WHO'S ON THE V LIST? - Virani Real Estate Advisors

VIRANI CHARITIES
HOPE, HELP
& HEALING
Family Services of the North Shore
The V List recently caught up with Beth Rees, Director of Operations for
the Family Services of the North Shore (also known as FSNS) to learn
more about this non profi t organization which has been serving the North
Shore residents for over half a century. The past 55 years has put the
FSNS under a number of transformations but their fundamental mission
has remained the same: They provide “hope, help and healing” to families
and individuals in the community. They have a broad range of education,
counselling and volunteer services. They are leaders in the areas of
clinical treatment of family violence and childhood sexual abuse in the
community.
The extraordinary level of commitment shown by staff in the North
Vancouver offi ces is visible from the time you enter their offi ces. Many staff
members have been touched in one way or another by issues that affect
the very people who use their services.
Rees, who has obtained a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology and has
worked for non-profi t organizations both in the United States and Canada,
was instrumental in the redesign of FSNS sexual abuse counseling
program to include intensive counselling and support to all members of a
family affected by sexual abuse.
The FSNS offers a diverse range of education and counselling programs
and services. The clinical counselling services comprise of Family
Counselling, Child & Adolescent Sexual Abuse, Stopping the Violence,
Employee Assistance, Family Preservation and Family Support programs.
They also offer Adaptation, Orientation and Integration for new immigrants
and an I Hope Family Centre for parents of children age 0 - 5 and other
parent education programs that support parents in building healthy,
“I was profoundly impacted at a young
age when a member of my extended
family was sexually abused and I knew,
even at that age, this would be my life’s
work”
– Beth Rees
02 | THE V LIST | FALL 06 | www.thevlist.com
functioning families. They work with people from all walks of life, from oldto-young,
from wealthy-to-disadvantaged, from North Vancouver-to-Lion’s
Bay and Bowen Island. They fundraise to ensure services are accessible
to all.
With an annual cost of $2.9 million and only 69% of the total funding
coming from all three levels of government and other grants, FSNS relies
heavily on private donations and their own fundraising endeavours. “We
are fortunate to have the support of many individuals and local businesses
who feel compelled to help ensure that all, regardless of income, can have
access to quality, innovative services,” Rees says, adding “the commitments
from these individuals and businesses are long-term which speaks for their
belief in the programs we offer.” Five anonymous donors pledged $65,000
for fi ve years which was crucial funding for the I Hope Family Centre to
remain open. The North Shore Auto Mall donated $20,000 to help fund
Safer Places; an agency-wide initiative aimed to stop the cycle of family
violence and childhood sexual abuse through education, intervention and
support. Last year, FSNS raised over $885,000 from private donations
and fundraising. Over 175 volunteers worked thousands of hours to
ensure that 675 low-income families and seniors received support through
the Christmas Bureau. Over 100 volunteers worked to help patients and
their families with terminal illness through the North Shore Palliative Care
program. “As long as there are people who need our services, we will be
here to support them in whatever way we can.” said Rees.