On a wet, damp Vancouver afternoon several children are checking out toys and books in a small playroom at Little Mountain Neighbourhood House on Main Street.
Executive director Joel Bronstein, who has been with the organization for 30 years, explains that while the kids are playing, their parents were in another room taking English lessons. He says a vital role of the neighbourhood house is helping new immigrants get settled, find employment and acclimatized to Vancouver. Bronstein notes that after four decades, the mandate of the Little Mountain Neighbourhood House Society has changed very little.
“We offer support to the community, from kids to seniors,” says Joel Bronstein. “We also offer settlement services and are involved with food security.”
Bronstein says neighbourhood house staff is also at the ready to respond to unexpected or emergency situations, including the recent Syrian refugee crisis. The society provides more than 50 social, educational, cultural and recreational programs and initiatives all with a goal to strengthen neighbourhood life for the diverse community.
Besides immigrant settlement services, the society offers family resource programs for newcomers, activities for at-risk youth at the neighbourhood house and two local high schools, childcare for 90 children, seniors activities and community events. Programs are offered out of the central facility at 3981 Main Street, as well as more than 20 locations across the neighbourhood to better serve the community.
Bronstein adds many programs at the neighbourhood house come and go depending on the skill set of volunteers who were once clients, but are now settled and anxious to give back to the community.
“They’ll say, ‘I’ve got this skill,” and then they’ll offer it at a cost or sometimes for free,” says Bronstein. “It could be a knitting program or computer skills or conversational English from volunteer teachers.”
It was in 1978, when the neighbourhood house opened its doors in a local storefront and a grassroots movement was born led by three staff members and a small army of dedicated volunteers. The programs and initiatives that emerged from their work in the community have, in some cases, gone on to become established, recognized programs adopted by governments and other organizations.
Bronstein says neighbourhood house staff and volunteers are always cognisant of what’s needed in the community and, as it evolves, so do the programs and services offered.
“This is a working-class neighbourhood with a great spirit and a lot of community activities,” says Bronstein. “The staff and volunteers and the people who come here for programs are the heart and soul of this place and it’s like a second home to many of them.”
Little Mountain Neighbourhood House Society is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a gala fundraising dinner at Sun Sui Wah Seafood Restaurant May 2, on Main Street with an expected 250 guests. The event includes a silent auction, live music, door prizes, story-telling and a delicious dinner. For ticket information visit lmnhs.bc.ca.
@sthomas10
