PRINCIPLES

1. Richmond Family Place Society promotes consistent positive parenting practices and healthy, secure parent/child relationships.

2. Richmond Family Place is grounded in strength-based practices.

3. Richmond Family Place programs promote developmentally appropriate play-based learning.

4. Richmond Family Place is open to all families and welcomes diversity.

5. Richmond Family Place strengthens the ability of families to raise healthy children by working in partnership with families and communities.

6. Richmond Family Place is committed to reflective best practices.

“I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders knowing this program is available”

Where are we today? Where are we going? How will we get there?

Message from the Chair

As Autumn arrives, I am inspired by the Canada geese I see flying in their V formation heading south for the winter. They work so well together, sharing the lead, encouraging one another, being loyal to the cause and succeeding together to reach their destination. At Richmond Family Place, we also benefit from a strong team who work together to ensure that every child in Richmond reaches their full potential. Each member of the team- our amazing staff, dedicated volunteers, community partners and families - all strive to work together so that children and families in Richmond are receiving the programs and services that can best support them. While we all have our unique roles and responsibilities, we share the same commitment and dedication to families. We collaborate to look at the needs of our children and create programs that will help them to be successful. Our Board of Directors has continued to show tremendous leadership this year in working on many areas to promote and champion our agency. We completed the certification for the Family Resource Programs of BC Standards of Practice. We continued our work on the Strategic Plan to be certain we are staying on track and being accountable to our members. This year, with our evolving economy, we had to readjust our budgets and explore all funding options and opportunities. Fortunately we benefitted from many friends and contributors who stepped up to help. We are very grateful for their generosity. We worked hard to ensure our annual Golf Tournament shone as brightly as the sun that June day- and were thrilled to raise over $11,000. At every opportunity, each Board member showed their passion and determination, as they shared creative ideas and brought solutions and plans to the table.

The Board of Directors is always striving to be well informed and up to date with trends in our community. With the explosion of social media, our Board is focussed on using all ways to communicate and reach out to our families. We have really enjoyed the networking sessions with our community partners and the workshops that broaden our knowledge. Just like our families, we all benefit when we share and learn. This year we would like to thank our retiring Board members - Derrick Bloomfield, Caylee Raber, Alexandra Tse and John Vu. Caylee, Alex and John came to us through Volunteer Richmond’s Youth Leadership Program and have brought us wonderful perspectives and insights. Richmond is in great hands with such enthusiastic, caring individuals who have shown us they are already great leaders. At Richmond Family Place we believe that our community will be healthier and more resilient when all our families have access to a wide variety of programs and services. Thank you for all your support over the past 33 years. We are honoured you have joined with us to strengthen our families and our community. We believe you are an essential part of our team. Together, you help us all to soar.

Anne Murdoch

www.richmondfamilyplace.ca /richmondfamilyplace @rmdfamilyplace

“Without Family Place I hate to think of where I would be – they helped me and my family so much”

Board of Directors

Chair: Anne Murdoch Vice Chair & Treasurer: Kim Stacey Secretary: Caylee Raber Members at large: Derrick Bloomfield Barbara Dirnfeld Lana McClelland Jesslyn Pyne Maria Robinson Carla Smith Peter Tong Alexandra Tse John Vu Louise Yeoh Ryan Yeung

Community Partners

Anderson Elementary School

Arzeena Hamir

BC Association of Family Resource Programs

Boys and Girls Club of the South Coast

Canadian Association of Family Resource Programs

CHIMO

City Centre Community Association

City of Richmond

Debeck Elementary School

Volunteer Richmond / CCRR

Family Services of Greater Vancouver

Giftedness Parent Support

Hamilton Community Association

Kapamilya

Le Leche League

Lulu Ladies & Babies

Pacific Postpartum Support Society

Richmond Addiction Services

Richmond Advisory Council on Perinatal Issues

Richmond Children First

Richmond Community Meals Committee

Richmond Community Services Advisory Committee

Richmond Food Bank

Richmond Food Security Task Force

Richmond Health Unit

Richmond Multicultural Community Services

Richmond Poverty Response Committee

Richmond Public Library

Richmond School District

Richmond Society for Community Living

Steveston Community Association

Terra Nova Sharing Farm Touchstone Family Association

Staff Team Executive Director: Kim Winchell Manager of Finance: Henk Piket Administrative Coordinator: Julia Naim Shriver Thrift Store Coordinator: Darlene Hudson Fundraising & Special Events Coordinator: Leann Finkelstein Program Manager: Janice Lambert Parent Connections Coordinator: Debbie Plomp Playroom Coordinator: Hydi Sham Family Support Workers: Sheri Caine, Rekha Naik, Marlae Vermeer, Hala Kapani, Matt Maxwell Dad and Child Breakfast: Henry Lui Summer Student: Luis Ledesma

