Fran and Pieter Vanderpol recently pledged their commitment to the health and wellness of youth in our community. They have made a $150,000 donation to Foundry Abbotsford through their Oikodome Foundation.
Oikodome, the Vanderpol family’s charity, regularly supports both global and local initiatives that invest in the development of healthy, well-equipped communities. By supporting this “ground-breaking initiative” they desire to “help youth in our community build strong, healthy lives” says Fran.
Foundry will have six locations across the province, including Abbotsford. The centres will build on existing community programs and unite local organizations under one roof to meet the specific health and wellness needs of youth in each community.
The Abbotsford location will be hosted by Abbotsford Community Services and involve 14 different local service providers. Foundry Abbotsford is expecting between 1,200 and 2,500 youth to access their services each year. The centre is modelled on the Granville Youth Health Centre in Vancouver, which is a pilot project for the Foundry model and home to St. Paul’s Inner City Youth Program.