Blog

Tonight was Umbrella's Annual General Meeting. We had a great turnout from the community and after our very short business meeting, we got a chance to socialize. A huge thank you to everyone that attended and to our board and staff. We are full of gratitude. Pic...

The Umbrella Society for Addictions and Mental Health’s is pleased to announce the upcoming Annual General Meeting at Christ Church Cathedral This brief meeting and get together will include highlights of Umbrella’s growth and strategic direction, and an informal r...

Our wonderful board member, Jen (in the photo) and our ED Sharlene attended the official announcement and beginning of construction of the Youth Hub here in yyj today. This new Youth Hub is going to provide so many opportunities, supports and connections for youth ...

  Last night, 35 volunteers finished the Community Volunteer Training Program. Thank you to our partner organization, The Cool Aid Society, and to the United Way for being the sole funder of this program. The next session starts in the fall. If you are interested...

Last fall, Evan and Sharlene were invited by the youth philanthropy class at Frances Kelsey Secondary, to talk about Umbrella, the clients we serve and share our experiences. The class had invited several organizations and had the difficult task of selecting who would re...

Our good friends at She Recovers are hosting a Yoga and Connection event on June 17 here in Victoria. If you aren't familiar with She Recovers, please have a look at their intentions and guiding principles. For more information about this upcoming event, exciting retreat...

Last week, at the Songhees Wellness Centre, AVI hosted a community collaboration to discuss the overdose crisis. The forum consisted of people with lived experience, family members and service providers from Victoria. In addition to breakout groups, there was a panel of ...

Yesterday, Evan and Conor from Umbrella joined youth from all over the island at the Balancing our Minds Conference at Bear Mountain Arena. The youth were very engaging, curious and interested in Umbrella and addiction. Many great conversation and interactions were had!...

Kindness and compassion are ageless and secular. That’s what Island Health’s Mental Health Substance Use (MHSU) Advisory Committee discovered when considering nominations for its awards program. Both of this year’s recipients responded with dignity and fairness to the...

Today, a young girl gave us this card she made. We had helped her dad a few years ago. A genuine and heartfelt reminder to never give up on anyone. Ever.