“Richmond Family Place gave me a home when I didn’t feel I belonged”

Strategic Plan

In 2011, Richmond Family Place underwent Strategic Planning sessions to identify strategic priorities for the next 5 years. The priorities identified were:

In 2012, a Balanced Scorecard Report was produced to reflect upon the progress made towards strategic objectives for the period 2011-2016 by identifying targets and allowing for comparison year to year. The Scorecard can be found on the Richmond Family Place website (www.richmondfamilyplace.ca).

“I love this place – it’s awesome” – 8 year old boy from Bridging Program

Priority 1

Develop and continue internal capacity building within the organization

Priority 2

Continue to ensure relevant programming that meets the emerging needs of the community

Priority 3

Develop and implement a comprehensive evaluation strategy that will determine the effectiveness of services

Priority 4

Continue to build and leverage partnerships with current and new stakeholders

Priority 5

Continue to develop a diverse, sustainable funding model

MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR October 2011-October 2012 ‘When life throws you a curve ball” – what do you do? Do you keep batting and don’t give up? Do you learn to hit them right out of the stands? Or do you take the time to reflect on why you are in the game? Well Richmond Family Place “got thrown some curve balls” this past year, and I am proud to say we did all three. With a supportive and informed Board, we took time to reflect on where we came from, where we want to go and how best to get there. We made some tough and courageous funding and programming decisions. With a committed and dedicated staff and volunteer team we implemented those decisions with caring and compassion. With a wonderful community full of collaborative and supportive partnerships we remained successful at supporting families with young children so that every child in Richmond can reach their full potential. Finally, we learned from our families the true meaning of courage and resiliency, and put that into practice with new and existing partnerships. Some of these decisions were difficult, like saying good-bye to our mobile child-minding project that had been with us for just over four years and provided an invaluable service to the larger community. However, we remained steadfast in our strategic plan to reach vulnerable and isolated families and include them in our programming and services. For this reason we strengthened our relationship with the Richmond Food Bank by offering programs in collaboration at the food bank, we enhanced our parenting programs, offering them at even more locations and in different languages, and we increased our food security programs. Despite a year of change and challenge, and after much hard work and dedication, we completed our Standards of Practice from the BC Association of Family Resource Programs. Through every challenge comes learning and I feel that Family Place more than dealt with those curve balls, but I look forward to a future with maybe fewer curve balls!

Kim Winchell

“The play and learn program at the food bank has totally changed our food bank experience for the better – I no longer hate going here and what it represents.”

Cambie Library ■ Ironwood Library ■ Brighouse Library ■ Steveston Library & Pk ■ Neighbourhood Learning Centre ■ Anderson Elementary ■ Hamilton Community Centre ■ King George Pk ■ City Centre Community Centre ■ Richmond Food Banks ■ Debeck House

IMPACT OF RICHMOND FAMILY PLACE IN THE COMMUNITY

Play & Learn Drop-Ins Play & Learn Drop-In programs provide a welcoming environment for ALL families with children from birth to 12 years of age at 12 different locations in Richmond. Parents and caregivers attend programs together with their children to access play-based learning opportunities, early learning and literacy activities, parent education programs and workshops, and information and referrals to other services in the community. Professionals from the Richmond community visit the ongoing Play and Learn Drop-Ins to provide much needed support and education.

“The nurse and social worker told me about Family place, it’s good for you and your childs”

Family Support

“..if you asked me do I want to be here in Canada or go back I couldn’t tell you. Now I know I want to be here.”

A Drop-In program for parents and caregivers of

pre-walking babies to meet, socialize and share

idea’s to help their babies explore their new

world.

Baby Explorers

Mothercare is a 6 week program for mothers of babies 0-12 months. It

focuses on promoting a healthy and enjoyable

transition to motherhood. This program was piloted for the first time this year and was a great success.

"We grew beans in plastic bags. I not believe it, I was

OMG. I only put in the ground, it was a surprise I

don’t think it grow!!!"

Mothercare

Gardening Fun for Families is a program that allows families to spend time together in the garden and grow nutritious fruit and

vegetables to take home.

The Gardening Program is supported by Decoda Literacy

Solutions and the Province of BC.

