Walking through the doors at Deltassist that first time can be a difficult decision, but for many it's a last chance at getting help.
"People come to us when they don't know where else to go," says executive director Doug Sabourin.
It could be a person struggling with addiction or mental health issues, a senior looking for assistance so they can continue living at home, a husband wanting to manage his anger before he lashes out at his wife or a family that just lost everything in a fire.
Whatever the reason, Deltassist Family and Community Services is there.
"It's hard for people to come through the doors and ask for help," Sabourin says.
To make it easier, Deltassist tries hard to personalize its services. During office hours, there's always someone there to answer the phone and a smiling face greeting people as they arrive.
Sabourin says everyone that walks through the doors, or picks up the phone and makes that call, gets some kind of assistance from the organization. If Deltassist cannot help someone directly, staff will make sure they get what they need from another resource.
"We can always make sure everyone gets help," he says. In the beginning
Deltassist is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.
The organization, as it exists today, is the marriage of two agencies: Deltassist Community Services and Delta Family Services.
Both began in the early 1970s as a burgeoning community's needs began to grow.
Deltassist was formed in 1972 after the drug-related death of a South Delta teen.
A group of concerned citizens, with the support of Delta council, including Mayor Lois Jackson, who was an alderman at the time, came together to form the agency. It had become clear there was no one resource, so the group developed an information centre for residents looking for help.
The group didn't try to offer any services initially, but focused on helping members of the community find they help they required.
As volunteers at the information centre answered calls, they tracked the requests and began noticing some services weren't available.
The needs of the quickly growing community were great, says Jackson.
In 1972, more than 60 per cent of the population was under the age of 19, she says, and Delta was only allotted what amounted to half a probation officer.
"We were very short on a number of things," Jackson says. "Deltassist stepped up and tried to fill in some of the gaps."
Three years after its inception, Deltassist began offering some of the missing services. Initially, volunteers were trained as counsellors and matched with clients. Over the years, more needs were identified and more services were offered, including the formation of a food bank and the introduction of HandyDART.
Delta Family Services took on a different role, initially established to help find foster care for abandoned children and to help women fleeing abusive relationships.
As the needs of the community changed, so did the two organizations. While Deltassist was funded by private donations and grants, Delta Family Services secured service contracts through the provincial government.
The two organizations continued to serve the community separately until the late 1990s when the government of the day began a review of all social services contracts. Deltassist was in danger of losing funding for many of the services it was providing and faced possible closure. However, the two agencies came together to combine operations and became Deltassist Family and Community Services.
Today
Today, Deltassist is a self-sustaining, not-for-profit society. Its funding comes from provincial contracts, the Fraser Health Authority, the United Way and grants, as well as from the Corporation of Delta.
Sabourin says the agency also relies on donations from individuals and businesses to keep many of its programs running.
The agency's most well-known services are the Toy Depot and food hamper programs every Christmas, which help make the holiday season a little brighter for those in need. However, Deltassist is there 365 days a year.
It offers many services to local seniors - from grocery shopping and transportation to a simple daily phone call to someone living alone. Volunteers also assist hundreds of low-income families and individuals prepare income tax returns.
Highly trained staff help those struggling with a variety of issues through one of many programs: Alcohol and Drug Program, Suicide Prevention Program, Family Support Services, Healthy Families Program, Young Parents Outreach, Victims of Violence and Survivors of Sexual Abuse.
Last year, Deltassist took more than 21,000 phone calls, referred more than 2,100 services, provided 1,795 people with food or toys at Christmas, offered emergency assistance to 239 people and took more than 1,000 shopping orders over the phone.
Volunteers
The Deltassist office is a busy, bustling place and there is a large team of volunteers that keeps everything running smoothly.
"The history of Deltassist is a history of volunteerism," says new board president Maurice Bouchard, who recently took over from Warren Hughes, who served as president for six years.
Revenue has been declining, Sabourin says, but the agency has been able to maintain and increase services due to its generous volunteers and donors.
"This is their place, this is everybody's place," he says.
"Without volunteers, we'd have to shut our doors without question."
From delivering Christmas hampers to preparing tax returns, updating the information and referral website, calling or visiting local seniors, or working in one of the two offices, volunteers are involved in many aspects of the organization.
So much so that Deltassist annually gives out a Volunteer of the Year award. The Karen Johnson Volunteer of the Year award is named after a long-time volunteer who passed away a few years ago and is handed out annually to a volunteer who has gone above and beyond.
Many eschew the award, Sabourin says, saying they don't do it for the recognition.
Looking ahead
As the needs of the community continue to change, Deltassist is looking ahead to anticipate what will be required while still serving current needs.
"We're constantly evolving as well," Sabourin says.
As the population continues to age, Deltassist is looking at bringing a dedicated geriatric counsellor on board.
The growing list of seniors' programs, which includes transportation, daily phone calls or visits, and assistance with shopping, are aimed at helping seniors stay in their homes longer.
Sabourin shares a story about an elderly woman whose family was concerned about her living alone and thought a move to a care home was their only option. The woman is now signed up for the daily phone call program.
A volunteer calls her daily to check in and see how she's doing. If there's no answer or a possible problem, a volunteer will visit the woman in her home. The service has given the woman and her family peace of mind and allowed her to continue living on her own.
Deltassist also tries to support people looking to enter the social/ human services field.
The organization provides an annual bursary to Kwantlen Polytechnic University for a student pursing an education in social services, has partnerships with universities conducting research and offers internships for students. Existing staff members are also supported as they pursue further education in their field.
Sabourin has become the face of Deltassist around the community since taking over as its executive director several years ago.
"We really thank Doug for being front and centre of the organization," says Bouchard.
For more about Deltassist and its services, call 604-594-3455 or visit www.deltassist.com.
DELTASSIST BY THE NUMBERS
Community and Assistance Services: 21,928 - phone calls received 2,459 - information and service referral requests 239 - people assisted by the C ommunity Fund 677 - Christmas hampers handed out 765 - children received Christmas gifts from the Toy Depot
573 - income tax refunds prepared (2011) s Volunteer Hours: Christmas Programs - 635 hours Income Tax Assistance - 289.5 hours Seniors Services - 4,424 hours Reception/Office Assistance - 717 hours Information and Referral Website - 494.75 hours Community Services - 199.5 hours Total Volunteer Hours - 6,759.75
