BIDS FOR KIDS: CMHA Youth Mental Health Fundraiser

Every night in the Cowichan Valley the experience of homelessness is a reality for many youth - whether they are couch-surfing, sleeping outdoors, or feeling unstable in their current situation. While shelter housing is available for adults at Warmland Shelter and the Women’s Shelter, there are currently no shelter services for youth under 19.

The CMHA-Cowichan Valley Branch Youth Outreach Team sees many youth suffering from substance use, precarious housing and mental health issues. The Youth Outreach Team is there to meet them where they are, every step of the way. No matter what brings someone to our programs, they are always met with caring and welcoming staff eager to offer support in whatever form is needed.

COVID-19 has presented us with many challenges. While we have continued to provide services to some of our community's most vulnerable youth, we have had to put our fundraising events on hold. To this end, we are reaching out to the community to support this ‘pre-holiday’ online silent auction to raise much needed funds for Youth Outreach Programs in the Cowichan Valley.

We thank the local artists, businesses and service providers that have generously provided donations and encourage you to support them when doing your shopping this holiday season.

Please help us make a difference to the youth of the Cowichan Valley. For ongoing ways to give and support mental health, please visit www.cmhacowichanvalley.com/donate. All donations over $20 are tax deductible.

The Cowichan Valley Branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA-CVB) has been working to meet the needs of persons involved in the mental health system since 1992. We continue to learn and grow in creative and innovative ways, guided by a vision of accessible, inclusive, person centred health and well-being support for all adults and youth in the Cowichan Valley.

Our ongoing programs include:

• Warmland House Shelter - a three-story residential facility with 30 shelter beds, 24 transitional apartments, a common-room, kitchen, dining room and offices. Breakfast and dinner are served daily in the dining room. Laundry and shower facilities are also provided. A physician is on site weekly and a Foot Care Clinic is held monthly Warmland also has a volunteer and resident run garden.
•BikeWorks, Artworks & DiscoveryWorks - a free drop in youth outreach centre disguised as a bike shop and arts and crafts centre
•Open Door Youth Services Centre - a space where youth ages 12-24 can connect with staff over a coffee and a snack, do their laundry, have a shower, get clothing and access medical care and counselling services
•Mobile Youth Outreach Engagement Team - 8 mobile youth outreach workers travelling by foot and van to youth homeless camps, providing support, food, basic first aid and transportation to access services as needed.
•BounceBack - a telephone counselling program for adults youth that are experiencing anxiety or moderate depression
•Rainbows - grief counselling for children experiencing loss
•Sexual Abuse Intervention Program