Gardening Fun for Families

A 6 week parenting program for parents with children from birth to 6 years. The goal of the

program is to help parents recognize their strengths as a parent, find positive

ways to raise healthy, happy children, and to

provide the opportunity to meet other parents in a

relaxed environment.

“I feel Family Place is my home.”

Nobody's Perfect

The parent-child relationship hugely affects secure

attachment, brain and language development, and

the social/emotional development of children.

This 8 week program provides parents the

opportunity to learn how they are helping their infants on a daily basis & how they can enhance that process.

Make the Connection

Food Skills for Families is a hands-on program

that makes healthy eating, shopping and

cooking easy, quick and fun. The Canadian

Diabetes Association offered this successful

six-session program alongside Family Place

staff

“I see how to learn, I learn songs and how to grow things in the soil."

Food Skills for Families

2,764 families

received

family

support

1,132 Parents

attended

parenting

programs

74 weeks of

workshops

provided

this year

Current Bridging Program families are from ■ Afghanistan ■ Iraq ■ Mexico ■ Columbia ■ Peru ■ Guatemala ■ Iran ■ Somalia ■ Palestine■ Syria ■ Pakistan ■ Algeria ■ Uganda ■ Hungary

Main Site Programs offered at the main site have been very successful for yet another year, with over 10,500 individual visits and many sessions at maximum capacity. This is an attendance increase of 9% over the previous year. It was another wonderful growing season in the garden, with many children willing to eat vegetables they had helped to tend! Friendships made during maternity and paternity leaves are enduring through the provision of programs outside of conventional programming hours such as the Wednesday night dinner and Saturday morning Dad’s Breakfast program. In parent surveys carried out in March/April, 74% of parents felt they had increased their ability to parent as a result of the program, 63% of parents felt that their social support network had increased as result of the program and 88% of respondents said that staff helped them to get resources for their children.

Bridging Program The Richmond Early Years Bridging Project is funded by the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation, United Way of the Lower Mainland, Ministry for Children and Family Development and Richmond Children First. The project provides 0-12 year old refugee children and their primary caregivers with access to developmentally appropriate, and culturally competent, Early Childhood Development supports and services. Since the start of the program in November 2008, 329 refugees and new immigrants have participated in the project. In the past year, the bridging program has worked with families from 14 different countries and successfully connected 99% of those families to resources and community. This year has also seen the development of several successful partnerships. Two sessions of ‘My Tween and Me’ workshops were implemented in partnership with Richmond Addiction Services Society. Both sessions were waitlisted. The relationship with the Boys and Girls Club of the South Coast was strengthened, with them providing support to children aged 6-12 years during field trips, school holidays and in the weekly dinner program. In a partnership with the City of Richmond, Richmond Children First and Settlement Workers in Schools, the Bridging program was able to coordinate a ‘Beyond the Veil’ event which provided the opportunity for 167 front line staff to learn more about Arabic culture in order to help them in their service delivery. In the coming year the project will focus on male caregiver support through parenting groups, education and awareness.

"When I came to Canada I was so scared all the time – thanks to Family place I met new friends and my children learned new things and I am not scared anymore.”

Families planted: Pole Beans ■ Parsley ■ Flowers ■ Mint/Chocolate Mint ■ Corn ■ Basil ■ Flowers ■ Sunflower ■ Thyme ■ Tomatoes■ Kale■ Swiss Chard ■ Lettuce■ Spinach

Food Security

The World Food Summit of 1996 defined food security as existing “when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life”. Richmond Family Place programs provide access to food through drop-ins, meal programs and gardening programs. Over the past 12 months, Family Place held over 300 community meals including Dad & Child Breakfasts, weekly Wednesday family dinners, Bridging lunches and family dinners, Family Fun Café at the Richmond Food Bank and community celebration meals.

Parent Education

When implementing parenting programs, Family Place endeavors to use many different locations to ensure that parents from all areas of Richmond can participate. This year Family Place provided the opportunity for parents to participate in five different programs: Nobody’s Perfect (2 sessions), Make the Connection (4 sessions), Mothercare, Mother Goose (2 sessions) and Food Skills for Families at five different locations in Richmond. In parent surveys carried out in March/April, 72% of respondents reported that they felt better about themselves as a parent due to Family Place programming, 74% of respondents felt they were doing the right thing as a parent, and 93% said that staff gave them information to make their own choices. Family Place continuously seeks to understand what parents want to know, and then find ways to deliver programs and workshops that will work for as many families as possible.

