About Community Connections
About Us
Community Connections Society of Southeast BC (CCSSEBC), often abbreviated to CCS, is a non-profit charitable organization that provides programs and services to Cranbrook and the East Kootenay Region. Since incorporation in 1982, CCS has provided integrated, accessible social services to individuals and families throughout the East Kootenay Region. To respond to community needs we deliver quality services both directly and through community partnerships. Originally a women’s collective (Cranbrook Women’s Resource Society) formed to provide safe harbor to women fleeing domestic violence: the agency has grown considerably over the years and has taken in new programs in response to emerging local needs.
CCS manages two hubs of services: Kootenay Child Development Center (KCDC) and Community Connections Society (CCS Hub). Both hubs are a combination of programs that are managed by CCS and programs/services that our community partners manage, but with whom we share that space and the same philosophy of collaborative service delivery.
Our Programs
Community Connections (CCS)
This Hub originally created in 2007 and called Cranbrook Family Connections is now referred to as the Cranbrook Community Connections Hub (CCS Hub) and is the main office for CCSSEBC administration team and various programs including Cranbrook Women’s Resource Center, Traveling Poverty Advocate Program, Homeless Outreach and Prevention, Better at Home Senior Program, Community Partner (Legal aid). In this Hub our partners include: Options for Sexual Health, IHA Health Outreach Nurse and Pacific Coast Community Resources. (Bellies to Babies and Community Action Plan for children moved over to the KCDC building to make room for shelter operations)
Kootenay Child Development Centre (KCDC)
KCDC opened, with significant community celebration, in April 2012, after 3 years of focused fund-raising, planning and construction. A 14,000 square foot co-location of child health and development services, the KCDC is in an easily accessible downtown lot. Services benefit families through increased coordination, efficient referrals and availability of tele-health for follow-up appointments with specialists. As well, services providers benefit from easier and more efficient case conferencing and referrals and will also be able to participate in training. Services include 4 pediatricians, East Kootenay Supported Child Development Program, Child Care Resource and Referral Program, East Kootenay Infant Development Program, East Kootenay Friends of Children, and an extensive toy and resource lending library. The center is also home to the East Kootenay Early Years Program. Visiting Office space is available and as well the center also hosts the Interior Health Children’s Assessment Network clinics several times a year.
CCS currently employs approximately 105 part-time and full-time staff to run their programs throughout the region.
CCS also sponsors and provides administrative support to the Cranbrook Food Action Committee and the Early Childhood Development Committee.
CCS currently has multiple sources of funding, the highest percentage of which comes from provincial and federal government sources. CCS matches programming with the priorities of funders while at the same time meeting community need.