Crabtree Corner Programs & Services

• Safe, affordable transitional housing
• Hot Meal Programs
• Food, Facts and Fun: a community kitchen program
  
• Early Learning and Care for children six weeks to six years old
  
• The Saturday Family Activity Program
• Community Action Program for Children (CAP-C)
• Nobody's Perfect Parenting Program
• Single Mothers' Support Groups
• Books, Bags and Babies: an early childhood literacy program
  
• Violence Prevention Outreach
• Aboriginal Infant Development Program (AIDP)
• Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Prevention Program
• Intergenerational FASD Support Group

Housing
Without a stable place to live, it's hard to move forward in life. Crabtree Corner offers safe transitional housing for parenting and pregnant women who are overcoming substance abuse issues. There are 12 self-contained housing units at Crabtree, and residents are encouraged to participate in other Crabtree programs and resources. Pregnant women can stay until their baby is nine months old, and mothers trying to regain custody of their children can stay for up to 18 months. Since opening in 2003, Crabtree Corner Housing has helped more than 75 pregnant and parenting women.

Hot Meal Programs
Women and their families benefit greatly from the nutritious breakfasts and lunches provided at Crabtree. Meals are made from scratch, with fresh food made available through generous donations from the community and the YWCA's rooftop garden. Breakfasts are for participants in child care and housing, while hot lunches are provided on a drop-in basis to women and children in the community. The kitchen is also a learning hub for staff and volunteers, where menus are often tailored for women with dietary issues such as diabetes, HIV or hepatitis C. In 2006, 52,510 hot plates of food were served to women and their families.

Food, Facts and Fun
This interactive program builds a community around food. It aims to instill healthy eating habits and a healthy lifestyle while increasing food security for participants and their families living in the Downtown Eastside. Clients participate in an informal, interactive nutritional workshop while sharing a meal prepared by Crabtree staff and volunteers. Topics such as Good Fats/Bad Fats, Protein and Diabetic Diets provide practical, necessary information for participants and their families. After the completion of the workshop, participants receive a food hamper containing all the ingredients for the recipe served that day as well as the recipe itself. Recipe ingredients are inexpensive and locally available so that participants can easily replicate the recipes at home without too much time or specialty equipment. At the conclusion of the session, bus tickets are handed out to all participants.

Early Learning and Care
Crabtree Corner Early Learning and Care Centre offers short-term care for children ages six weeks to six years in the Downtown Eastside. Parents are able to reserve a space for their child one week in advance, allowing parents the opportunity to attend appointments, court appearances or have a much-needed mental health break from their children. Not only are the children cared for in a safe environment, but they learn valuable life skills such as problem solving, language and social aptitude.

The Saturday Family Activity Program
Families living in the Downtown Eastside have little resources to allocate towards family activities. Through the Saturday Family Activity Program, families enjoy a hot meal and a fun and enriching activity. Activities include birthday parties and Christmas caroling, as well as trips to the Vancouver Aquarium, Science World, Maplewood Farm, libraries, swimming pools and bowling alleys.

Community Action Program for Children (CAP-C)
The Community Action Program for Children is an initiative funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada. CAPC provides long-term funding to community coalitions to deliver programs that support the healthy development of children. Crabtree Corner receives funding that goes towards single mothers' support groups, food programs and the Parent Action Group, which provides educational workshops on parenting, fitness and life skills.

Nobody's Perfect Parenting Program
Nobody's Prefect Parenting Program is an education and support program for parents of children up to age six. Delivered two or three times a year in a series of six weekly group sessions, participants are encouraged to work together to network and learn positive parenting skills. Parents meet once a week to share new tools and methods of caring for their children. Child care, dinner and bus tickets are provided.

Single Mothers' Support Groups
Crabtree Corner is just one of the many YWCA locations that provides weekly Single Mothers' Support Groups. Single mothers are encouraged to share experiences and explore issues that are currently challenging them. In a safe and comfortable environment, they are able to exchange information, encourage each other to access resources and build networks. To allow women the opportunity to fully participate, child care is provided.

Single Parents' Food Bank Run
This unique program at Crabtree has been bringing single parents to the Unitarian Church's food bank for over 12 years. Transportation and child care is provided while parents select food and clothing for their families. Occasionally, there are raffle draws for big items and special giveaways during Christmas. Support services such as nurses and income tax assistance are also available.

Books, Bags and Babies
This Aboriginal literacy program for parents and children received the 2010 United Way Celebrations Community Award. The program incorporates storytelling, drumming, acting and other traditions of Aboriginal peoples to encourage early childhood literacy. Parents gain confidence and parenting skills while learning the importance of literacy and how to introduce it to their children.

Violence Prevention Outreach
This program provides support for women who experience violence in their relationships of intimacy, kinship, dependency or trust. Violence ranges from physical, emotional, financial and sexual abuse to neglect. Support services include one-to-one support, referrals, resources and information about the cycle and effects of abuse. The program is open to all women who experience violence in their relationships.

Aboriginal Infant Development Program (AIDP)
The Aboriginal Infant Development Program provides support to Aboriginal families whose infants are at risk or have been diagnosed with a developmental delay. The program is focused on children up to age six and incorporates traditional Aboriginal practices. Home visits, family support and infant massages are provided when needed as well as assistance with doctors visits.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Prevention Program
An estimated three out of every 1,000 infants is affected in some way by FASD. The YWCA FASD Prevention Program, which has been running since 1990, is a 12-week support group that provides information, referral and support services to pregnant women, mothers and their families. This award-winning program has a resource library for families and community workers and has produced educational materials such as written guides for caregivers and community prevention workers. The FASD key support worker works one-to-one with families and program workers conduct educational workshops across BC, to increase FASD awareness among health workers, parents and the public.

Intergenerational FASD Support Group
This program is for grandparents who are raising their grandchildren or the children of other family members who are connected to FASD. As many of these elders are dealing with multiple children and complex issues, Crabtree provides peer support, community resources, information about FASD and connections to other YWCA programs.