Central Okanagan Foundation Helps Those With Life Challenges

At Ethel Glen Home we assist vulnerable residents of the Central Okanagan who live with ongoing life challenges, barriers to employment, and who rely on income assistance to get by. In our community the cost of housing and food has become a critical issue for so many. It is because of the recognized need in our area that we provide our services to those most in need.

BC Life Builders Rehabilitation Society, aka Ethel Glen, is a registered society in B.C. and has a CRA charity status. We have operated a supportive living home on Ethel Street in Kelowna for over 30 years. Ethel Glen is an independent-living-with-support residence where 14 men and women receive safe and warm shelter, healthy meals, positive affirmation, acceptance, socialization, life skills training, learning and volunteering opportunities. The name “Ethel Glen” was chosen as it links with and honors an early pioneering family of Kelowna.

Recent inflation and international economic pressures have caused great increases in operating costs for non-profit organizations. With this in mind, the Central Okanagan Foundation has stepped forward with an Operational Grant to assist Ethel Glen in the provision of these much-needed services to our most vulnerable citizens.

Bonny Koehn, one of the Society Directors stated, “It is not easy in these challenging times to continue to maintain a quality service at a reasonable cost. Our residents need assistance with their life circumstances and have incomes below the poverty line. It is a difficult situation for so many.”

Tom Smithwick, the Board Chairman, expressed, “There are many challenges in our community and many fundraising efforts taking place. It is therefore with much gratitude that we say ‘thank you’ to the Central Okanagan Foundation for including us in their philanthropic offerings. The need is great for those with special challenges and poverty. When a community foundation steps up to offer financial assistance to the individuals in need, the entire community benefits. We are very grateful!”

So many people with mental health struggles end up living on the streets where they are so vulnerable. This creates a great cost to our community, in so many ways. Thanks to the Central Okanagan Foundation and their generous donors, our residents truly are “Finding Purpose in Community” at Ethel Glen. We all benefit from this caring and generosity.