Thank you for your support of SOS Thrift Shop, you are supporting vital SOS community programs! Thrift Shop Donation Drop-Off Schedule: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10 am - 2 pm. Shopping Hours: Monday - Saturday, 9 am - 4 pm.
Community organizations in the region area are coming together again to offer our most vulnerable residents access to emergency services, items of necessity, and life saving resources under one roof.
The6th Annual Project Connect Health Fair will take place Thursday, Oct. 10 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Parksville Community Centre.
The event, organized by the Oceanside Task Force on Homelessness, was designed to connect residents in need to service providers, businesses and volunteers who are dedicated to eradicating homelessness and the stigmas surrounding it. Service providers such as Island Crisis Care Society, Forward House Community Society, Canadian Mental Health Association, The Career Centre, Mental Health & Substance Use, Ministry of Social Development, and SOS, along with approximately 30 other businesses and community groups, will be on hand to give a hand up to our most vulnerable citizens.
The event will offer free haircuts, hearing exams, foot care, public health testing, information on programs, healthy food, hygiene items, portraits and many other valuable services, all donated from service providers and the community. A veterinarian will also be on hand for those who have pets providing pet food, flea care, vaccinations and food. The Parksville Community Centre has also sponsored the event, making it possible for it to be free for attendees.
Learn about federal government programs, services and benefits at a free seminar hosted by SOS on Oct. 3, 2019. A Service Canada representative will give a presentation and take questions.
The semiars will take place at the SOS Community Services Centres in Parksville and Qualicum Beach. In Parksville it will run from 9:30 am – 11:30 am at 245 Hirst Ave. West. In Qualicum Beach it will take place from 1:30 – 3:30 pm at Qualicum Commons (744 Primrose St.).
The discussions are very popular and there is limited space, so pre-registration is required to reserve a space. Pre-register by calling 250-248-2093 ext. 239. Don’t forget to bring a pen and paper.
SOS and the Tenant Resource & Advisory Centre are hosting a free educational workshop to help local renters have successful rental outcomes. Whether you are just getting into the rental market or have been renting a home for many years, this workshop will help you better understand your rights and obligations, how to protect yourself, and more. The workshop takes place Sept. 18 at 6 p.m. and will run for about 2 hours, including a question and answer period.
Seating is limited. Register today by calling SOS at 250-248-2093.
Do you take time to evaluate your own personal growth? Life can get busy, and we may not make the time to ensure we’re on the right path. If you need some time to work on yourself, grow with others, and gain inspiration, you may want to sign up for the Fall session of the SOS Personal Growth programs. The Women’s Group begins Sept. 11 and runs Wednesdays evenings 6:30 – 8:30 pm until Nov. 27. The Men’s Group begins Sept. 19 and runs Thursdays 7 – 9 pm until Dec. 12. The cost is $5 per person per session, and SOS subsidizes the remaining costs. Follow the links for more information or call 250-248-2093 ext. 225 to register today. Space is limited.
The story of SOS began with three women having a conversation around a kitchen table. Over the last 51 years SOS has grown to become an integral part of our community, created by community, and supported by community. But it wasn’t easy.
The new SOS 50th Anniversary commemorative book entitled Celebrating a Caring Community, tells the amazing story of SOS, from its beginnings to its recent 50th Anniversary celebrations. This project took 3 years to complete, involving a professional writer (Neil Horner) and publishing team (Behind the Book), and brings in voices of clients, staff, volunteers, program participants, community leaders, partners and more. It also reveals the saga of the Thrift Shop before it found its current home at the bustling Hirst Street location.
Celebrating a Caring Community is for sale at local Mulberry Bush Bookstores, at the SOS Thrift Shop and at SOS Community Services Centres in Parksville and Qualicum Beach. The cost is $20 and supports SOS programs and services.
