Archway Stories
Every year, thousands of people walk through our doors seeking support and resources. Here are a few stories of how we’ve played a role in assisting members of our community as they forge a path forward.
Volunteer Feature: Sieglinde
Sieglinde has been volunteering with Archway for over seven years. Sieglinde loves teaching and “seeing people succeed”. She designed a confidence-building course for Community Connections where more than 20 women attended. She loves volunteering because it’s rewarding to see how her actions positively affect the people she’s working with.
Volunteer Feature: Ghadeer
When Ghadeer joined the volunteer team in the summer of 2019, she was a newcomer to Canada. Since then, she has been making a significant impact as a volunteer at the Food Bank.
Helping record influx of new Canadians enter the workforce
Find out how Archway is helping new Canadians integrate into the workforce and their community.
South Asian Day Program: Friendship, Fitness, and Fun
This program means more to us than our pensions,” said Jaswant, one of the participants of the South Asian Day program. Jaswant had been insisting that her family send her back to India as she did not want to stay in Canada any longer. After becoming a regular at the...
Cannoli: Providing Calm and Cuddles
Learn about how accredited facility dog Cannoli helps participants and staff in the Family Connections and Education programs.
Breaking Bread with Food Justice
Food Justice staff identify barriers to food access and work together to limit them. They also provide the monthly bulk buy collective.
The Cabin: A Proactive and Collaborative Approach to Homelessness
The Cabin was a transformative experience, impacting approaches to homelessness in Abbotsford.
The Flood that Was
An overview of how the community in Abbotsford was able to overcome the devastation of the floods.
Homeless Prevention Program and Community Legal Advocacy – A Place to Call Home
HPP & Community Legal Advocacy are working together to assist to those dealing with housing concerns.
Food Bank: An Outpouring of Support During the Flooding
The Food Bank received an outpouring of support and donations from the community during the 2021 Flooding.
Supporting Temporary Foreign Workers Displaced by Flooding
The Legal Advocacy for Agricultural Workers program assisted hundreds of temporary workers during the floods.
Community Collaborations Help Protect Victims of Intimate Partner Violence
Collaboration and support provided by Archway’s SVAP helps bring awareness and protects victims of IPV.
A Community of Support After Flooding
The impact of Archway’s Best for Babies program on a mother struggling during the floods.
Foundry – Holistic Health for Youth
An overview of the different youth wellness groups offered at Foundry and their impact on youth.
Meals on Wheels – Serving Nutrition and Connections
The Meals on Wheels program at Archway is celebrating 50 years of serving members in our community.
Foundry Abbotsford Health Centre Marks 4th Year of Helping Youth
Foundry Abbotsford marked it’s fourth anniversary this year since first opening its doors to youth in 2018.
Volunteer Opportunities at Archway
At Archway Community Services we offer multiple volunteer opportunities for all individuals.
A Proactive and Collaborative Approach to Homelessness
Archway provides homeless individuals with multiple resources such as the Cabin and the Lodge.
Life Coaching: Abbotsford Mission Recycling Program Offers a Supportive Workplace
The Abbotsford Mission Recycling program provides both a flexible and supportive environment for its staff.
How Senior Services are Going the Extra Mile to Connect with Vulnerable Older Adults
The Senior Services team provides a variety of services such as delivering meals, income tax help, and more.
How the Opioid Agonist Treatment Centre is Tackling the Opioid Crisis in Abbotsford
The OAT Centre works hard to tackle the increase of intakes due to the effects of COVID on the opioid crisis.
It Takes a Village – Parenting Through a Pandemic, PSTD and Cancer
The Best for Babies team helped support a mother while her husband faced various health concerns.
Food as the Ultimate Community Builder
Archway’s Food Bank supports the community with various partnerships to ensure everyone has access to food.
Employment Programs Help Job Seekers Navigate the Changing Economy
How different employment programs at Archway have helped job seekers during the pandemic.
Syrian Refugees Families Thriving and Giving Back
Syrian refugee families are giving back to the community in ways they were supported when they first arrived.
The Diversity Education Program sees a Spike in Incident Reports
A look into the increase of incident reports of both racism and discrimination towards minorities.
Providing Youth Mental Health Services in Challenging Times – Youth Resource Centre (YRC)
The Youth Resource Centre provides youth with a variety of mental health services during difficult times.
Providing Youth Mental Health Services in Challenging Times – Foundry
Youth mental health services during the pandemic were provided through virtual sessions at Foundry.
Providing Youth Mental Health Services in Challenging Times – Basic Life Skills Training (BLT)
BLT mental health services were provided during the pandemic through various outdoor visits.
How Community Partnerships are Helping Local Youth Thrive
Partnerships through the community allow youth to thrive by assuring them that the community cares.
Social Prescribing Program Links Vulnerable Seniors to Health Supports
The social prescribing program is able to support seniors who are needing access to available heath supports.
Stories from Male Survivors of Sexual Assault
Male survivors of sexual assault share their stories and bring awareness to the impact of sexual abuse.
How Archway Continues to Pivot to Meet Community Needs
Archway is now focusing its services and programs on four different types of areas that meet community needs.
A Year in a Pandemic: Reflecting on COVID-19’s Impact
Reflecting on the impact the pandemic has had on services and programs at Archway.
ITS: Translating the Essentials During a Global Pandemic
ITS overcame challenges with Covid, ensuring individuals still had access to services in languages they understand.
Behind the Scenes at Archway
Staff at Archway took precautions to ensure programs and facilities would continue to run during the pandemic.
Abbotsford Youth Health Centre: Partners in Wellness
How the AYHC has transitioned from a part-time clinic to a instrumental part of Foundry Abbotsford.
Right Now It’s Like This: Counselling Services During a Global Pandemic
The pandemic increased the demand for counselling, leading to a variety of services now being offered.
Family Connections & Family Education: Support and Education During Unprecedented Times
Family Connections and Family Education have provided vital services to clients during the pandemic.
Legal Advocacy: No Adjournment of Services During COVID-19
Archway’s legal advocacy programs found innovative ways to serve clients during the pandemic.
Archway Food Bank: Open in Tough Times
The Archway food bank adopted new ways to meet the increased demand during the pandemic.
Fraser Valley Human Dignity Coalition: 20 Years of Responding to Hate and Honouring Diversity
The FVHDC is marking 20 years of responding to discrimination within the community.
Rod Santiago Marks 10 Years as Archway Executive Director
Executive Director, Rod Santiago, marks 10 years at Archway Community Services.
Abby Dads: 10 Years of Supporting Fathers in Active Parenting
Abby Dads has supported fathers for over 10 years, helping create healthy relationships with their families.
STRIDE: Stepping into a New Program During a Global Pandemic
During the pandemic, STRIDE has continued to help people over the age of 55 gain employability skills.
LINC: A Celebration of Learning Online and Overcoming Obstacles
The LINC program made a successful transition to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Career Paths Helps Mansi Fulfill Graphic Design Dream
Career Paths for Skilled Immigrants helps a client get a full-time job at a local design company.
Discovery Staff ‘Parade’ for Participants
Discovery staff paraded through participants neighborhoods after activities were suspended.
Supporting Victims of Abuse
How the Specialized Victims Assistance Program is able to support those dealing with abuse.
Meet Runjan: Archway Recruitment & Engagement Specialist
How newcomer, Runjan used the employment services available at Archway to support her career goals.
Banking on a New Life in Canada: Gurdas’ Story
Gurdas’ story of how Archway’s programs for newcomers helped him find career success at Prospera.