VICTORIA NATIVE FRIENDSHIP CENTRE
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Mission Statement
The Victoria Native Friendship Centre (VNFC) is a non-profit Indigenous-led organization located on Southern Vancouver Island, BC. For more than 55 years, the VNFC has been mandated to encourage and promote the well-being of urban Indigenous people by strengthening individuals, families, and community. The Centre is a vital resource for urban Indigenous people, providing a sense of wellness and belonging.
About This Cause
Dedicated to improving the quality of life for Aboriginal people in the Greater Victoria area, the Victoria Native Friendship Centre (VNFC) began as a meeting place in the city—providing limited referral services to community members. The Friendship Centre opened its doors in April, 1970. It was a one-room facility and was run by an Executive Director on a small grant from the provincial First Citizen’s Fund. The Centre quickly became a much-valued meeting place for Aboriginal peoples new to Victoria. Four moves and 50 years later, the VNFC now occupies more than 38,000 square feet of a former elementary school under a 99 year lease with the School District of British Columbia. The Centre has become a vital resource for urban Aboriginal individuals and families, and is strategically positioned to play a major role in the development and implementation of urban Aboriginal governance on southern Vancouver Island. The Centre provides a full day care, family and early child development services, youth programs, Elders programs including teaching 7 different Indigenous languages, health and medical services, wellness services, family support services, youth team, career and education and employment services (CEER), an Indigenous library ( the only one of its kind in a Friendship Centre in Canada), homeless shelter operating 7 days a week, and a community kitchen serving over 120,000 free meals and snacks annually.