Reaching Home aims to prevent and reduce homelessness across Canada. This program provides funding to urban, Indigenous, rural, and remote communities across the Nanaimo region to address homelessness.
Reaching Home supports the goals of the National Housing Strategy, in particular, to support the most vulnerable Canadians in maintaining safe, stable and affordable housing and to reduce chronic homelessness nationally by 50% by fiscal 2027.
Reaching Home and United Way BC
United Way BC (Central and Northern Vancouver Island) is a designated Community Entity (CE) for Reaching Home in Nanaimo and Cowichan.
This role means that we:
Leverage decades of local relationships with service providers and community programs
Provide administrative support to Community Advisory Boards (CABs) in Nanaimo and Cowichan
Hold and administer funding dollars as directed by local CABs
How we’re making a difference
United Way British Columbia has been the CE in Nanaimo for more than five years, and the CE in the Cowichan area for even longer. We’re proud to utilize our existing relationships with local agencies, our knowledge of local programs, and our years of studying local needs to help direct funding to truly impactful initiatives. As part of Reaching Home, we’re not only getting people housing and support but making our communities a better home for everyone.
We’re making a difference by:
Supporting initiatives helping to prevent and reduce homelessness.
Ensuring grants meet local needs by putting funding decisions in the hands of local service providers, residents, and First Nations.
Developing Coordinated Access Systems (CAS) to provide streamlined access to housing and supports.
To learn more about our impact in the community, please see the videos and stories below.
About Funded Programs
Homelessness is a national issue, but the solutions required to address homelessness must be customized in local communities. Locally led and driven initiatives are the ideal way to provide services to those most in need. United Way BC distributes Reaching Home funding to local non-profit organizations and agencies in Nanaimo, Cowichan, and Duncan, including Indigenous and urban communities.
All funding recommendations are presented to the advisory boards from each community (Cowichan and Nanaimo) through an application and approval process that aligns with their community plans.
The Reaching Home program distributes funding through several streams, each with its own requirements. Additional Reaching Home funding was provided in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 Emergency Funding: Non-recurring funding divided into Indigenous and Designated streams meant to provide additional support to the homeless-serving sector.
Annual Allocations: Recurring funding provided annually for a number of years. These funds can be used to provide multi-year support to a particular service or pay for one-off project expenses. Funds are divided into Indigenous and Designated streams.
Indigenous Stream: Funds organizations that meet the unique needs of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Intended for Indigenous organizations in urban centres.
Designated Stream: Provides long-term, stable funding to organizations addressing homelessness in the Designated Community.
2025-2026 Funded Agencies
Ts’i’ts’uwatul’ Allocations
Cowichan Green Community Foundation (CGC) – Food for Youth First
Supporting vulnerable Cowichan youth who are street-entrenched, at risk of homeless, and/or precariously housed.
CGC, the Cowichan Health Network, Island Health, the Cowichan Community Action Team, and other organizations have been working on the “First for Youth” Initiative to increase housing, food, and supports for vulnerable youth since 2022.
This service will provide a connection to the recently announced youth housing initiative in the Cowichan area.
Cowichan Housing Association
The Housing Loss Prevention Program consists of a range of support services for people in the Cowichan Region who are at risk of becoming unhoused.
The team works with individuals to connect them to supports and builds relationships with landlords and property management companies to prevent disputes from ending in evictions.
Cowichan Lake Community Services (CLCSS) – Homelessness Prevention & Support Program
This project is aimed at supporting vulnerable community members who are experiencing homelessness and/or who are at imminent risk of becoming homeless and includes a Community Navigator position, who works directly with clients and helps them meet their basic needs.
Resource packages will provide information to the outreach workers who deliver the youth meals.
Youth will also gain access to workshops and programming to learn new skills at our 2 teaching farms, retails store, food recovery program, cob oven and commercial kitchen.
Cowichan Tribes Ts’ewulhtun Health Centre – Tl’l’to’mukw’ mustimuhw (Each Person is Important)
The “Each person is important (Tl’i’ to’ mukw’ mustimuhw)” project will address the intersection of homelessness and substance misuse by bridging the gaps in care and ensuring that we are both meeting people where they are at in meeting basic needs for survival, harm reduction, cultural connections and access to medical and outreach care, as well as raising people up with hope and dignity on their healing path.
For some, that means empowerment to give back to community through peers work, for others it means attending addictions services.
This service is an innovative response to the gap between treatment, hospital stays or other leaves from the community and being housed. Without this service many people would end their treatment stay and could become homeless.
Cowichan Valley Basket Society – A Place to Be
A Place to Be provides a safe haven for people experiencing homelessness, with access to essential services, including restrooms, a phone, clothing, WIFI, a hot lunch, and food hampers.
Guests can also connect with other services. Additionally, it offers a secure space for individuals to meet and socialize with others.
Cowichan Women’s Health Society – Nuts’a’wuqu Lelum Coordinated Access
A successful regional Coordinated Access System will enable our community to:
Organize and deliver a range of services to address homelessness in a coordinated manner;
Support implementation, maintenance, and improvement in the use of HIFIS.
