Island Community Services

What began as a cupboard became a movement Island Community Services - HARVEST FOOD PROGRAMS Food security is one of Island Community Services' (ICS) longest and most tangible commitments. From a humble cupboard in 1975 to today’s integrated Harvest food programs, the story of ICS’s food services is one of vision, growth, and community care. The “Harvest” family of food programs includes growing, harvesting, cooking, preserving, and distributing food. These services work together to reach low-income families and individuals through meal programs, community fridges, the Food Bank, and home deliveries. HARVEST KITCHEN Operating from the commercial kitchen at Fulford Hall, the Harvest Kitchen supplies food for the Emergency Shelter, Harvest Home Meals, a weekly community meal held in partnership with several community churches and other ICS programs. Originally located at ICS’s Core Building on McPhillips Ave in 2017, the kitchen centralized meal prep for all ICS food …

Food Banks Canada released their annual Hunger Count report for 2025 on October 27th, highlighting the fallout from the ever-escalating pace of food cost increases. The Hunger Count is an annual event counting attendance at participating food banks across the country for the month of March. “Every year, food banks across the country are setting new records,” reads the opening line of the summary of findings. Food banks recorded almost 2.2 million visits in the 2025 count - double that of only six years ago. While the monthly Consumer Price Index reporting general inflation has been hovering around 2% over the last year, the cost of food was reported almost double that, at 3.9% increase in September. Likewise, the cost of housing has far outpaced any increase in the purchasing power of average wages over the last several years. On Salt Spring, 45% of renters and 20% of homeowners are spending more than 30% of their income on housing according to the latest Vital Signs…

Following an era of uncertainty surrounding the last provincial election and re-organization of ministries, it was confirmed last month that adults living with mental-health challenges will continue to have access to low- or no-cost counselling services to help them get well. “When someone takes the courageous step of reaching out for mental-health support, services must be there for them,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “Over the past six years, thousands of people across B.C. have received low- and no-cost counselling, many for the very first time. With this investment, we’re ensuring that people can continue to find affordable, life-changing mental-health care when they need it most.” Salt Spring Island was one of the 44 communities in the province benefitting from the program delivered through the Community Action Initiative with the Community Counselling program at Island Community Services. The Community Action Initiative (CAI), which is a non-profit organ…

The Island Community Services (ICS) Active Aging program builds on decades of grassroots support, including the longstanding Better at Home initiative, run by Shellyse Szakacs for over 10 years. Under the leadership of Kyla Duncan, Clinical Director, and alongside Deanna Roewood, Seniors’ Community Connector, the team is now re-imagining aging on the island using the provincial Active Aging framework, delivered in partnership with United Way BC. ICS, celebrating 50 years of community service this year, has been supporting seniors since its earliest days, often through partnerships with local groups. In the 1980s, community leaders like Mary Toynbee, Bob Appleton, and ICS staff member Rhema Cossover helped launch the Seniors for Seniors initiative and the original Seniors Wellness program. For years, ICS led a collaborative wellness effort alongside Salt Spring Seniors, the Gulf Islands Seniors Residence Association, and Lady Minto Hospital. Today, the work continues with e…

June 25, 2025 Salt Spring Island youth are getting more supports for mental health and substance abuse prevention with an expanded program area at Island Community Services. A recent awarding of an Island Health Youth Resiliency Grant will allow the agency to bolster the harm reduction component of the Youth Centre at The Core into a key program area. The Youth Centre is a central program within the youth services at Island Community Services, providing a safe and supportive place for youth aged 11-18 after school from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM at The Core Building at 134 McPhillips Avenue in Ganges. The program is available for drop-in with no registration or appointment necessary. It serves free and at-cost food and features planned program activities. “The Child and Youth Mental Health team has included a position focused on substance use counselling for many years,” explains Kyla Duncan, Clinical Director at Island Community Services. “This will strengthen and formaliz…

A Day in the Life: Rosalie & Debbie — Champions of Inclusive Community Life At Island Community Services, our team supports adults with diverse abilities through Community Living BC (CLBC) programs that run morning, noon, and night. Two of our champions — Rosalie and Debbie —lead this work with dedication, compassion[RW1] and more than a little ingenuity. Key elements of the program area include: Community Inclusion; Health and Safety; Self Determination; and Person-Centered Planning (individualized planning and supports so each person can live their own best life). The programs for adults with support needs at Island Community Services includes the FRIENDS day program, a staffed residential care program for 5 adults (Vesuvius Home), Individual Support for clients living independently, and supervision of the Homeshare programs operating on Salt Spring Island. It is one of the original program areas run by Island Community Services, starting half a century ago a…