Nonprofit Organizations in Vancouver

A Ride To Care For Cancer Patients The Volunteer Cancer Drivers Society is a not-for-profit organization providing complimentary transportation for lower mainland residents battling cancer. When you are in need of transportation to care we are here to support you with safe, timely and efficient service. We are a registered charity and work to raise the funds necessary to meet expenses associated with meeting cancer patient needs. Our team of volunteer drivers and dispatchers offers peace of mind for patients who may not have the means to drive to and from essential cancer treatments and medical appointments. The physical, emotional and financial burden is lifted knowing our friendly volunteers are only a call away.

Belkin House hosts a variety of residential programs and houses up to 225 men, women and children. We provide a clean, safe, secure, and comfortable accommodation for those who have come down on hard times. Belkin House is … - A state-of-the-art residential program facility in the heart of Vancouver dedicated to “breaking barriers – transforming lives”. - A place of healing, where faith and compassion overcomes homelessness, hunger, and dispair. - A place where ordinary individuals accomplish heroic things every day. - A place where we have been commissioned to care for and help individuals discover themselves, understand their purpose, and find their self worth.

South Vancouver Neighborhood House is a non-profit that runs and operates on unceded, occupied, ancestral and traditional homelands of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples. We exist to serve the needs of our community members in the Victoria-Fraserview, Sunset and Killarney neighborhoods. We recognize and acknowledge that our community is home to a large number of new immigrants, migrant workers, seniors living alone, young families and people of colour; we strive to provide the most accessible, culturally appropriate services for all our neighbors. From childcare, seniors tai-chi groups, immigration support and food programming, we are proud to offer a range of activities for people of all ages and backgrounds. The South Vancouver Neighborhood House believes in fostering strong neighborhoods through continual support, intergenerational engagement and community care.

Fire & Flower is a charity that provides transformative programs to empower girls in their INCREDIBLE rite of passage into young womanhood. Around the world and throughout history, societies recognized the rite of passage from girl to woman as a sacred and critical time, and guided girls through the process with mentorship and wisdom. Today, this has been lost and there has never been a harder time to be a young person, with mass and social media producing a constant feed of harmful messages and images. Fire & Flower is reviving ‘a village’ of women supporting girls as they come of age. We empower self-identified girls ages 10-14 in a non-binary, LGBTQ2SIAP+ inclusive environment. Through mentorship, community-building, and nature-connection, participants build confidence and pride in womanhood, discover their personal power, and develop resilience to engage their future.

Spanning the spectrum of crisis support, suicide prevention, and postvention, the Crisis Centre of BC provides a variety of services and programs that educate, train, and support the strength and capacity of individuals and communities. Our organisational focus is to ensure timely access to non-judgmental, barrier-free and confidential support though our Crisis Line and Chats, as well as to destigmatize suicide and mental health concerns, and increase awareness and intervention skills within our local community.

Our Vision A Vancouver community that supports and empowers older adults to live involved, healthy and fulfilling lives. Our Mission To enhance the quality of life of older adults by providing social, recreational, educational and supportive programs and services that foster connection and inclusion in the broader community. Our History On August 15, 1979, a meeting was held at the local office of the Provincial Ministry of Human Resources, comprised of representatives of government, the Vancouver Health Department and West End older adults. In this meeting, they examined the findings of a field-study conducted by the undergraduates of UBC’s School of Social Work on the needs of senior citizens. As a result, the West End Seniors’ Council selected an executive body to discuss and find solutions to the current needs of this community. Funded by a Federal New Horizons Program grant, an Information and Referral Centre was opened in 1982, operating 3 days a week and staffed by older adult volunteers with support from a paid, part-time Coordinator. West End Seniors’ Network become an incorporated society in BC in October 1982, and has been a registered charity since July 1984. Currently, there are over 950 members of the Network, 15 paid staff members and more than 250 active volunteers who contribute over 20,000 hours a year. The West End Seniors’ Network now operates from three different locations. In Denman Place Mall we run a thrift boutique, Clothes and Collectibles, and an Information and Referral centre, Kay’s Place. WESN’s main offices are located in Barclay Manor, a space dedicated by the City of Vancouver for older adults, where we work co-operatively with the West End Community Center Association to provide a variety of programs and activities.