Support data governance and data management efforts to improve data quality to meet and maintain federal CA and Outcomes-Based Approach requirements.
This service is being designed in collaboration with diverse partners and includes First Nations and Indigenous led groups.
Ladysmith Resources Centre Association – Housing Support Services Program
Supporting community members in Ladysmith in core housing need by building capacity and providing support for individuals and families to secure and sustain healthy and appropriate housing.
Case Management services and providing a stable address to receive important government correspondence.
Other supports available to families and individuals include access to clothing, bedding, laundry services and shower services. In emergencies we can provide shelters through our 24/7 Shelter. The LRCA will continue to work with CHA to engage other organizations and service agencies in the Ladysmith area.
Malahat Nation – Malahat Nation Housing Supports
Supporting stable and safe access to housing for the members of Malahat Nation both on and off reserve.
Supporting building capacity and cultivating cultural practices and sensitivities in the implementation and delivery of Malahat housing services and programs/ support waitlists/Housing set ups.
Cowichan Women Against Violence – Cedar Branches and Homelessness Prevention Program
CWAV Society’s Homelessness Prevention Program, supported by the Indigenous Women’s Council, is committed to providing culturally safe, trauma-informed services to women, women-identifying individuals, and their families at risk of housing loss.
The program is designed to prevent homelessness by offering financial assistance, referrals, and supportive services tailored to Indigenous and non-Indigenous clients in the Cowichan Valley, including those living on reserve.
Cowichan Tribes Ts’ewulhtun Health Centre – Tl’l’to’mukw’ mustimuhw (Each Person is Important)
The “Each person is important (Tl’i’ to’ mukw’ mustimuhw)” project will address the intersection of homelessness and substance misuse by bridging the gaps in care and ensuring that we are both meeting people where they are at in meeting basic needs for survival, harm reduction, cultural connections and access to medical and outreach care, as well as raising people up with hope and dignity on their healing path. For some, that means empowerment to give back to community through peers work, for others it means attending addictions.
Hiiye’yu Lelum House of Friendship – Homelessness Breakfast Program
Provides client support services addressing basic needs: breakfast, lunch, access to shower and laundry facility, clothing depot, personal care items, cultural supports, referrals for counselling, health care, shelter, outreach, extreme weather extend hours (heat, cold). To provide support services that meet basic essential needs and are a cultural connection that build a sense of belonging.
Outreach helps builds connection to community and support services aid the client in working toward social integration. The Program Elder shares traditional knowledge/teachings and the other. Elder is able to provide cultural healing ceremony. Our Addictions Counsellor also attends the breakfast program regularly to build relationships and if the Homelessness staff make a referral for Addictions counseling, it is an easier process if the client knows the counsellor.
Nanaimo Allocations
7-10 Club – Double Bagging It
Provision of food, the equivalent of 2 meals/person, through distribution to Nanaimo and Area Resource Services for Families (NARSF) for delivery to various locations through outreach. A total of 120-150 2 meal bags are delivered. Surplus food pickups are distributed to other meal programs and some supportive housing.
AVI – Harm Reduction/Food/Basic Needs
Our Indigenous led Outreach team strives to supply our current and future clients with the basic necessities they require to maintain stability on the path to less precarious housing. We supply support around groceries, food cards, immediate consumables.
Island Crisis Care Society (ICCS) – Connections4Hope
Connections4Hope aims to deliver essential life skills, employment skills training, and work placement opportunities to people who have experienced homelessness but are now ready to re-integrate more fully into independence and community life.
Island Crisis Care Society (ICCS) in collaboration with Nanaimo Family Life Association (NFLA) and the City of Nanaimo – Nanaimo Drop In Hub
Collaborative initiative between ICCS & NFLA to create a community-based day-time drop-in hub providing basic services, resources, and overnight shelter beds (NFLA). Partner agencies provide comprehensive supports including culturally appropriate supports & connections to community for indigenous people.
The City of Nanaimo and United Way BC are working with other partners including BC Housing, Island Health, and MSDPR to provide a support safety net for people who in a vulnerable situation and risk increased marginalization without access to these supports.
Nanaimo Family Life Association (NFLA) – Shine Program (Seniors) and Showers & Navigation
The SHINE program will provide one-to-one assistance to eligible people aged 55 and older who are actively unhoused or at high risk of losing their current housing. The program will help participants to apply for subsidized housing, assist them in residential tenancy disputes to prevent homelessness and help the tenants search thoroughly for a home and consider all available housing options.
The shower program operates five days a week, 260 days a year and serves the unhoused population in Nanaimo. The service also collaborates with other partners to ensure there is connection to other services that people may need.
Nanaimo Brain Injury Society (NBIS) – Peer Support Program
NBIS offers peer support to brain injury survivors and families at Nanaimo Hospital. Peer volunteers visit patients & families 3 days/week on the rehab units providing connection and care, while reducing the negative impacts of life after brain injury.
