Addiction Recovery and
Peer Support Program
Grant Program: 2025 Community Grants
Funders: Robillard Reading Family Fund, Howard Martin Memorial Fund, Smart and Caring Fund
With support from the West Vancouver Community Foundation, Avalon maintained a welcoming, barrier-free recovery centre open 365 days a year, ensuring women could access support exactly when they needed it. Over the year, women engaged in peer support, counselling, and more than 30 weekly recovery-focused groups addressing substance use, mental health, grief, boundaries, and life skills. Participants built stability, reduced isolation, and strengthened recovery at their own pace—often returning over time and later supporting others. Free childminding removed a critical barrier for mothers, and strong referral partnerships helped women access housing, health care, and safety supports.
We continue to see demand for our services rise on the North Shore. The number of women seeking support around trauma and addiction recovery is growing, as is the complexity of their individual challenges.
Story of Impact
When Sarah first walked through Avalon’s doors, she was a single mother in her 30s feeling isolated, exhausted, and unsure where to turn. She had recently stopped drinking and came to Avalon for an AA meeting, unsure if she would stay. What she found instead was a warm, welcoming space where she wasn’t judged and didn’t have to explain herself.
Sarah began returning regularly, first for meetings, then for acupuncture and wellness supports that helped her manage anxiety and sleep for the first time in years. With free childminding available, she was able to participate fully—something that had felt impossible elsewhere. Over time, she started staying after programs, joining potlucks, and forming genuine connections with other women who understood her experiences.
Those relationships became a turning point. Sarah describes Avalon as the first place she felt truly seen and supported, not just for her recovery, but as a whole person and a mother. Today, she continues to attend groups, contributes to community meals, and offers encouragement to new women walking through the door—proof that connection and belonging can be powerful forces in recovery.
