Young clients of the Foundry organization currently receive its youth mental health and substance use care in a cramped space above an MMA gym, where thin walls mean noise can sometimes interrupt programming.
But the organization is poised to move into a sweeter space — a four-storey former candy warehouse in the heart of Vancouver's Yaletown, thanks to the donation of the multimillion-dollar building nestled among boutiques, restaurants and luxury units.
Executive director Steve Mathias said Thursday that they've had to turn away youth seeking support at their current location but that the new window-filled concrete structure will allow the organization to double the size of its clinic space and move in staff from its research and implementation branches.
"It is a lot easier to sound proof the walls, but it also allows us to have a lot more amenity space, double our counselling rooms, double our primary care rooms, double our group rooms, and really start to bring in community partners," he said.
Mathias said the clinic typically sees about 1,000 to 1,200 youth a year and would like to grow that to 2,000 in the new space which could open to clients as early as December.
BC Assessment shows the latest valuation of the building at 1220 Homer Street at $7.5 million, although the Foundry says the building was bought by the donor last year for $13.25 million. The donor wishes to remain anonymous.
The Foundry offers free mental health and wellness supports for people aged 12 and 24 in B.C. and runs 19 centres across the province, offering the care of primary doctors, social workers or psychiatrists, along with opioid agonist therapy and even cooking classes or help finding housing.
The building was most recently an architectural firm, but according to the Vancouver Heritage Foundation it was built in 1946 and originally used as a biscuit and chocolate warehouse and office for the Walter M. Lowney Co., an American candy company and the manufacturer of “Cherry Blossom” treats.
Mathias said the organization needs about $7 million to complete renovations in the new space and has already raised about $2 million in donations.
He said that owning the new building instead of leasing the old premises would make more money available for maintenance and potential expanded services.
Sarah Vallely, executive director of the Yaletown Business Improvement Association, said her organization looked forward to welcoming the Foundry into the neighbourhood.
"For a neighbourhood like Yaletown, it's really encouraging to see a project that's focused on care and prevention and long-term outcomes, which is not something we've seen in the past in the neighbourhood," she said.
Vallely said she expected some pushback from local businesses to the idea, as there would be "for any project of this magnitude in any neighbourhood."
"But I do think it's important to understand that Foundry is a youth wellness centre, so it's not a crisis site and it's really focused on early intervention and integrated care in a structured setting," she said.
"So in our experience, having accessible supports and really clear pathways to care helps strengthen the community overall."
She said the BIA will work with the organization, the city, and the police if necessary to ensure there is good communication and planning.
Mathias said Foundry coming into a neighbourhood enhances the area.
"It's a space where young people are coming to access their services and at the same time they will access shops, they'll access restaurants," he said.
"So this becomes a space for them to access services like anyone else would, whether it's a health clinic, or a chiropractic clinic, a massage clinic, all within a 500-metre radius of this space."
Amanda Horne is a former client of Foundry who works as a peer support worker in the old Granville Street location said the new space means being able to offer more programming to larger groups.
"Some youth can get very, kind of, overwhelmed sometimes in those groups, if they're large," she said. "So, now we can have more youth come in and join groups, and it may not get as full with more space."
The Foundry said in a news release that the donation gives it a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rewrite the future of youth mental health care" in Vancouver, as the building will be transformed into "B.C.'s most comprehensive youth wellness centre."
The group said the gift comes at a "critical moment" when youth mental health challenges are escalating and toxic drug overdoses are the leading cause of death among youth between 10 and 19 in B.C.
The anonymous donor is quoted in the news release saying that when they first met the Foundry's team, they were struck by how deeply they care, and how much they know, and that's when they decided that their support would make a "truly meaningful impact."
Horne said that after getting help from Foundry herself as a youth, seeing the opportunities that come with the new space is special.
"Having gone through the doors of Foundry, and receiving help, and working with the clients I work with, it's pretty heartwarming to be able to watch these youth come from their struggles and then being able to support them and see them come out on the other side."
Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns
