Beacon Community Services

The halls at Beacon's Sluggett House dementia care home are now decked... with a 'gallery' of lovely paintings by Grade 1 & 2 students from Frank Hobbs Elementary. Thanks to the young artists, Frank Hobbs Elementary PAC!

Today was (physically distanced) Pizza Party Day for Beacon's SHOAL Assisted Living residents and staff, courtesy of Peninsula PIZZA and Brandon Kostman. Thanks so much for the kind (yummmmy) donation: it made our spirits sparkle! <3

You can celebrate the holidays with special treasures from Beacon's craftsy volunteers at SHOAL Centre (10030 Resthaven Dr, Sidney)...

Calling all cookie lovers! Beacon "Elf Karen" has been busy baking up a storm in the SHOAL Centre's Tidelines kitchen (10030 Resthaven Dr, Sidney). Shortbread Cookies: 6 for $4 White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies: 6 for $4 Mince Tarts: 6 for $5... Place order by calling the SHOAL Centre at 250-656-5537 no later than Monday, Dec 14.

Haven't had your flu shot?! We're hosting a public flu clinic at SHOAL Cente (10030 Resthaven Dr.) -- head on down before 5:00 today (Sunday)!

Our Peninsula Early Years team is SO excited to welcome parents & babies to this program. Online, to help keep folks safe. Nov 5 session features the Infant Development Program's Cindy Irwin as a guest. To register, please call 250-415-9794 or email [email protected]

The Beacon team re-opened the seasonal Out of the Rain youth shelter Oct 15. Doors open at 9 pm every night; 1450 Elford Street. If you're 15 to 25 years old and need a safe, warm place, please come by.

Beacon Community Services is offering a new youth program to help jumpstart the careers of 15-30 year olds. Starting October 26, 2020 check it out! Call 778 265-2585 or email [email protected] for more information.

Thank you to the Victoria Foundation, Jawl Family, Times Colonist & CHEK for the Rapid Relief Fund -- and thanks to everyone who has stepped up to help our community through this challenging time! We appreciate the support.

We are very excited to be able to welcome folks back to SHOAL Centre for (some) fitness activities & (some) services! Please check our website for details: https://beaconcs.ca/services-prog/shoal-centre-for-seniors/

Thanks to the many customers & donors at Beacon thrift shops; its WONDERFUL to see you again!!!!! (Want to donate? Please see the thrift shop section of www.beaconcs.ca for hours & locations. Also, just a reminder that putting donations in sealable boxes really helps our volunteers easily, safely quarantine items before theyre processed for sale. Thanks so much: your support helps fund programs that help us help local people & improve local lives. Greatly appreciated! )

At our June 24 AGM, we bid a sad farewell to 3 fabulous members of our hardworking, volunteer Board of Directors, Bryan Waller, Howard Brunt, and Rebecca Grant. We also welcome 4 new Board members: Fiona St. Clair, Kim Milburn, Joan Easton, and Susan Rand.

Sending love to dads & grandfathers, & those who have taken on these roles, in our community. Special thoughts for those wishing they could visit loved ones at our Assisted Living and Dementia Care homes today; were so sorry that covid precautions prevent this. Please be assured were taking extra steps to create a lovely Fathers Day for those who live with us -- and well of course pass on your well wishes & love to them as well!

THANK YOU! (Want to order a shirt & support local seniors? Please email [email protected])

A happy announcement: most Beacon THRIFT SHOPS ARE NOW OPEN MONDAY-SATURDAY (10 am-4pm)! https://beaconcs.ca/thrift-shops/ Volunteers & staff look forward to welcoming customers & donors (& kindly ask you to please support the health & safety measures posted at each shop.) And, as always, Beacon thrift shop proceeds will go to support our charitys 100% LOCAL community programs

Congratulations to Victoria Cool Aid Society: exciting to see this initiative move forward! Beacon Community Services is also excited to partner with Cool Aid on the projects childcare centre -- looking forward to working with them to help improve families lives at Crosstown!

Beacons getting ready to deliver 1000 meals a week to local seniors.... So grateful for the partnerships that make this possible.

Thank you to Kenny Podmore and his team (including Cottons and Blues & Beacon Sign & Apparel) for their kindness in creating this initiative & donating to help us help vulnerable seniors.

Best wishes to moms & grandmothers, & those who have taken on these roles, in our community. Special thoughts for those wishing they could visit loved ones at our Assisted Living and Dementia Care homes today; we know its disappointing that covid precautions prevent this. Our teams have planned Mothers Day celebrations for the mothers (& mother figures) who live with us -- well especially celebrate & honour them in a spirit of love, thanks & joy today, & make sure they know youre also sending warm thoughts & love!

Bayside Middle School & other Peninsula kids recently reached out to Beacons SHOAL Assisted Living with special cards, letters & paintings. Enjoyed & appreciated by the residents, who cant welcome visitors right now -- in turn, they created a message for the students (left).

Shout out and thank you to BigWheel Burger for generously treating Beacons SHOAL Assisted Living essential services staff to Friday lunch. Our team members enjoyed a special, delicious lunch party (with appropriate physical distancing, of course!) Greatly appreciated!

