Sunday, May 19, 2019 ~ SOOKE
by Chelsea Kirkpatrick ~ West Shore Voice News
The Sooke Family Resource Society (SFRS) hosted a mixer to showcase to the community all that they are doing out of their location at 6672 Wadams Way.
SFRS is a non-profit organization with over 50 staff members and 35 volunteers. The volunteers contribute about 4,000 hours of time per month toward various programs and activities at the center.
Last year over 5,000 people were served in various programs through SFRS. That’s with a budget of about $3 million. About 70% of that funding is from government, with about 30% being in grants.
There is also their local thrift store in town on West Coast Road, the profits from which have been channeled back into SFRS programs since the store – operating as a social enterprise – opened in 2015.
SFRS is the only non-aboriginal organization with intact aboriginal contracts to help those communities in the region from Port Renfrew to Sooke.
The mixer was to remind Sooke that they are not part of the ministry, that they share the building with other organizations such as Island Health, Ministry of Children & Family Development, and the West Shore Centre for Learning & Training (Sooke Branch).
The various SFRS programs include “play-based learning”, prenatal care, support for young adults moving out, and much more. They also serve adults with disabilities from Sooke to Victoria. There is toy lending and a resource lending library. Youth supports include managing short term crisis situations.
Only about 15 people showed up for the Thursday evening event ahead of this May long weekend. But food, coffee and desserts were enjoyed by all.
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This article was first published on page 3 in the May 17, 2019 Print-PDF edition of West Shore Voice News. | Subscribe to West Shore Voice News