Neighbourhood

House Week May 5th to 9th Inspire and Be inspired

Neighbourhood Houses know that when we empower youth we grow strong leaders of change. What is special about being a youth at a Neighbourhood House is that the potential to realize dreams is infinite. Many go on to achieve great things. Tommy first came to us as a young man of new immigrant parents. Also hard of hearing, he credits his Neighbourhood House Youth Leadership Program with helping him to stand up to peer pressure, strengthen his self esteem and confidence. He also sat on our Community Board inspiring us with his many ideas including a music program for youth with or without disabilities. During his first year at university, he submitted a powerful grant application that won him a scholarship towards his education. We are so proud of Tommy whose legacy affirms for us the importance of believing in our youth.

Building Better Neighbourhoods Together

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www.anhbc.ca
Alexandra NH Cedar Cottage NH Collingwood NH Downtown Eastside NH Frog Hollow NH Gordon House NH Kitsilano NH Kiwassa NH Little Mountain NH Marpole Place NH Mount Pleasant NH North Shore NH Oak Avenue NH Sasamat Outdoor Centre South Vancouver NH South Burnaby NH

Neighbourhood

House Week May 5th to 9th Inspire and Be inspired

Alice embodies the heart behind what makes our Neighbourhood Houses thrive. She understands that building community stems from the power of connection. A resident of East Vancouver for over 50 years, Alice makes it her mission to ensure that residents feel welcome and part of our family network. If a senior seems lonely, she invites them to a program for adults or a weekly supper club. When a new family moves onto her street, she brings them by to meet us. A dedicated volunteer, she helps organize the annual Lunar New Year Celebration because she deeply believes that sharing culture and traditions grows strong, inclusive and vibrant communities. Like Alice, Neighbourhood Houses know that by working with residents and community partners we are creating neighbourhoods that are safe, caring and welcoming. Thank you Alice for your unending devotion to your fellow neighbours. You are an inspiration to us all!

Building Better Neighbourhoods Together

Join the Movement

www.anhbc.ca
Alexandra NH Cedar Cottage NH Collingwood NH Downtown Eastside NH Frog Hollow NH Gordon House NH Kitsilano NH Kiwassa NH Little Mountain NH Marpole Place NH Mount Pleasant NH North Shore NH Oak Avenue NH Sasamat Outdoor Centre South Vancouver NH South Burnaby NH

Neighbourhood

House Week May 5th to 9th Inspire and Be inspired

Neighbourhood Houses are places for people to build connections, show leadership and engage in community development. Lamin, a Neighbourhood House volunteer originally from The Gambia was skilled in community development but unable find work in his new home country. At the Neighbourhood House, he was given the opportunity to contribute his skills to develop a support group for immigrant men. Lamin felt that his connection to the neighbouhood house had a profound impact on him: I had the opportunity to understand community development from an urban Neighbourhood House perspective. By leading the mens group and by being involved in other neighbourhood house initiatives, I have gained experience related to my field, while making connections and friends, and building a professional network. We thank Lamin for helping the Neighbourhood House to address a critical need in the community.

Building Better Neighbourhoods Together

Join the Movement

www.anhbc.ca
Alexandra NH Cedar Cottage NH Collingwood NH Downtown Eastside NH Frog Hollow NH Gordon House NH Kitsilano NH Kiwassa NH Little Mountain NH Marpole Place NH Mount Pleasant NH North Shore NH Oak Avenue NH Sasamat Outdoor Centre South Vancouver NH South Burnaby NH

Neighbourhood

House Week May 5th to 9th Inspire and Be inspired

For Najia, a single mother of twins, cooking was always considered a fun hobby. With the support of her Neighbourhood House, she transformed her talents to fill a need in the community. It all began with a single panicked request from a Neighbourhood House Program Leader looking for someone to volunteer and cook Thanksgiving dinner for 100 people! After she cooked the meal, she was welcomed with a standing ovation, Najia felt for the first time since arriving in Canada in 1997 with no English, that finally she had something important to contribute to her new community. Currently, she teaches cooking workshops and leads others in preparing community dinners. Najia exemplifies how Neighbourhood Houses are places where magical opportunities do happen, especially when talent meets need. Through the kitchen, her point of self-discovery has engaged countless people in her community. Thank you Najia.

Building Better Neighbourhoods Together

Join the Movement

www.anhbc.ca
Alexandra NH Cedar Cottage NH Collingwood NH Downtown Eastside NH Frog Hollow NH Gordon House NH Kitsilano NH Kiwassa NH Little Mountain NH Marpole Place NH Mount Pleasant NH North Shore NH Oak Avenue NH Sasamat Outdoor Centre South Vancouver NH South Burnaby NH

Neighbourhood

House Week May 5th to 9th Inspire and Be inspired

Child Care has a place in Neighbourhood Houses as an important support for families. But the magic of childcare is that it is also the place where children begin to learn the tools for a better and stronger society. When one-year-old Alex began biting 2-year-old Heidi, one solution we considered was maybe to separate them. But our instincts guided us to sit back and observe their actions first through video. What we found was profound. They both actually really liked to be near each other. So we facilitated the conflict not through separation but through the positive activities they had in common: dance and music. Six months later, we have two children playing side by side. We are grateful for Alex and Heidi who remind us that if we truly listen, not with our ears but with our whole being then we can successfully direct our work to match our mission.

