Life changers wanted
Photo: CMHA Vernon
The Canadian Mental Health Vernon and District is looking for investors who want to change lives for the better. There is no telling how many lives the Foundry North Okanagan will impact, but it is safe to say many will be helped through the initiative.
The Canadian Mental Health Vernon and District is looking for investors who want to change lives for the better.
There is no telling how many lives the Foundry North Okanagan will impact, but it is safe to say many will be helped through the initiative. Foundry will offer free and confidential mental health and wellness services for youth ages 12-24 and their families.
Foundry will be a new facility built on 29th Avenue in the city’s downtown core. Demolition of an older building at the site is ongoing and groundbreaking on the new building is planned for later this summer.
CMHA Vernon has raised $5 million of the total $8.5 million cost of the facility.
Vicki Proulx, with CMHA Vernon, said corporate and public donations are needed to help open the centre in 2027.
“Foundry is a provincial health model. There are actually 17 centres open across the province and about 15 in development,” Proulx said. “It takes all these incredible resources we have here in the community and puts them under one roof.”
Foundry will bring essential services together in one youth-friendly space and will provide mental health supports, substance-use services, social services and family and peer supports.
Several community partners will also be part of Foundry.
CMHA will be the principal operator and will be working with North Okanagan Youth and Family Services, Archway Society and the Friendship Centre.
“They will be working out of the building on a regular basis, to make sure we can create a direct referral pathway to help youth and caregivers to navigate the system,” Proulx said.
And if youth and their caregivers can’t get to Foundry services, the services will be brought to them.
“We are going to have a mobile van that we will bring out to the rural communities like Armstrong, Enderby, Lumby and Cherryville… to make sure we can help fill the gaps in services that aren’t available in those communities right now,” Proulx said. “We are finally going to have an outreach for the entire North Okanagan.”
Proulx said Foundry will be an important resource for the region and she hopes people see the value it brings.
“If you are looking to host a fundraiser, if you are looking for a cause to support, we would encourage anyone and everyone to get onboard with Foundry,” she said.
For more information and to donate, click here.