(image credit - Foundry BC/YouTube)

By Michael Reeve

FOUNDRY KAMLOOPS

Foundry Kamloops finds a home thanks to legacy donation from Desert Gardens Community Seniors Centre

Jul 24, 2024 | 7:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — Two years ago, B.C. Mental Health and Addictions Minister Shelia Malcolmson came to Kamloops to announce that the city was next in line to receive a Foundry Centre. Foundry offers young people aged 12 to 24 and their families a variety of services to address mental health and substance use challenges.

At that time, it was noted finding a suitable location would be the hardest piece of the puzzle to opening locally, with Interior Community Services (ICS) being contracted to establish the centre. Nearly two years to the day after the minister’s announcement, Foundry Kamloops officially has a home.

It’s a donation that will serve as a lasting legacy from one generation to another.

“We CSC (Community Seniors Centre), have made the decision as a not-for-profit to another not-for-profit, to gift to ICS our premises of Strata Lot 54 being the entire ground floor (of Desert Gardens) for their vision of developing Foundry Kamloops focusing on our future generations,” said Penny Ouchi, longtime president of CSS.

The property being transfer to ICS is worth approximately $3 million and ensures that the next generation in Kamloops will have access to vital health and social services.

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“There are five streams of service in Foundry,” said Foundry Kamloops Manager Lisa Johannesen. “Physical and sexual health services — so that can look like a doctor, a nurse practitioner, a registered nurse — mental health services — that can look like 1-on-1 clinical counseling, that can look like group activities, that can look like an art night, that can look like being in a garden. Anything that supports young people’s mental health that has a home here at Foundry.”

Foundry focuses on substance use and addiction, social work, and peer supports. With a location secured, a capital fundraising campaign is now underway to help with the costs of renovating the seniors centre.

“Now we need to raise some funds to make those renovations happen,” said Sadie Hunter, ICS Associate Executive Director. “We are launching a $4-million capital campaign to go towards the costs associated with renovating this space. We have already secured $1.5 million toward that purpose, so this is where we launch into our $2.5-million capital campaign for Foundry Kamloops and we are hoping to raise that in the next year.”

The goal is to open the doors of Foundry Kamloops in 2026.