our History
Positive Living Fraser Valley Society (PLFV) history is a story of community collaboration and dedication to taking action in developing services for people living with HIV/AIDS in this region.
Looking back, it was through the efforts of a former Fraser Health Authority (FHA) Director of Planning and Development, which initiated the Fall 2003 HIV/AIDS Community Forum. The result of this forum was the convening of the Mission-Abbotsford HIV Community Task Group.
This committee included representatives from:
This committee was instrumental in getting a FHA Community Health Grant to fund an HIV Needs Assessment in the Mission-Abbotsford area. Additional funds were contributed by The BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS and the Mennonite Central Committee BC.
The Mission-Abbotsford HIV/AIDS Needs Assessment was completed and presented in February 2005. Over 100 people attended the Feb 2005 Mission-Abbotsford HIV/AIDS Community Forum. The Project Coordinator, presented the findings that identified 15 gaps in services. After hearing reports in the morning, the afternoon was dedicated to engaging four task groups to look more closely at these gaps and to collaborate on potential solutions. The groups were: 1) Medical Care, 2) Nutrition, 3) Information, Education & Transportation, and 4) The Other 10 Identified Needs.
It was this pivotal event that lead to the development of PLFV. A participant in Group 4 asked the question, “Why is there not an AIDS Serving Organization (ASO), like AIDS Vancouver, in the Fraser Valley to provide for all these needs?” Everyone in that working group agreed that establishing an ASO in the Fraser Valley could be the answer to many of the gaps in services discovered in the Mission-Abbotsford HIV Needs Assessment report. The Mission-Abbotsford HIV Community Task Group worked together the following year to create Positive Living Fraser Valley Society.
Looking back, it was through the efforts of a former Fraser Health Authority (FHA) Director of Planning and Development, which initiated the Fall 2003 HIV/AIDS Community Forum. The result of this forum was the convening of the Mission-Abbotsford HIV Community Task Group.
This committee included representatives from:
- Abbotsford Community Services (ACS)
- Abbotsford Hospice
- Abbotsford Public Health Nurse
- HIV Community Activist/Spouse of HIV+ Person
- Mennonite Central Committee BC (MCCBC)
- Mission Community Services
- Mission Hospice
- Mission Public Health Nurse
- Positive Living BC (previously known as BC Persons with AIDS Society)
This committee was instrumental in getting a FHA Community Health Grant to fund an HIV Needs Assessment in the Mission-Abbotsford area. Additional funds were contributed by The BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS and the Mennonite Central Committee BC.
The Mission-Abbotsford HIV/AIDS Needs Assessment was completed and presented in February 2005. Over 100 people attended the Feb 2005 Mission-Abbotsford HIV/AIDS Community Forum. The Project Coordinator, presented the findings that identified 15 gaps in services. After hearing reports in the morning, the afternoon was dedicated to engaging four task groups to look more closely at these gaps and to collaborate on potential solutions. The groups were: 1) Medical Care, 2) Nutrition, 3) Information, Education & Transportation, and 4) The Other 10 Identified Needs.
It was this pivotal event that lead to the development of PLFV. A participant in Group 4 asked the question, “Why is there not an AIDS Serving Organization (ASO), like AIDS Vancouver, in the Fraser Valley to provide for all these needs?” Everyone in that working group agreed that establishing an ASO in the Fraser Valley could be the answer to many of the gaps in services discovered in the Mission-Abbotsford HIV Needs Assessment report. The Mission-Abbotsford HIV Community Task Group worked together the following year to create Positive Living Fraser Valley Society.
Positive Living Fraser Valley was incorporated in August of 2006 and granted Charitable Status in 2008. The founding board was made up of 8 individuals:
The board has 12 seats with four seats reserved for people with HIV/AIDS. It started with dedicated board members who had a Mission & Vision, but no funding. The board worked at creating a strategic plan and networking with funders and other HIV/AIDS services.
In 2005, at the same time the committee was working on the incorporation of PLFV, The Lower Mainland Purpose Society was provided funding to assist in creating a “Positive Space” in 3 areas of the FHA: the north, the south and the east. Edoye Porbeni, the Project Coordinator, put together a small committee made up of representatives from ACS, Abbotsford Hospice, ACM HIV/AIDS Resource Society (a group from the Anglican Church), MCCBC, and a person living with HIV. In fall of 2006, we opened “The Lighthouse Centre”, a drop-in resource centre for people with HIV. It was originally housed in the basement of Abbotsford Hospice and one-year later it was moved to a basement room at ACS. The Lighthouse Centre name is no longer used but the drop in centre still thrives.
In January of 2007, Fraser Health contracted with MCCBC on a pilot project to provide a full-time Outreach HIV/AIDS Support Worker for the Fraser East area. The pilot project was definitely successful and went on to see Fraser Health fund outreach HIV support workers for the north and south regions. ACS and MCCBC worked together to develop an HIV/AIDS Food Bank called hp Food Bank for “high protein” needs (through ACS), and worked on providing volunteer drivers to assist with medical appointments (through MCCBC).
