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HAPPY NEW YEAR 2025!!
Thank you to everyone who supported us over the past 22 years!
❤ We couldn't have done this without you. ❤


What's Next... 2025 and Beyond:

CFEC will be launching an updated website and will create a new Early Childhood Forum to share information with families and practitioners alike – with a focus on what we are learning and what we understand about the importance the early years play in creating a solid foundation for individuals, families and societies.

We will continue to work in partnership across sectors, educational institutions, and interest groups to provide ECE programming; with a focus on training and supporting newcomers to access these opportunities and services. We will also continue to work in partnership with SD39 and SD41, and our ESOL program to deliver English upgrading classes, with a renewed focus on speaking and listening.

As many of the students who attend our programs are recent refugees who have limited English capabilities - and also suffer from PTSD and other mental and physical health issues - we will engage mental health workers and other organizations to help support these individuals and families. We will offer more workshops in 2025 that address the needs we are seeing in our programs; for participants to be more informed and have the knowledge and tools that will positively support the areas that directly impact them and their family’s well-being.

We look forward to another great year with gratitude – and feel very privileged to be working with so many amazing partners, organizations and families. Wishing you all the very best in the coming year.

~ Jean Rasmussen, CFEC Founder & Executive Director

Highlights from 2024:

The 2024 program year was made even more special with our amazing Canucks team making it into the playoffs. Everyone at CFEC and the province was into it! A renewed sense of hope and excitement was evident in all our programs and in the city.

The year also brought with it an increase in the challenges that newcomers and refugee claimants face with housing affordability and a shortage of available places to rent, as well as the high cost of food and other issues that arise when money is scarce. We noticed more challenges with mental health and well-being, especially for the women in our programs. To this end, we ran a series of workshops in May addressing some of their needs for more information in several significant areas. A total of 78 adults participated in the seminars and 17 children attended a special GR2R early learning session offered concurrently for the children of attendees.

  • May 9 - Physical Health and Nutrition

    Presenter: Ali Funk, MPH Community Health Specialist, Health Promotion - Vancouver Coastal Health

  • May 16 - Immunization and Public Health Services

    Presenters: Sara Bell and Aleya Kamani, Vancouver Coastal Health

  • May 23 - Cancer Prevention and Screenings for Women

    Presenter: Irene Santos, Health Promotion Program Coordinator, Umbrella Multicultural Health Co-op

  • May 30 - Mental Wellbeing

    Presenter: Irene Santos, Health Promotion Program Coordinator, Umbrella Multicultural Health Co-op

The fall of 2024 was especially amazing as 49 CFEC families received holiday gifts from a special partner and donor. An additional 49 families received gifts cards for $150 which helped with the burden that the holiday season can bring to those in need of financial support. Thank you, 2024!

News from Previous Years: