Families in Need – AREA OF ACTION

COVID-19 has made it hard for some families to get by.

Allan, a dad of three girls and four boys, with ages ranging from six months to 15 years old is currently unemployed due to COVID-19 layoffs. The family is relying on his partner’s single income. Like many lower- and limited-income families in Greater Victoria, Allan and his partner were finding it challenging to provide nutritious meals for their children while balancing increasing household expenses.

Thanks to a free food market provided by Oaklands Community Centre, a United Way funded partner, Allan and his family now receive an extra boost of groceries that has been critical to their well-being. The food from the free market has eased some of the financial pressure and allowed Allan to better manage their budget by supplying the family with more than two days’ worth of meals a week.

“Food security is family security,” Allan shares. “If there isn’t food security, it increases anxiety, and stress levels for everybody go up.”• 50,000 individuals are food insecure in the CRD. COVID-19 has intensified inequities and amplified the challenges facing vulnerable and low-income families.

Food insecurity is just one of the many stressors impacting families like Allan’s in the community. Other issues like job loss, housing insecurity and rising rates of mental health challenges have placed many into an increasingly precarious situation, living paycheque to paycheque and struggling to make ends meet. United Way is partnering with the Coalition of Neighbourhood Houses Capital Region to boost the well-being of families, youth and children in 10 neighbourhoods: Quadra Village, Burnside Gorge, Fernwood, Oaklands, James Bay, Esquimalt, Fairfield Gonzales, Saanich, Sidney and Sooke.

What makes Neighbourhood Houses unique is each one has expertise that aligns with the specific needs of their immediate community. They are a frontline, compassionate presence attuned to the needs of the families they serve, with the capability to design programs and services tailored to make the most significant impact.

Let’s ensure that families facing poverty and challenging life situations get the assistance they need.

Your gift will:

$100/month = $1,200/ year

Provide 4 one-hour financial coaching sessions that increase knowledge and skills for a family in need.

$50/month = $600/year

Provide a family with 6 nutritious food hampers to help them combat food insecurity.

$20/month = $250/year

Provide one-hour monthly support meetings with a housing crisis prevention worker to help families at risk of losing housing build coping strategies, strengthen life skills, and connect to important community resources.

Show your local love. Give the gift of stability to a family in need.

Donate today!