The Neighbourhood Small Grants (NSG) are funded through the Vancouver Foundation, and the program is administered by Kitsilano Neighbourhood House for the West Side community.

www.neighbourhoodsmallgrants.ca

Baking Day! Orange Cookies

We are so pleased to share that as of September 1, Hudson Child Care Society and Kits House are uniting! 

Hudson Child Care Society (HCCS), an award-winning local nonprofit with a strong history in childcare services, has been the operator of Preschool and Before/After School Care at Henry Hudson Elementary School for more than 50 years.  

Early last year, the Association of Neighbourhood Houses BC was announced as the operator of 95 new childcare spaces in the newly constructed Henry Hudson Elementary School. These new spaces will be operated by Kitsilano Neighbourhood House, providing care for children from birth to age 11.  We are so honoured to have the opportunity to expand our support of children and families on the Westside. 

Recognizing the value in working together as operators at the new school, our organizations have been participating in collaborative discussions to identify how we can best work together to serve the Hudson community. In our conversations, we quickly recognized our organizations’ shared values and commitment to high-quality childcare and enriched programming. After significant reflection and thoroughly weighing all the opportunities, the HCCS Board and senior staff took the first step in proposing that our organizations come together under the ANHBC umbrella for the benefit of the families and children we serve, for staff, and for our community.  

This decision to come together was one brought forth by the HCCS team from a place of shared values and position of strength, with the goal of ensuring the best service and opportunities for staff and families. We are confident that though our shared values, common commitment to high-quality enriched childcare programming, and mutual dedication to building healthy, engaged communities, we are stronger together. 

This transition is one that is mainly administrative, with no planned changes to the programming, staffing, or fees that HCCS has provided through their preschool and before and after school programs. Together, we are pleased to be able to offer a coordinated approach to childcare within the new Henry Hudson Elementary School, streamlining and simplifying process across programs. The amazing HCCS staff have joined the ANHBC Kits House team, and HCCS’ award-winning childcare services are continuing – just with a new name and in our lovely new space on the first floor of the newly completed Henry Hudson Elementary School. 

Our shared commitment to centering the child in our work, building communities within learning spaces, and upholding the values of quality, inclusive, and accessible childcare have led us to this transition, and remain at the center of our work, together. We are deeply committed to honouring the rich history of Hudson Child Care Society, and to keeping focus and decision-making as local as possible.  

We are honoured for the opportunity to work alongside the team at HCCS, to learn from their fifty years of experience providing childcare programming to the Hudson community, and humbly bring our experience as childcare operators, community builders, and place makers as we work together to support the Hudson families, staff, and community.   

As construction continues on the third floor of the school that will house the new childcare spaces, and we have a better idea of when these much-needed spaces will be able to open to the community, we will keep you informed. For now, we are elated to welcome the Hudson team to the network, and look forward to welcoming the currently registered Hudson children to the new first floor space next week! 

Connect with the community – free tea and coffee available in the reception area of Kits House. This is a long-term rental for a term of one year.

For further inquiries please email rentals@kitshouse.org

Fees: $1000/month

Amenities: Natural light, Wi-Fi, 2 built-in desks, printer, electricity, water, heating

Interested in Helping? Share Your Skills with Us!

Thank you to our generous sponsors, who have helped make this event possible

Kits House believes menstrual product access is a fundamental right for everyone.

Period Pin is also working away to make it easy for menstruators to find the free products they need when they need them. They provide FREE period products. 

Follow the steps below to find all the locations that provide period products.

The Living Room Program is a food security initiative in partnership with the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. The philosophy of this program is “no questions asked, everybody is welcome,” and it aims to address part of the food insecurity in Vancouver’s West-side by providing free food distribution to our local community. Our grocery items typically include fruits, vegetables, dry goods, meat, dairy, bread, and sometimes non-food items.

 This program runs on Fridays from 11:00 am-12:00 pm and we operate on a lottery system which allows us to fairly distribute the food we receive amongst all participants. If you’d like to attend, please come ask our front desk for more information and to be added to the next lottery. Throughout the summer, we will be hosting games outside if you’d like to meet some of your fellow community members and have some fun!

Please show up only 10 minutes before your allotted time slot and bring your own grocery bags!

This day is an annual reminder for people across Canada to recognize and celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures, and outstanding contributions of First Nations people, Inuit, and Métis. The Canadian Constitution recognizes these three groups as Indigenous Peoples. Although these groups share many similarities, they each have their own distinct heritage, language, cultural practices, and spiritual beliefs.

June 21, the summer solstice, holds great spiritual significance to First Nations people, Inuit and Métis alike. For generations, many Indigenous Peoples and communities have celebrated their culture and heritage on or near this day because of the significance of the summer solstice as the longest day of the year. In Canada, we dedicate the longest day of the year to showing our appreciation of Indigenous Peoples and the ways they enrich our culture.

Click on the link to learn more about National Indigenous Peoples Day and how the tradition lives on.

Explore the past and honour the truth

Take the first steps on your educational journey:

• Learn about Inuit across Canada
• Learn about Métis across Canada
• Learn about First Nations across Canada

National Indigenous Peoples Day in West Vancouver

National Indigenous Peoples Day activities happen at Ambleside Park in West Vancouver on June 21st.

Celebrations run from around 4:00 pm until 8:30 pm in 2024. They take place on the traditional, unceded territories of the Skwxwu7mesh (Squamish) People. Activities at the event mostly include storytelling, workshops and live entertainment. This year’s event includes the chance to have a salmon dinner.

To learn more about this event, see the District of West Vancouver‘s website.

National Indigenous Peoples Day Resources

• https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1100100013718/1708446948967
• https://vancouver.ca/people-programs/national-indigenous-peoples-day.aspx
• https://vancouversbestplaces.com/national-aboriginal-day/
• https://www.facebook.com/events/2111918092509769/
• acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A

Local Indigenous small Business

Take a photo – Shop Indigenous 

• Sisters Sage
  https://sisterssage.com/
  1312 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC V5V 3E4
• Cedar Hot Sauce
  https://cedarhotsauce.Com
• Bella Cree Beads
  https://bellacreebeads.com/
• Decolonial Clothing
  https://decolonialclothing.com/
• RHTeaco
  https://rhtea.co/
• Renovation Creative
  https://renovatiocreative.square.site/
• Bangin Bannock
  https://banginbannock.ca/
• Memento Michif
  www.mementomichid.com