We encourage families—including parents, grandparents, caretakers, and children—individuals, vendors, volunteers, staff in nearby businesses, and anyone affected to come as they are. Whether you’re seeking comfort, connection, or simply a quiet place to be, the KAPWA Centre for Resilience is here for you.

The Kapwa Centre for Community Resilience

The Kapwa Centre for Community Resilience is back—with the same heart, but in a new way.

Some days call for movement. Others, for stillness. This month, we’re holding space for both. Whether you’re looking to play, to rest, to grieve, or to reconnect—come as you are. We’ll meet you there.

All Kapwa Centre events are free, with more dates and details coming soon:

Friday, July 4, 6 - 9 PM, Games Night & Community Organizer Recharge
Langara College - T-Gallery
For those carrying a lot right now. Light food, therapy dogs, games, and quiet corners to just breathe. Kapwa means we show up for each other — and for ourselves. It means holding space to give care, and learning to receive it too.

Monday, July 7 - 8 PM
Richmond
No agenda. Just the land, the plants, and whoever shows up. A soft space to be alone, or together. Look out for the sign-up sheet coming soon!

Sunday, July 13, 12 - 3 PM, Kickboxing for Community (all ages)
Westside Kickboxing, #108, 550 W 6th Ave
Let it out. Shake it off. We’re moving through it together. No experience needed — just bring yourself. Complete and sign this waiver and send it to communications@filipinobc.com to secure your spot.

Individual Supports
Connect with Filipino BC’s Care Team: care@filipinobc.com
The Filipino BC Care Team is here for anyone affected by the tragic events of April 26—including our friends, neighbours, and loved ones beyond the Filipino community. Healing and recovery take time, but you don’t have to go through it alone. Please don’t hesitate to reach out for support.

More to come!

Questions or inquiries? Email us at communications@filipinobc.com.

The Kapwa Centre offers:

  • A welcoming environment for reflection, rest, and community

  • Emotional and spiritual support from trusted professionals.

  • Wellness resources and referrals tailored to your needs

  • Opportunities to share what supports might help you moving forward

In the days after the tragedy on April 26, Filipino BC and the City of Vancouver came together not to open a crisis centre, but to create a space rooted in care, connection, and compassion. The temporary Resilience Centre, first hosted at Killarney Secondary School, was formed so that no one had to carry their grief alone. It was a space to gather, without pressure or expectation. The space saw community come to rest, eat, cry, laugh, pray, and many other ways of connecting. Finding ways to simply be with one another.

Hearing from visitors and community members was the catalyst in the decision to extend this effort, and move it closer to South Vancouver and the Sunset on Fraser area. The centre transitioned to Christ City Church, closer to the site of the incident. With that move, the space became the Kapwa Centre, grounded in the Filipino value of Kapwa, which reminds us that our humanity is shared. That healing, like grief, is collective. In July, the Kapwa Centre will be located at Langara College, with pop-ups in Richmond and around Vancouver.

The model was inspired, in part, by reception centres typically set up after natural disasters. Partners like the Canadian Red Cross and Disaster Psychosocial Services (DPS), with deep experience in emergency response, helped us adapt this structure to meet the immediate needs of mental health support, food security, spiritual care, and a gentle landing place to gather.

We’ve been joined by an incredible network of partners who have offered culturally safe, trauma-informed, and holistic support: the Provincial Health Services Authority, Vancouver Coastal Health Spiritual Care, the Archdiocese of Vancouver, The Salvation Army, Canadian Red Cross, The Foundry, and St. John Ambulance BC & Yukon. Together, we’ve supported more than 560 community members through the weight of this moment.

Supports Available:

  • Emotional support to persons who may find this helpful. Support will include assistance in understanding emotional responses to traumatic events, ways for managing feelings of stress, loss and grief, and information about available resources and services.

  • Counsellors and pastoral care on site and organizing a live stream of the Mass on Friday.

  • Drinks, snacks, fruit etc. as well as emergency gift cards to impacted families to help with food, clothing and other incidentals. Also working with other agencies to provide emotional and spiritual support.

  • Psychosocial and wellbeing support to individuals, families, and community members affected by the event.

  • Providing comfort and emotional support through connection with Therapy Dogs and their handlers.