Building Better Neighbourhoods Together

Join the Movement

www.anhbc.ca
Alexandra NH Cedar Cottage NH Collingwood NH Downtown Eastside NH Frog Hollow NH Gordon House NH Kitsilano NH Kiwassa NH Little Mountain NH Marpole Place NH Mount Pleasant NH North Shore NH Oak Avenue NH Sasamat Outdoor Centre South Vancouver NH South Burnaby NH

Neighbourhood

House Week May 5th to 9th Inspire and Be inspired

Neighbourhood Houses are built on the inspirations imagined by their surrounding community. So when Jessica and her three children: Peri, Cam and Eren, wanted to connect families of diverse backgrounds, we were eager to support them. Actively involved in an Aboriginal Family Program, Jessica knew the benefit of holding space for families to come together and create. With Jessica, we created a monthly meet-up for families of all backgrounds, cultures and beliefs. In a safe, welcoming environment families could bond trying all kinds of hands on learning activities, arts, and games. This one familys vision has since become a popular way for other families to gather intercultural understanding and build lasting friendships. Thanks to Jessica and her children, people that might otherwise never meet, are connecting.

Building Better Neighbourhoods Together

Join the Movement

www.anhbc.ca
Alexandra NH Cedar Cottage NH Collingwood NH Downtown Eastside NH Frog Hollow NH Gordon House NH Kitsilano NH Kiwassa NH Little Mountain NH Marpole Place NH Mount Pleasant NH North Shore NH Oak Avenue NH Sasamat Outdoor Centre South Vancouver NH South Burnaby NH

Neighbourhood

House Week May 5th to 9th Inspire and Be inspired

Volunteer work at your Neighbourhood House is a rich and rewarding way to give back to your community. Lorna, a Vancouver resident of 30 years, was looking for such an experience in her community. When she approached her Neighbourhood House, they offered her volunteer training and an opportunity to lead an Advanced Level English Conversation Circle. It was a chance for both Lorna and her students to find similarities and common goals and to break down cultural barriers, all within the context of learning English as a second language. At Neighbourhood Houses, the act of giving provides for all of us the chance to make new friends and to find new connections that strengthen our neighbourhoods. For Lorna, her experience was profound: While I might be the volunteer, they have given back to me in countless ways and I look forward to continuing with the program. Thank you Lorna for helping us make Vancouver a more welcoming place.

Building Better Neighbourhoods Together

Join the Movement

www.anhbc.ca
Alexandra NH Cedar Cottage NH Collingwood NH Downtown Eastside NH Frog Hollow NH Gordon House NH Kitsilano NH Kiwassa NH Little Mountain NH Marpole Place NH Mount Pleasant NH North Shore NH Oak Avenue NH Sasamat Outdoor Centre South Vancouver NH South Burnaby NH

Neighbourhood

House Week May 5th to 9th Inspire and Be inspired

Relationships with our partners are key to helping Neighbourhood Houses reach our communities. Thanks to the Settlement Workers at a local elementary school, we were introduced to Landon and Daniel. Newly arrived from the Philippines, the two boys were able to join a summertime program for newcomer children. Here the brothers thrived. Eagerly they attended all summer long, building friendships and identifying with children who were similarly trying to find their way. Together, they all learned about each others cultures as well as their new life in Canada. Landon and Daniels success illustrates how forming connections with local partners, enables Neighbourhood Houses to cast an even wider net, reaching many more who could benefit from our programs. Now in high school, we are thrilled that both boys have signed up to volunteer and continue their journey with us!

Building Better Neighbourhoods Together

Join the Movement

www.anhbc.ca
Alexandra NH Cedar Cottage NH Collingwood NH Downtown Eastside NH Frog Hollow NH Gordon House NH Kitsilano NH Kiwassa NH Little Mountain NH Marpole Place NH Mount Pleasant NH North Shore NH Oak Avenue NH Sasamat Outdoor Centre South Vancouver NH South Burnaby NH

Neighbourhood

House Week May 5th to 9th Inspire and Be inspired

The Community Lunches at Gordon Neighbourhood House provide our neighbours with opportunities to connect with each other, to make new friends, and to stay in touch with old ones. In addition to providing a tasty, nutritious low-cost alternative to the meals provided in nearby assisted living sites for local seniors, these lunches allow people from different age, cultural, social and economic groups, who might not otherwise interact, to learn from each other, to share their experiences, and to build a stronger community, both through the simple act of knowing each other, and through having a supportive space in the neighbourhood to benefit from that understanding, and to create initiatives which promote the common goals and needs which they identify.

Building Better Neighbourhoods Together

Join the Movement

www.anhbc.ca
Alexandra NH Cedar Cottage NH Collingwood NH Downtown Eastside NH Frog Hollow NH Gordon House NH Kitsilano NH Kiwassa NH Little Mountain NH Marpole Place NH Mount Pleasant NH North Shore NH Oak Avenue NH Sasamat Outdoor Centre South Vancouver NH South Burnaby NH