The Nelson and Area Friends of the Family Foundation was started in 2000 as a result of local families wanting to give back to the community that helped them during their own time of crisis. The Foundation’s purpose quickly led to helping families with emergency financial need due to childhood illness or accidental injuries.

We understand the hurdles that show up as a result of such a crisis and would like to help where we can to minimize the effects.

Mission

The purpose of the Nelson and Area Friends of the Family Foundation Foundation is to provide monetary aid for travel and accommodation for medical treatment for children stricken with serious illness or injury and the families.

Guiding Principles

• We recognize the distress a family experiences when dealing with a childhood medical crisis. Consequently, we will keep the best interests of the child and the family in mind and act accordingly.
• We understand that a crisis is not predictable and that sometimes timing is crucial. We will make arrangements for assistance in the best time possible.
• We recognize that the community wants to help families in need. Therefore, we will help facilitate community assistance in the most appropriate manner possible.
• We realize that the need for children to travel away from our community to access specialized medical support may never cease. Therefore, the Nelson and Area Friends of the Family Foundation Foundation will continually take steps to raise funds.

What We Do:

FINANCIAL AID: Provide financial aid to assist with travel and accommodation costs for families of children under the age of 19 years, who live within the prescribed area, who must travel to receive emergency or necessary medical treatment due to serious illness or injury.

The prescribed area is the west side of School District #8 (Kootenay Lake), generally described as the area north/south from Meadow Creek (including Argenta) to Nelway, and west/east from Balfour to Slocan (via Playmor Junction at South Slocan), and all points in between.

INFORMATION: Provide information to families on avenues to access assistance from other agencies that may be able to provide financial aid.

GUIDANCE: Provide guidance to family or friends of a child who wish to fundraise to further assist the child with travel and/or accommodation costs.