“We have thoroughly enjoyed our time in attending your programs…The activities are well-structured, meaningful and engaging and the leaders are entertaining and enthusiastic!”

Parent Connections The goal of the Parent Connections program is to increase community capacity and development by breaking down isolation, encouraging connections, and building skills and leadership abilities amongst parents of children aged 0 to 6 years. This past year the Parent Connections program introduced a new 8 week training series focusing on Peer Support. This decision was based upon the belief that peers can benefit one other by providing increased social networks, new information and skill-building, as well as general encouragement and empowerment. This training series provides parent mentors with the skills necessary to assist parents through information sharing, relationship building, emotional support, and crisis intervention. Nine parents completed the first training session and five moved on to become Peer Support Workers working intensively with Family Support workers at ten Family Place Programs and in the greater Richmond community. In the coming year the Parent Connections program will train a second group of Peer Support Workers. It will also seek to provide further learning opportunities to Peer Support Workers to increase their skill set, continue to better serve families and continue strengthening connections within the community.

Outreach During the past year Family Place has offered programs in nine offsite locations including Steveston, Ironwood, Brighouse and Cambie libraries, Steveston Park, City Centre Community Centre (Lang), Anderson Elementary School and the Neighbourhood Learning Centre. After looking at the emerging needs in the centre of Richmond, Family Place implemented three new programs in that area. A Play, Learn, Get Ready for School program and Family Fun Café dinner program were implemented at the Food Bank, and a Play & Learn drop in was implemented at the Neighbourhood Learning Centre. The success of these outreach programs is illustrated by a 5% increase in visits to the programs; this year more than 11,000!

“This program gave me that power or that light that made me feel that I can go in another way so I can be the person I want to be.”

FUNDRAISING AND DONATIONS This year proved to be a profitable year in fundraising at Richmond Family Place. Family Place raised $24,818 in 2011/2012. The golf tournament which was held in June raised over $11,000 (net) and is the biggest annual fundraiser but there were several significant fundraisers throughout the year: the annual raffle, dance-a-thon, yard sale, walkathon and Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon. Family Place is grateful to everyone who supported and participated in these fun events.

We had 35 cash donors in 2011-2012 who brought in a total of $12,273. The average donation was $351. Over the past year 10 different in-kind donors provided $101,800 worth of goods and services. These donations are important for the sustainability of Richmond Family Place. The City of Richmond is a major contributor by providing rental space at the main site and different locations throughout Richmond. Cobs Bread, London Drugs, Aviation & Maritime Systems (Canada) Ltd, The “Kitchen Fairy”, Benjamin Moore, Sharing Farm and the Richmond Food Bank were also crucial in-kind donors this year.

“Keep up with good work. Thank you so much! My son has grown so much here.”

$13,025

$5,411

$960

$3,025

$880 $1,994

Golf tournament

Raffle

Dance-a-Thon

Yard Sale

Walkathon

Rock n Roll Marathon

Gross Fundraising Revenue 2011/2012

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

Richmond Family Place continues to run two social enterprises: birthday party rentals and the thrift store.

Birthday Parties

Richmond Family Place birthday parties have once again proved popular, with an average of 8-10 per month; some facilitated and some non-facilitated. In 2011-2012, birthday parties brought in over $10,000. In the past year, Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons have also been made available for parties. This, accompanied by a great team of birthday party facilitators, has assisted in reaching this year’s target.

Thrift Store

The Thrift Store showed financial growth over the past year. Revenue increased to $26,000 for 2011-2012 from $22,000 and $15,000 respectively in the two previous years. Thrift Store volunteers also raised $2,000 with their annual yard sale. As Richmond Family Place continues to expand partnerships in the Richmond community, the Thrift Store has been able to help an increasing number of families and individuals in need with clothing and household items. Over the past year, the store has been able to help 230 families or individuals; an increase of 15% over the previous year. In addition, the store has donated a great deal of clothing through Canada Comforts & other organizations to impoverished children in developing countries.

"Richmond Family Place is one of the best places to have a child's birthday party in Greater Vancouver…Definitely the best bang for the buck, based on my experience."

FINANCIAL REPORT It has been my pleasure to serve a second year as Treasurer for Richmond Family Place. As always there are challenges in balancing the financial needs of the agency and the ever increasing demand for our services. As government and funders prioritize their focus it is often the non-profit sector that faces the challenge of reduced incomes which often impact service delivery. At the beginning of April 2011 Richmond Family Place was in that position. However with responsible fiscal management and some fabulous fundraising throughout the year by dedicated staff and volunteers, we were able to maintain program delivery and actually accrue surplus funds leaving Richmond Family Place in a stable financial situation going into 2012-2013. Long may this continue!

