The City of Kamloops is pleased to announce the successful recipients of the 2025–2028 Reaching Home funding for the Designated Communities funding stream. This funding is part of the Government of Canada’s Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy, a community-based initiative aimed at preventing and reducing homelessness across the country.
In April 2025, the City issued a call for proposals for eligible projects. Applications were received from 11 organizations representing 15 potential projects. A funding review committee, with representatives from the community who have an understanding of the issues, needs, and priorities of those experiencing homelessness, conducted a thorough evaluation process and allocated $2,243,569 to support impactful local initiatives and programming.
The Ask Wellness Society received funding for two programs:
- Kamloops Recovery Engagement and Navigation Specialist Program: helps individuals in shelters and supportive housing navigate, access, and ultimately transition into recovery programming.
- Seniors Tenancy Development Program: secures housing and provides life-skills and clinical supports for adults aged 55 and over with complex needs.
“Reaching Home funding provides flexible support that helps us address diverse housing needs—from delivering stabilizing recovery services for people in shelters and supportive housing, to expanding access to affordable homes for seniors facing significant barriers in the rental market,” said Bob Hughes, Chief Executive Officer, ASK Wellness Society.
A Way Home Kamloops received funding for the Youth Housing First - Scattered Sites Housing Program, offering safe housing and wraparound supports for youth aged 16–27. This program is aimed at supporting youths in building life skills, connecting with the community, and transitioning to independent living.
The Blue House Recovery Society received funding to continue its work at Blue House and Willow House through the Outreach and Support Worker program, which provides life skills support to program participants, helping build independence and stability in recovery.
“The Reaching Home funding has been transformative for our small non-profit, allowing us to expand our services and support our clients in ways that would not have been possible otherwise,” said Sean Marshall, Executive Director, Blue House Recovery Society.
The Canadian Mental Health Association Kamloops Branch received funding to support Envision Connect: Outreach for Shelter and Stability, a mobile outreach and transportation service connecting unsheltered individuals to shelter and essential services through a culturally safe, trauma-informed approach.
"Reaching Home funding has been instrumental in helping the Envision Outreach provide year-round, lifesaving supports to our community,” said Alfred Achoba, Executive Director, Canadian Mental Health Association Kamloops Branch. “From delivering water and cooling supplies during extreme heat to distributing warm gear and connecting people to shelter in the coldest months, this support ensures we can meet people where they are and respond with compassion, dignity, and urgency. As demand grows, our team remains committed to meeting people where they are and ensuring no one is left without help."
The Connective Support Society Kamloops received funding to continue operating Light House Transitional Housing, bridging the gap between shelter services and supportive housing, providing safe, affordable homes for individuals rebuilding their lives after a housing crisis.
The Elizabeth Fry Society received funding for three programs:
- Rent Bank: offers no-interest loans to individuals and families at risk of losing their housing to help prevent homelessness, improve financial education, and support resource navigation.
- Family Stepping Stones: offers long-term supportive housing for women and children to heal, stabilize, and work toward independence through crisis intervention, life skills, children’s supports, and community connection.
- Women’s Housing Support Program: helps low-income women, especially mothers, secure and maintain safe housing through systems navigation, financial guidance, life skills, self-advocacy, and safety planning.
The Mustard Seed received funding for two initiatives:
- Street Advocacy Program: focuses on building trust and connection with individuals experiencing homelessness, offering basic needs support, service connections, and help with tasks like obtaining identification or accessing treatment. Street advocates also liaise with local businesses and provide crisis de-escalation.
- Diversion Program: helps individuals experiencing homelessness secure stable housing quickly, removing financial barriers by offering financial supports in the form of rental supplements, deposits, and/or moving expenses.
“Reaching Home funding has enabled The Mustard Seed's Street Advocacy Program to positively impact the outcomes of those experiencing homelessness by empowering our unhoused citizens to achieve their housing, treatment or employment goals with support and encouragement, reminding our community that compassionate collaborative action can be the bridge between hardship and hope,” said Sarah Sharp, Health and Wellness Manager, The Mustard Seed.
Since 2019, the Reaching Home Designated Communities funding stream has distributed over $7 million to organizations in Kamloops that support programs for individuals experiencing homelessness or who are at imminent risk of homelessness.
“As the facilitator of the Reaching Home program, the City of Kamloops is honoured to support the essential work of social agencies whose leadership is critical in our collective response to homelessness and our ability to care for the most vulnerable residents,” said Natasha Hartson, Social, Housing, and Community Development Manager, City of Kamloops. “Together, we are building a community where everyone has the opportunity to feel safe, supported, and hopeful for the future.”
This project is funded by the Government of Canada’s Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy.
Ce projet est financé en partie par le Gouvernement du Canada par Vers un chez-soi: la stratégie canadienne de lutte contre l’itinérance.
