Family Tree Family Centre

 

What is it?
The Family Tree Family Centre is the culmination of parental and community dedication to providing peer-driven, peer supported services to high priority families in the Kamloops area.  The Centre began as a simple weekly playgroup in October 2005 when two young mothers recognized the need for such a service in the downtown core.  As parents requested additional services that would be helpful, the Centre adapted by providing new services or partnered with existing service providers to offer their services in the downtown location.  Today, Family Tree Family Centre continues to be the only agency of its kind in Kamloops and is utilized by over twenty-five families daily from all areas of Kamloops.  The Centre's informal setting offers the opportunity for families, staff, volunteers, and community professionals alike to interact and enjoy 5 days of participant driven programming.  The Centre not only provides services open to all mainstream families in Kamloops, but has become best known for peer-driven programming that has opened doors for mothers in recovery from addiction.  Whenever possible, staff will partner with service providers to offer professional services to participants in the comfort of the Centre.

When does it run?

Day	Program	Details
Monday 9am-1pm	Drop-in	Open to all high priority families and pregnanct women
Tuesday 6pm-7:30pm	Mothers for Recovery Mentorship Program	Registration Required
Wednesday 9am-1pm	Drop-in	Open to all high priority families and pregnant women
Wednesday 6pm-7pm	Finding Our Voices	Support Group for birth mothers of children with FASD- registration required
Thursday 6pm-7:30pm	Mothers for Recovery Mentorship Program	Registration Required
Friday 9am-11:30am	Mothers for Recovery Support Group	Open to all mothers and pregnant women who wish to be in recovery from drugs and/or alcohol.

Program Details
Family Tree Drop-in Program
Mothers for Recovery Peer Mentorship Program
Mothers for Recovery Support Group

Practical support for high priority families and pregnant women includes:

• emergency bus tickets
• Babys Headstart prenatal nutrtion program
• baby furniture, clothing, diapers, formula and breast pumps upon availability
• adult and children's clothing
• forms and support to complete Rental Assistance, BC Housing, childcare subsidy, Kidsport, Boogie the Birdge, and ARCH applications
• advocacy and support for participants dealing with MCFD, legal issues or appeals
• weekly bread to take home form Cobbs bakery
• Birthday Blessings packages
• Parenting resource lending library
• Community service referrals

  
Who works at Family Tree?
The team of staff and professionals that help to make the centre successful includes:

• Executive Director: Heather Cameron (Mother in Recovery)
  
• Agency Coordiator: Susan Clarke (Mother in Recovery)
  
• Program Facilitator: Jennifer Mc Coy (Mother in Recovery)
  
• Thompson Nicola Resource and Referral Addictions Therapis: Cogi Smith, BSW
• One to One Addicitons Cousellor: Tammi Oram,RPC. of Fairwinds Counselling
• Baby's Headstart Nurse/Staff
• Interior Health Street Nurse
• Interior Health Public Health Nurse
• White Buffalo Supported Childcare Worker
• Volunteer Cook
• Volunteer Childminders
• Volunteer Program Facilitators
• Community Professional Presenters from a wide variety of local mainstream agencies

Photo by Kent Wong Photography