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The West Side Family Place (WSFP) that exists here today was originally created with a simple goal: to give mothers with young children a place to gather.
The founders, Ellen LeFevre and Mary Lynn Burke, were high school friends who met up again years later, each with two young toddlers in tow. Their idea for WSFP came at a very specific time in history. It was the early 1970s, the beginning of the women’s movement, and a confusing time to be a mother, according to LeFevre. There was also growing awareness of how hard it is to parent in isolation and the toll this was having on families.


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.

WSFP was the very first such family place in Canada and it soon became the model for a whole network of similar organizations that now operate across the country. Today WSFP is a registered non-profit society and a member of the B.C. Association of Family Resources Programs. Staff and a volunteer Board of Directors work together to run WSFP.



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.
These days, fathers and caregivers with young children are also frequent users of WSFP. There is also a strong focus on embracing people of different cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. People can borrow from a toy library. They can sign up for parenting education and support courses. They can participate in special events. They can drop in just to chat.


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)


Our mission
West Side Family Place is a resource centre dedicated to supporting families with young children. It is a place to meet new friends, gain a sense of community, and to receive ongoing assistance that helps families to raise healthy, happy children.
Our vision
To build a promising future by:
  • encouraging the healthy development of the whole child
  • nurturing families
  • and strengthening community
Our values
DIVERSITY

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.
Our services



  • Circle of Sharing and other
    parenting support groups    ;
  • Parent-Child Mother Goose;
  • Childcare Providers Information
    and Support Services;
  • Childcare/Subsidy Information;
  • Support Groups
  • Community Health Visits;
  • Volunteer Nutritionist.


    • 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 2009 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:


    BC Gamilng ComissionMinistry of Early Childhood Development

    Vancouver Coastal Health
     

    Windows Of Opportunity
    Open Doors to Learning


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

    Deloitte
    Deloitte


     


    Family Place appreciates the donations from our members and the local community.
    Their contributions provide much needed financial support.
    Copyright © West Side Family Place 2006. Site design by 18 Squares Design.