Vancity supports Aunt Leah’s in helping women become self-sufficient

Imagine yourself as a young woman who has just given birth to a beautiful, healthy baby. You've been connected for nine months, but you're just meeting, and it's love at first sight. But then, because you don't have a safe home to take your baby to, child protection officers take your baby into foster care, and you leave the hospital alone.

This unthinkable event takes place at least twice a month at BC Women's Hospital, and it's a situation that Aunt Leah's Independent Lifeskills Society aims to stop.

Aunt Leah's Thresholds program is designed to help new mothers who need supported housing and coaching on the life and parenting skills many of us take for granted. Thresholds prevents young moms from becoming homeless and losing their children to foster care, and supports these women on their journey to self-sufficiency.

Since 2007, Vancity has provided grants to support Aunt Leah's services, as well as advice on building the capacity of the organization to better help women in need.