- Wayne Bremner, MCCBC Director (Chair)
- Kathy Doerksen, ACS Manager (Co-Chair)
- Stephanie Ediger, Mission Hospice Director (Treasurer)
- Bridget Findlay, MCCBC HIV/AIDS Program Coordinator (Secretary)
- Mark Smith, Person with HIV
- Cathy Wall, Abbotsford Public Health Nurse
- Beth Shogren, Abbotsford Hospice
- Barbara Metcalf, Mission Public Health Nurse
The board has 12 seats with four seats reserved for people with HIV/AIDS. It started with dedicated board members who had a Mission & Vision, but no funding. The board worked at creating a strategic plan and networking with funders and other HIV/AIDS services.
In 2005, at the same time the committee was working on the incorporation of PLFV, The Lower Mainland Purpose Society was provided funding to assist in creating a “Positive Space” in 3 areas of the FHA: the north, the south and the east. Edoye Porbeni, the Project Coordinator, put together a small committee made up of representatives from ACS, Abbotsford Hospice, ACM HIV/AIDS Resource Society (a group from the Anglican Church), MCCBC, and a person living with HIV. In fall of 2006, we opened “The Lighthouse Centre”, a drop-in resource centre for people with HIV. It was originally housed in the basement of Abbotsford Hospice and one-year later it was moved to a basement room at ACS. The Lighthouse Centre name is no longer used but the drop in centre still thrives.
In January of 2007, Fraser Health contracted with MCCBC on a pilot project to provide a full-time Outreach HIV/AIDS Support Worker for the Fraser East area. The pilot project was definitely successful and went on to see Fraser Health fund outreach HIV support workers for the north and south regions. ACS and MCCBC worked together to develop an HIV/AIDS Food Bank called hp Food Bank for “high protein” needs (through ACS), and worked on providing volunteer drivers to assist with medical appointments (through MCCBC).
PLFV was just newly created and had not yet had the opportunity to provide services. With great persuasion, MCCBC and ACS convinced Fraser Health to renew the support worker contract with PLFV. MCCBC felt these services should be delivered by PLFV, the new ASO for this area. It was 2008 when PLFV received its first funding from the Fraser Health Authority. It allowed us to hire a full-time Outreach Support Worker. We began to reach out and support people living with HIV/AIDS. These services ran out of an office at MCCBC for two years.
Finally in June of 2010 PLFV received funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada (ACAP program) and Fraser Health to secure a location for an HIV/AIDS Community Centre. The Lighthouse Centre Project was now transferred to PLFV with a new location on Clearbrook Road in Abbotsford. The support worker also moved to a dedicated office in this location. This funding also allowed PLFV to hire it's first Executive Director, Kari Hackett.
The next couple of years were a time of growing pains when board and staff worked together at grant writing, increased staffing, providing more services and board development to create a strong ASO. Today PLFV has a $790,769 budget, 12 staff, operates a community HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C Resource Centre, a drop-in area at the centre and provides one-on-one support to people living with HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C. In addition it has a second drop in centre called PARC (Prevention Assessment Resource Centre) which serves those that are street entrenched and suffering from addiction and other concurrent disorders.
PLFV is funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) through their AIDS Community Action Program and Hepatitis C Program. PLFV also receives annual funding from the Fraser Health Authority. PLFV acknowledges funding from the Province of British Columbia. In addition, PLFV has received grants from various resources, such as Vancouver Foundation, Shooting Stars Foundation, Abbotsford Community Foundation, ViiV Healthcare, MAC AIDS Foundation, and the ongoing generous donations from the public sector of the Fraser Valley..
Public Health Agency of Canada
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/index-eng.php
The Fraser Health Authority: Stop HIV Initiative
http://www.fraserhealth.ca/
Finally in June of 2010 PLFV received funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada (ACAP program) and Fraser Health to secure a location for an HIV/AIDS Community Centre. The Lighthouse Centre Project was now transferred to PLFV with a new location on Clearbrook Road in Abbotsford. The support worker also moved to a dedicated office in this location. This funding also allowed PLFV to hire it's first Executive Director, Kari Hackett.
The next couple of years were a time of growing pains when board and staff worked together at grant writing, increased staffing, providing more services and board development to create a strong ASO. Today PLFV has a $790,769 budget, 12 staff, operates a community HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C Resource Centre, a drop-in area at the centre and provides one-on-one support to people living with HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C. In addition it has a second drop in centre called PARC (Prevention Assessment Resource Centre) which serves those that are street entrenched and suffering from addiction and other concurrent disorders.
PLFV is funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) through their AIDS Community Action Program and Hepatitis C Program. PLFV also receives annual funding from the Fraser Health Authority. PLFV acknowledges funding from the Province of British Columbia. In addition, PLFV has received grants from various resources, such as Vancouver Foundation, Shooting Stars Foundation, Abbotsford Community Foundation, ViiV Healthcare, MAC AIDS Foundation, and the ongoing generous donations from the public sector of the Fraser Valley..
Public Health Agency of Canada
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/index-eng.php
The Fraser Health Authority: Stop HIV Initiative
http://www.fraserhealth.ca/