Dear Beacon volunteers: you plant seeds of love that help countless hearts grow... As Volunteer Appreciation Week draws to a close, THANK YOU for everything you give to the community! Were sad we couldnt celebrate Volunteer Appreciation Week with you this year; please know youre in our hearts. For now, sending virtual hugs, love, and (as always, year round!) very heartfelt appreciation for all you do...

At this challenging time, our organization continues to be so very blessed by the wonderful people in our community (like the amazing family who stepped up to help our shelter staff help a young man in need....)

Best wishes for your Easter, and for the coming days to be filled with calm, kindness, and community strength for all. ---Beacon Community Services.

2 covid reminders: 1) SHOAL Centres closed to the public but WELCOMES community calls at 250-656-5537; well do what we can to help (including with reassurance calls, grocery shopping/other supports for seniors).2) Donations to our thrift shops help fund local programs so well be verrrrry grateful if you can please keep your items for us (if at all possible) until Beacon shops/donations depot can re-open. THANK YOU! (In the meanwhile, best wishes; stay well! <3)

To help our communitys covid19 response, Beacons TEAM Child Care Programs are now offering a limited number of temporary spaces for EMERGENCY CHILD CARE. Infant/toddler & preschool care. We look forward to providing quality care to local families who are working in critical roles in our community at this challenging time. Located at 1649 Mt. Newton Cross Rd. Please contact [email protected] for details/registration. Island Health, Central Saanich Police Service, Sidney Volunteer Firefighters Association, North Saanich Fire Department, Central Saanich Fire Hall; District of Central Saanich, The,Town of Sidney,District of North Saanich - Local Government: if members of your healthcare or emergency response teams need childcare at this time, please let them know about these spaces.

Thank you Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, TELUS, and Town of Sidney! Care homes cant host visitors right now -- so today, via a generous donation from Telus, the Chamber provided tablets to help residents at our SHOAL Assisted Living & Brentwood House & Sluggett House dementia care homes more easily communicate with families and friends. Staff at the towns emergency operations centre charged the tablets & set them up with necessary apps etc. <3 <3 So kind!#AllConnectedForGood

Grateful to community donors, The Victoria Foundation, the Jawl Foundation & the Times Colonist for this generosity: $125,000 for Beacon Community Services homelessness prevention program, so we can help some of our communitys most vulnerable people get through this difficult time.... Thank you!

IMPORTANT NOTICE: As a precautionary measure to help protect the health & safety of our members, volunteers, residents & clients during the covid-19 pandemic, were, sadly, closing the community SHOAL Centre until further notice. Effective 4:30pm March 13, SHOAL activities, events (& public access to our Tides at SHOAL Dining Room) are unfortunately cancelled, until further notice. In the meantime... please take care, everyone!

Beacons trained Community Volunteer Income Tax program volunteers are READY FOR TAX SEASON! We offer free tax help to folks with modest incomes (Mon-Fri; 9-noon;1-4 at the SHOAL Centre: 10030 Resthaven Dr, Sidney). No appointment needed.

Some of our friendly Employment Services team....

715 Pandora Ave Thrift Shop bag sale Feb 29! Everything in the store: from books to boots! As always, thrift shop proceeds support Beacon Community Services programs: your 100% LOCAL CHARITY.

EVERYONE IS SAFE following a small incident that brought local emergency crews to our Brentwood House dementia care home tonight. Thanks to everyone who helped!

To more than 550 amazing Beacon volunteers who help people in our community.... (ps: thank you!)

Add our Early Years Centre programs to your calendar for this upcoming weekend. Wed love to see you!

...never too young to help people and improve lives. Thank you!

Ocean 98.5 visited us today, with a BEAUTIFUL gift -- these wonderful rocking toys made by The Home Depot in Langford for Robin & AJs Random Acts of Christmas! Well make sure some really special kids get to enjoy them! THANKS so much for the community <3!

Nearly 110 HAMPERS!! OVERFLOWING with books, games, toys, stuffies, gift cards for amazing outings!!!! THANKS to everyone whos given, given & given some more to help us brighten the holidays for local families!! Youre amazing (& were more grateful than words can say!)

A lovely night for the Sidney Sparkles parade; we had so much fun!

An advisory from our Peninsula Early Years Centre.

Lest we forget.

Oct 31 was filled with the usual work but we also shared treats, sweet memories, (a few goodbye tears), hugs, & lots of friendship as we bid a fond farewell to some amazing colleagues -- our Home Support team & some admin staff who served with Beacons Home Support program. As announced in the spring, the Home Support program/related Beacon staff transitioned to Island Health Nov. 1 ( https://beaconcs.ca/whats-new/ ). Other Beacon staff & volunteers will continue serving the community through our many other Beacon programs: & we send our very best wishes to those Beacon family members who are transitioning (along with heart-felt thanks for your service)!

SD 63 support workers have announced they intend to take strike action starting Monday, Oct. 28. PLEASE NOTE: Beacon Community Services has been advised that our OUT OF SCHOOL CARE & CHILD CARE services can CONTINUE operations; access to these services will not be impacted by strike action.

Beacons Thrift Shops (https://beaconcs.ca/thrift-shops/) have some howlingly great Halloween items! (Also: On OCT 26, get 50% OFF EVERYTHING IN THE STORE at 715 PANDORA AVE! Clothes, housewares, books, toys, etc etc...)