Nanoose Community Services (NCS) has a mandate to assist those in our community who need a helping hand to sustain themselves and their families, temporarily or longer-term. This help is offered through the assistance of NCS partners, such as Quality Foods, among others. NCS is happy to welcome two new partners who bring additional support to our clients, Forward House and the Oceanside Building Learning Together.
Forward House of Parksville has initiated a Nanoose Bay outreach program and works in concert with NCS to provide support for Nanoose clients. The organization provides adults living with mental health or addiction recovery challenges with the support and tools they need to enjoy full and independent lives. At the last NCS food day in March, Forward House put together gift bags for clients with games, food and treats and information on their programs. The NCS food team has been promoting the program each month as they meet with clients. As have most charities and support programs, Forward House has adopted the remote method of serving clients (telephone) during the pandemic.
Jacqueline Smith, NCS Food Team, distributes gift bags for our clients from Forward House
Further information on Forward House can be found on their website www.forwardhouse.com, including a fairly extensive description of the Nanoose Bay outreach program.
Another recent new NCS partner is the Oceanside Building Learning Together ‘OBLT Cares’ program, funded by the United Way and the Rotary Club of Parksville. Their goal is to enhance lifelong learning with free early learning and literacy programs for babies through to seniors.
Further information on this organization can be found on their website: oblt.ca.
Cheryl Deckert, NCS board member, delivers hampers from the Oceanside Building Better Learning Care program to four young moms.
“Four of our moms with children under school age were contacted this month and hampers filled with books and games, food and recipes, hygiene and cleaning products were individually prepared for them”, said Marion Clark, head of the NCS food program.
“The Forward House gift bags and the OBLT hampers were greeted enthusiastically by our clients. Certainly, it was a welcome and much appreciated gesture during these difficult times. “We are hoping for similar hampers for some of our seniors in the next few months”, she added.