Rotary Club of Vancouver Arbutus donated $2,000 to The Aboriginal Mother Centre Society to assist the good work being done by them.
AMCS’ story/motivation:
The Aboriginal Mother Centre Society (AMCS) began in 2002 to address the needs of Aboriginal women that were seen falling through the cracks. There was (and still is) a large number of children in care of the Ministry of Children and Family Development or Vancouver Aboriginal Child and Family Services and so a small group was formed to try and address these concerns. AMCS is located in East Vancouver.
Since COVID-19 happened they have been on the frontlines dealing directly with the vulnerable populations including feeding 200-400 people everyday in the Downtown Eastside Monday-Friday, supporting people to find housing, offering tents, providing cultural supports, and taking care of elders by providing them with weekly food deliveries.
Range of programs and services:
AMCS provides Transitional Housing which offers shelter, support, and programs for women and children, so they are given an opportunity of healing and family reconnection, and live in a healthy self-sustaining village that supports women, children, and families. With all this under one roof, the AMCS has the capacity to deliver on-site programming with a traditional Indigenous knowledge centered approach. This approach to spiritual, physical, and emotional health includes counseling, advocacy, education, training, and social support
AMCS is a place where Aboriginal mothers, who are facing homelessness and/or dealing with their children in the care of the Ministry, can come to stay. The women can rebuild their sense of self-worth and identity for a better future for themselves and their children. AMCS is a place where they can come to be together as a family. This place would be the best fitting for babies, children, and mothers, anybody who is coming through a block in their life.
AMCS offers an Outreach Program that provides support to those that are homeless or are at risk of homelessness by providing wrap around services and supporting men, women, and families to find and sustain housing within the community. They offer support to Elders within the community and host an Elders luncheon every Thursday (which is currently on hold due to COVID). AMCS also has a 25-space daycare for children ages 2-5years that focuses on culture, language, and traditions.
Importance of the work AMC does to the people/communities they serve:
The importance of the work they do is to help indigenous people overcome barriers such as homelessness, addiction, mental health, discrimination, systemic racism, and oppression. They support women by providing cultural, educational, and preventative measures to keep families together. The Centre also addresses historical traumas and provides culturally relevant and anti-oppression support. They are one of the only indigenous societies within this community to provide a safe haven to families to get the support they need in a wrap around service.
Traditional territory recognition:
Aboriginal Mother Centre have the honor and privilege of working on the Unceded Traditional Territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations, one that they do not take lightly and are committed to honoring them through the work