It’s something we used to take for granted; popping out to pick up a few groceries. COVID made that impossible for some local residents. But, over the past year, CNH staff responded to that particular issue and many other pandemic challenges.

COVID wreaked havoc in many people’s lives and forced CNH to close, shift and reinvent its programming. For example, staff quickly created (with the help of our funders), a program where seniors could call CNH with their weekly grocery order; volunteers would pick up the groceries and deliver them to the seniors. Additional volunteers made weekly, chatty phone calls with seniors, to ensure they felt less isolated.

CNH staff worked extraordinarily hard and with great creativity to keep everybody safe and healthy, while supporting local residents. CNH staff learned themselves, and then taught participants, to work with Zoom. They set up corners of their homes as work spaces, shifted numerous programs online, and contacted participants to find out what they wanted and needed – and then created new programming to meet those needs.

In many cases food was people’s primary need so staff created a number of new food-related programs. For example, CNH organized emergency food hampers for individuals, couples and families, and cooked and delivered frozen meals for seniors. Our Youth team shifted its Kids Kitchen online, providing participants with raw ingredients and a Zoom-based cooking program. The Indigenous youth C.R.E.W. program offered a take-home cooking program and take-home arts kits as well.

When the pandemic hit, our childcare program had to close for more than two months. Staff produced videos of themselves reading stories, showing arts-and-crafts projects and even demonstrating proper handwashing technique. Recreation staff moved some programming online – lots of living room Zumba!

During the pandemic, CNH also opened its RISE Community Health Centre. This was extremely challenging during COVID but staff rallied and made it happen, enjoying a very small opening celebration which included Minister of Health Adrian Dix. RISE brings healthcare to people who have experienced barriers to the health system, particularly important during the pandemic.

CNH’s Board also stepped up during COVID, not only meeting more frequently to respond to COVID-related challenges, but also organizing and hosting a Town Hall on Anti-Asian Racism. CNH also started its first Anti-Racism and Equity Committee, which we hope will move us towards being a more anti-racist organization.

During COVID, our funders were extraordinarily supportive and for that we are deeply grateful. New volunteers stepped forward in droves: CNH volunteers logged almost 52,000 hours of volunteer work with CNH last year, the equivalent of 27 full-time staff!

We had virtually no layoffs and actually grew during the pandemic.

Overwhelmingly, the pandemic dominated our year. But what emerged in the process was our deep gratitude and respect for a strong staff team, dedicated Board, caring volunteers and thoughtful funders whose hard work, creativity, generosity and dedication to the neighbourhood made the pandemic a little less painful. They worked together to support one another and our neighbourhood and to make CNH a place to belong, a place to grow.

— Greg Allen (President of the Board) and Jennifer Gray-Grant (Executive Director)