Nanaimo Systems Planning Organization (SPO – Coordination of Resources and Data Collection
The NSPO is the identified coordinating organization of coordinated access and data-driven service delivery (e.g., supporting Coordinated Access, the Outcomes-Based Approach and use of HIFIS or existing, equivalent Homeless Management Information System). The Designated Community, Community Capacity and Innovation (CCI) funding will be used to support this work in the following areas:
Governance Mapping and Local Leadership Structure
Coordinated Access
CA Policies and Procedures
Systems Mapping
HIFIS (including Outcomes Based Approach)
Community Working Groups (Indigenous/Lived and Living Experience/Coordinated Access/Other))
Pacifica Housing Advisory Association – Community Connections
The Community Connections Program (CCP) is a client-centred homeless prevention program designed to meet the needs of vulnerable, marginalized residents of PHAA’s portfolio of 167 subsidized and affordable permanent independent living housing units in Nanaimo.
The program connects with individuals at risk of becoming homeless and works with them, their landlord or other parties to maintain housing and create a healthy living environment.
Snuneymuxw First Nation – Wrapping Blankets
‘qiw’ cawutul Syacys – ‘qiw’ means wrap around something; Cawutul means helping each other; Sya:ys ~ means work/services to community/people (wrapping around each other and community)
From a harm-reduction, trauma-informed framework, we endeavor to provide the indigenous population with low barrier access to a Social Worker, Peer support, and cultural supports. These supports will enhance our capabilities to advocate and connect indigenous people to the appropriate resources. Further, we will be able to provide harm reduction supplies and education delivered by peers and properly trained professionals. We will also be able to create stronger working relationships while collaborating with other organizations.
Tillicum Lelum – Young Mom’s House & Housing Navigator
Staff will provide individualized support helping Indigenous young mom clients and develop a plan to address barriers in maintaining and sustaining permanent housing.
Facilitated delivery of culturally competent homelessness programming, in keeping with the Indigenous homelessness definition document.
A significant pillar in keeping Indigenous families together, reconnecting with their culture and supports and being able to identify a future path for themselves.
Ts’i’ts’uwatul’ (Cowichan) Community Advisory Board (CAB)
Ts’i’ts’uwatul’ receives funding from Reaching Home to invest in solutions to end homelessness for Indigenous and non-Indigenous members of the community.
Community Plan for Cowichan Designated Community Stream and Duncan Indigenous Stream. Compiled by United Way BC (Community Entity) and Cowichan Women’s Health Collective (Coordinated Access Lead) – May 13th 2025
Nanaimo Community Advisory Board (CAB)
The Nanaimo Community Advisory Board (CAB) on Homelessness was formed to align leadership, who together, oversee investments made in the Nanaimo region to prevent and address homelessness through the Government of Canada’s Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy.
Nanaimo Community Plan for Nanaimo Designated Community Stream. Compiled by United Way BC (Community Entity) – May 8th, 2025
United Way British Columbia works in communities in BC’s North, Interior, Lower Mainland and Central & Northern Vancouver Island, a vast geographical area that includes 195 indigenous communities, 34 distinct languages, seven language families, and two isolated language families. Our commitment is to honour the cultural distinctiveness in languages, governance systems, traditions, and cultural heritage of each community.
In following with this important responsibility, we acknowledge that the services outlined will be for operations that will occur in the unceded homelands of the Snuneymuxw First Nation. The Snuneymuxw are a vibrant First Nation of the Coast Salish People, residing in the centre of Coast Salish territory on the eastern coast of Vancouver Island, with villages on the Fraser River and waterways in the Gulf Islands. On December 23, 1854, the Snuneymuxw People entered the Snuneymuxw Treaty of 1854 to forever and always preserve and protect Snuneymuxw villages, enclosed fields, waterways, harvesting and gathering, and the rights to hunt and fisheries as formerly. Often referred to as a trade and commerce treaty, the Snuneymuxw Treaty of 1854 is protected under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982. The Ancestors were brilliant to protect the Snuneymuxw way of being by entering into the strongest treaty agreement available to Canada.
Through applying the principles of reconciliation to our work we offer our networks, our voices, and our resources. We invite you to join this work in an atmosphere of understanding, dignity, and respect towards reconciliation as we work to address the inequities and injustices that continue to impact First Peoples in the communities that we serve.
Grants & Opportunities
Thank you for your interest. Applications are now closed.
About Reaching Home Funding
Reaching Home funding is available in the Cowichan Region (including Duncan) and in the City of Nanaimo. There are Designated and Indigenous streams in each of the locations.
Indigenous Homelessness
Providing funding to organizations that help support Indigenous people living off Nation (Reserve) and who are experiencing homelessness and/ or who are at risk of experiencing homelessness.
Projects
Reaching Home projects address the following challenges:
Housing Services: Services that lead to an individual or family transitioning into more stable housing that has been deemed appropriate and safe.
Coordination of Resources & Data Collection: Activities that enhance understanding of local homelessness issues and help support decision-making and longer-term planning.
Client Support Services: Individualized services to help improve integration and connectedness to support structures, such as the provision of basic needs and clinical or other treatment services, as well as economic, social, and community integration services.
Prevention and Shelter Diversion: Activities aimed at preventing homelessness by supporting individuals and families at imminent risk of homelessness before a crisis occurs.
A safe place for many who lived on the street, this complex is a thriving community that embraces the artistic natures and green thumbs of its residents.
