Island Crisis Care Society

Island Crisis Care Society (ICCS) is a registered non‐profit society operating in the Nanaimo and Oceanside communities on Vancouver Island. Through housing and outreach programs, we help people in crisis stabilize and find the support, resources, and services they need to recover and be well. Currently, we run 13 programs across 7 sites where we address the needs of over 250 individuals a day who have experienced or are at risk of homelessness. These include Emergency Shelter for people in crisis, Assisted Living programs that provide specialized ‘stabilization’ supports for clients in substance use or mental health crisis, spaces for Supportive Recovery, Supportive Housing for people not yet quite ready to live independently, Transitional Housing for people who are nearly ready to live independently, and Outreach Support and access to Subsidized Housing for those who are just starting to live independently. The work we do is compelling. Clients in our programs have often experienced tremendous trauma in their lives. They are exhausted and broken, and sometimes in fear of connection. As such, our programs aim to not just offer shelter and food, but also support for our program participants, helping them to feel safe and able to make plans for their recovery and wellness. We then assist with developing goals, habits, and skills for independence and connection.