“Family Place is my home away from home – I feel instantly happy on the days we go there – the staff are so friendly and wonderful.”

$258,089

$44,270 $371,657

$103,920

$1,793 $142,390

GovernmentFunding

Municipal Grant

Other Grants

Donations &FundraisingActivities

$545,159 $169,335

$38,369 $142,390

Wages & Benefits

Operating Expenses

Admin Expenses

Richmond ChildrenFirst

Revenue

2011/2012

Expenses

2011/2012

$922,119

$895,253

Richmond Family Place would like to thank the following people and organizations who have made donations over the past year: CASH DONORS A + Asset Plus – Aroma Holdings Beach Grove Elementary Baier, Sheila Brooke, Ameila-Pitt Caine, Sheri Chiu, Melissa Cora Restaurant Disney Online Studios Fournier, Hennie Fournier, Michael Gill, Harinder ICBC – Ironwood Location Investors Group Matching Gift Program Kay, Janet Lekas, Kate Leung, Hue Levitt, Gisella Oostergo, Roy Mechsner, Paul – Seattle Rock N Roll

Marathon Murphy, Kevin Pharmasave Steveston Village RBC Royal Bank Rogers, Rita Starbucks District 213 Telus & Paul Mechsner Telus Community Affairs Vancouver Diamonds Lion Club Williams, Peta & Sascha

Thank you to our contributors, partners and volunteers. Together we are ensuring that every child in Richmond reaches their full potential

Thanks to these Family Place funders:

IN-KIND DONORS City of Richmond Cobbs Breads Benjamin Moore Paints

– Bridgeport Rain Coast Books Orca Books The Sharing Farm The Kitchen Fairy Bridget Monahan Rona Home & Garden Brad’s Junk Removal Debeck Elementary

School Donna Foster GOLF SPONSORS 2012 Hole Sponsors Rex Hua, Century 21 In

Town Realty Pacific Cutting & Coring Mobilicity Richmond Review Gold Sponsor Industrial Plastics &

Paint Silver Sponsors Footex – Lansdowne Royal Le Page – Eleanor

Tan Dr.s Eric Chan & Tawnya

Ward (ND)

Dr. Denis Kim – MyEyeDoctor at Pearle Vision

Mall Medical Clinic Tina Gonzalez – Sutton

Group Seafair Realty Bronze Sponsors Nikki Tate – Dark Creek

Farms Misty Mountain Specialties Dr. Randy Shew Kim Stacey Investors Group Silent Auction Donors 6 Pack Indoor Beach Acqu Dental Air Canada Air North All Tune Car Care Art’s Nursery Bacchus Group Barbara Dirnfeld Bashir’s BC Lions Football Club Benjamin Moore –

Richmond Bill McNulty Black Bond Books Browns Social House Caine, Sheri Canada Safeway Canadian Tire Ceili’s

Capilano Suspension Bridge

Chat-r Children’s Organ

Transplant Society City of Richmond Clover Hair Salon Costco Wholesale Crème De La Crème Crystal Glass Delta Sun Peaks Resort Diner #1 Steveston DJPA Photography Dunnigan, Nancy Foley’s Four Points Sheraton –

Victoria Future Shop Go Bananas Golf Town Grapes 2 Wine Groupon H.R. MacMillan Space

Center Ironwood Chiropratic Kabob Grill Katrina Tough Lansdowne Mall

Administration Lindt and Sprungli Inc. Lulu Lemon Manning Park Resort Maria Robinson Mary Francis McClelland, Lana

MOJO On-The-Go Coffee Nando’s Canada Pay Works Planet Woman Price Smart Foods Nationwide Leasing Richmond Animal Clinic Rickey Mann Piano River Rock Hotel & Casino Sephora Silver Reef Casino Sip Wines Smith, Carla Stacey, Kim Steveston Seafood House The Fairmont Vancouver

Airport Tim Hortons Torre & Tagus University Golf Club Vancouver Airport

Authority Vancouver Canadians Vancouver Umbrella Vancouver Whitecaps FC Vu, John West Richmond Dental West Richmond

Community Center Winchell, Jim Winchell, Kim WMI (Winners) Yeoh, Louise Yeung, Ryan Zone Bowling

BC Ministry of Children & Family Development BC Ministry of Jobs, Tourism & Innovation BC Gaming Commission

“I made a new family through family place.”