CAI Fund Support Letter
Please see the support letter below. If you would like to send the letter of support, you have two options - select and copy the letter below and paste it directly into the body of your email, or download the letter in Microsoft Word (.docx) format, by clicking on the button below the letter. Please make sure to add the date along with your name and address (address optional) at the bottom of the letter.
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Re: Support for CAI Community Counselling Fund Renewal
Dear Honourable Josie Osborne,
I am writing with regard to VICCIR (Vancouver Island Counselling Centre for Immigrants and Refugees), a nonprofit that provides free and low-barrier counselling services, funded in part through the Community Action Initiative (CAI) Community Counselling Fund. I am hereby requesting your support for the renewal of this essential fund, which will end in March 2026.
Since 2019, this funding has enabled VICCIR to offer timely, trauma-informed, culturally responsive counselling to individuals and families who would otherwise face significant barriers—including language gaps, lack of financial means, and complex mental health needs that exclude them from other care pathways.
The impact has been substantial - in 2025 alone, VICCIR provided over 2,100 individual counselling sessions through our team of multicultural counsellors and trained interpreters. Province-wide, the Fund has enabled more than 362,000 sessions, with over 72,000 people accessing counselling for the first time.
The need continues to grow. We're seeing increased demand from individuals and families arriving from Afghanistan, Iran, Latin America, Palestine, Ukraine, and over 70 other countries. Many are youth, elderly, or families facing housing and economic insecurity—circumstances that trigger anxiety, PTSD, and complex trauma responses.
Community-based counselling provides early intervention, reduces pressure on hospitals, and helps people heal before reaching crisis points requiring costly emergency care.
I therefore respectfully ask that you advocate for:
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A full and timely renewal of the CAI Community Counselling Fund - confirmed before the project end date to avoid staff layoffs and service disruptions.
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Stable, multi-year funding to allow agencies to plan sustainably rather than navigate annual uncertainty.
Without renewed funding, our organization - and 44 others - will be forced to scale back services, directly affecting thousands who rely on this support for their wellbeing and family stability.
Thank you for your consideration.
In Gratitude,
<Your Full Name & Address (optional)>