Canadian Mental Health Assoc. Vancouver-Fraser

CMHA Vancouver Fraser provides monthly activity based activities for children and youth, 8 to 18 years old, who are living with mental health challenges. These kids are either living with a parent with a mental illness or have their own mental health challenges and are not able to cope in a social or school related situation. The program is called UROK - Urban Resiliency Opportunities for Kids and provides barrier free access to the program. The program is free for these families, the kids are picked up and dropped off from home and are provided with a nutritious lunch while being supervised by two recreation therapists. They learn coping and resiliency building skills while having fun in a relatively stress free environment. Their parents are able to have a day of respite, taking care of their own mental health needs knowing their children are being well-cared for.
There are two UROK groups in Surrey, directly impacting 25 families.
With the advent of COVID, the groups have been reduced from 12 or 13 to 5 kids plus a supervisor. As such, outings now take place every other month versus every month. Parents are not receiving the respite they require, the kids are not receiving the resiliency building opportunities they need, nor are they receiving a day of play. In order to provide these much needed monthly outings, we require funds to rent another van and to hire and train casual employees to deliver the program.