a wave of donations from empathetic organizations. Telus and Faxsipit Services Inc. contributed used computers, laptops, and other electronic equipment, while other companies and community partners offered furnishings, supplies, and other essential items.

The community’s response has been nothing short of extraordinary. Bethel International Church, Vancouver Fountain Alliance Church, Holy Cross Anglican Church and Marpole Neighbourhood House have stepped up by providing reduced rent for our programming, while others graciously offered to cover expenses and waive fees. Their selflessness has shown us the true meaning of community.

We are also immensely grateful to the City of Vancouver for their timely approval of a $20,000 Emergency Grant to help address immediate space, equipment, and other impact needs caused by the fire. Their additional contribution of $1,000 towards fridges for our food distribution program was invaluable. The Farmers Market’s provision of extra coupons for food-insecure individuals in our community was an extra touch of kindness.

To those who have reached out asking how they can help, we express our heartfelt appreciation. If you wish to contribute financially to our recovery and stay updated on our programs, please visit our website and check our Recovery Update blog for further information.

The outpouring of support we’ve received warms our hearts and fuels our determination to move forward as a stronger organization. These trying times have allowed us to grasp the true impact and significance of our work. We stand united in gratitude for our incredible community, whose compassion and solidarity have shown us the true essence of humanity. Together, we will rebuild and create an even brighter future.