Fall Programming Update

As we head into the fall, we’re hopeful about this new season and what it holds for our community of young families, volunteers and team members.

Throughout the summer, we were able to continue to meet ongoing essential needs through grocery and diaper deliveries through our partnership with Cloverdale Community Kitchen. Thank you for making this type of consistent and critical support possible!

We also made the most of the warm weather, meeting twice a month for picnics in the park with families and enjoying things like nature walks and beach days. It was so great to be together outdoors!

For Cherise, a Young Families team member, the beach day was a summer highlight. She connected with a young mom she'd been delivering food boxes to for over a year. The deliveries usually included short but sweet conversations, and being able to spend the day together meant Cherise could get to know her in a deeper, more meaningful way.

At a recent volunteer appreciation event to reconnect and come together around the Young Families vision. We spent time going over our core values and journey as a team, dreaming and discussing how our passions, talents, gifts and heart intersect with the needs of the young families we’re in community with. Everyone went home that night filled with encouragement!

Thank you for journeying with us - this work and relationships being built in the Young Families community wouldn't be possible without you!

Stepping Stones Update

We're thankful to be meeting in-person each week for the Stepping Stones program. As we head into the fall, we’re still mindful of the health, safety and well-being of our Young Families community members in the ongoing COVID-19 reality we’re all navigating together.

We’re continuing to closely monitor COVID-19 and we’re doing everything possible to safely respond to the needs of the young moms, dads and family we’re so thankful to be in community with.

Thank you for supporting the Delivering Hope Campaign!

Thank you again to everyone who participated in our Delivering Hope campaign and attended our Happy Hour Fundraiser. We're so encouraged by your support!

We have now been able to tally the final numbers and can report back to you that together, we raised a total of $42,161!

This means we've reached over 42% of our fundraising goal, which will allow us to start planning for Young Families programming into the fall. We'll continue to update you on these details in the coming months.

Here's what some of the Happy Hour Fundraiser attendees had to say during the event:

Having had the amazing opportunity to have worked with this organization, I know what an amazing program it is and how much heart and soul goes into helping young families. Love you guys and miss you all! - Karen Pearson

You show up again & again or people no matter what the circumstances! I’m so amazed by how you pivoted the program so quickly this year and still provided support even with all the restrictions. - Britney Berrner

We give and volunteer because the young moms are such amazing people who need our support. - Jim & Twyla Gerbrandt

Thank you for helping make this work possible and for supporting the long-term health and community of young moms and dads in Surrey.

We couldn't do any of this without you!

The Delivering Hope Campaign

We're excited to share Delivering Hope: A Young Families campaign. During the month of April, we're inviting you to join us so we can continue providing relief and support to young families in a time of crisis.

Winter Programming Update

With the start of a new year, we’re continuing to experience strict social distancing measures and limits on social gatherings across the country and here in Surrey.

As a result, we’ve seen the need for our services grow this winter, as young parents are still struggling to care for their families amidst social isolation and financial stress amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. There have also been a number of service providers that have closed their doors over the last year.

Thankfully, and because of the support of our community, we’ve been able to rise to the occasion and meet the needs of our families and provide relief in a time of crisis.

In partnership with Cloverdale Community Kitchen, 9 staff and volunteers are now providing weekly deliveries of groceries and baby necessities for 22 families. That means nearly 100 people receive this kind of support from Young Families each week thanks to your generosity.

We’re also thrilled to share that we’re resuming COVID-safe in-person programming at People’s Church. We’ll be hosting weekly check-ins to get to know the new families we’ve been connected with this winter.

Based on feedback we received from parents about their needs, we’ll alternate between weekly mental health check-ins and parent-child activities.

Thank you for continuing to journey with us as we adapt to meet young parents and their families in the midst of crisis. We’re so grateful for your support - this work wouldn’t be possible without you.