To start WSFP, LeFevre and Burke applied and received funding from a program for meeting community needs administered by the Trudeau government. This helped to establish WSFP’s first home in a little storefront on Sasamat and 16th Avenue in 1973. A few years later, WSFP moved to a bigger space with offices in the front and a warehouse-sized playroom in the back at Dunbar and Broadway.

Eventually, high monthly rental payments pushed WSFP to launch a fund for buying their own property. One of the biggest contributors was the provincial government via the B.C. Lotteries Fund. The City of Vancouver also stepped in with a matching civic grant. Its council members and clerks ironed out all sorts of zoning snafus. Other supporters included the Vancouver Foundation and the Woodward Foundation. Volunteers jumped in to help with renovations. Finally, in September 1990, WSFP moved into this two-storey house at 2819 West 11th Avenue. Having the new site in place meant that funds could now be directed towards paying staff and producing better programs.

WSFP’s current location is complete with a comfortable playroom for art, make-believe and story-time activities, a kitchen for snack time, a living room for relaxed gatherings, plus an enclosed outdoor area with swings, slides and a sandbox.

The outstanding service WSFP provided to families of our community was formally recognized in 1987, when WSFP became one of the first recipients of the Distinguished Service to Families Award, given by the B. C. Council for Families.

Essentially, WSFP today is still true to its original intent serving as a resource centre dedicated to helping families meet new friends, gain a sense of community and get support so that they can raise happy, healthy children.

(West Side Family Place History written by Joanne Lee-Young)

• encouraging the healthy development of the whole child
• nurturing families
• and strengthening community

We provide services that are open and accessible, and that embrace and respect all families with young children.

DEDICATION

We are a highly committed team deeply devoted to fulfilling our mission.

QUALITY

We are committed to excellence.

INTEGRITY

We uphold the highest ethical principles and standards in both our professional and personal conduct.

PARTNERSHIP

We make a significant difference in our community by responsively collaborating with our members, our community, our volunteers and our supporting agencies.

• Play and Learn Drop-In Program;
  
• Direct Parenting Support;
  
• Parenting Resource, Book
  and Toy Library;
  
• Parent/Caregiver Networking
  and Support;
  
• Nobody's Perfect and other
  parenting workshops;
  

We also have large comfortable rooms suitable for birthday parties, meetings and workshops. A beautiful wood-paneled room with adjacent kitchen is suitable for small meetings and seminars. Spaces are available in the evening and weekends for a one-time event or for ongoing usage. To find out more about renting, please give us a call at (604) 738-2819.

If you would like to read our 2008 Fall newsletter, just follow the link.
Our Annual Report could be read here.

The above documents are PDF Files.

We are very thankful to our major donor:

David Richardson/REMAX

We would like to thank the following organizations and
individuals for their generous donation:

"Choices" markets

Family Place gratefully acknowledges the support of our funders:

Windows Of Opportunity
Open Doors to Learning

We would like to thank Deloitte for their continuous support and hard work:

Deloitte

Thanks to the hard working staff from Axa-Pacific Insurance Company who volunteered at Family Place for the United Way of the Lower Mainland "Days of Caring 2007"

Axa-Pacific Insurance Company

Family Place appreciates the donations from our members and the local community.
Their contributions provide much needed financial support.