SMART Recovery is not just any mutual-support program. Our science-based approach emphasizes self-empowerment and self-reliance. There’s no lifetime commitment; you decide when the time is right to move on. You choose how to personalize your own plan for successful change. SMART can be used both as a stand-alone program or in combination with other recovery paths. SMART Recovery recognizes the only one who can become truly expert on your recovery is you. https://www.smartrecovery.org/individuals/ The SMART program offers specific tools and techniques for each of the points: 1. Building and Maintaining Motivation 2. Coping with Urges 3. Managing Thoughts, Feelings and Behaviors 4. Living a Balanced Life People using the SMART Program: Move away from addictions and toward satisfying lives Learn tools and techniques for self-directed change Benefit from improved tools as scientific knowledge of addiction recovery evolves A variety of tools and techniques are employed for each of SMART’s 4 Points, including the Cost/Benefit Analysis; Change Plan Worksheet; Hierarchy of Values; ABCs of Rational-Emotive Behavioral Therapy (for both urge-coping and emotional upsets); DISARM (Destructive Imagery and Self-talk Awareness and Refusal Method); Brainstorming; and Role-playing/Rehearsing.

Who We Are For 50 years, Capilano Community Services Society (CCSS) has connected residents of the North Shore to their communities by providing support services, resources, and outreach programs that address the current and emerging needs of frail and isolated seniors, at-risk youth, and other vulnerable populations. CCSS also operates the Red Cross health equipment loan program and provides administrative support to four other on-site non-profit organizations. What We Do Our programming is designed to support and enhance social connections, active living, opportunities for learning, healthy aging, well-being, and resiliency, all with equity, diversity, and inclusion lens. Through this programming, our goals are to reduce vulnerability and foster vibrant, inclusive, caring communities where residents feel a sense of belonging and can thrive. Collaborating with other community organizations, our programming builds capacity across the North Shore.

Second Harvest is the largest food rescue organization in Canada and global thought leader on food recovery. We work across the supply chain from farm to retail to capture surplus food before it ends up in the landfill which negatively impacts our environment. Last year, we recovered more than 22.3 million pounds of nutritious, unsold food — focusing on protein, dairy and produce — we rescued before it became waste and redistributed to a broad network of 2,300 social service organizations. Supported by hundreds of corporations, foundations, and the community at large, we rescue and redistribute enough food to provide over 62,000 meals a day in Canada. Since 1985 we have rescued and delivered more than 177 million pounds of food, preventing over 75 million pounds of greenhouse gas equivalents from entering our atmosphere. VISION: No Waste. No Hunger.

We are an outreach society to build the trust with First Nations in the medical system. We are basically their advocate.  We are very new and just created this year.

The Marpole Community Food Hub is open every Thursday to address the food insecurity in our community. We receive food donations from the Greater Vancouver Food Bank and The Salvation Army every Wednesday, which we bag up and distribute on Thursday mornings. Our immediate need is for volunteers on Wednesday morning to unload help sort the deliveries.  We follow current Covid protocols with masking, hand-sanitizing and gloves.  We request that our volunteers are up to date with their Covid Vaccinations as we work with vulnerable members of the public.

The Looking Glass Foundation strives to support individuals struggling with eating disorders and disordered eating. We offer innovative and accessible programs and services that decrease isolation, instill hope, and sustain recovery for individuals on their road to recovery. As a Foundation, we are aware of the harsh realities of eating disorders, the stigma that exists around these mental illnesses, and the work that still needs to be done in addressing treatment access and gaps. All of our work is grounded in hope, compassion, accessibility and accountability. Every day, we hear and share inspiring stories of our friends, loved ones, colleagues, and community members who have recovered and are thriving. Knowing this, we continue the fight against eating disorders, while sharing the message that recovery is possible. We understand the journey and we are here to help. Our Vision: A province where everyone who suffers from an eating disorder receives the services they need to support their recovery, and where the stigma of this mental illness is replaced with compassion and understanding. Our Mission: Looking Glass Foundation’s programs and services decrease isolation, instill hope, and sustain recovery for individuals across British Columbia who are impacted by eating disorders.