© Courtesy of Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House
For decades, Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House has been part of the fabric of Vancouver’s Hastings-Sunrise community, helping families access childcare, supporting newcomers as they settle, connecting seniors to community, and offering stability in moments of stress. That work remains essential, but growing pressures are making it harder to sustain. As housing costs rise, funding becomes less certain, and demand for support grows heavier, the community infrastructure people rely on every day is being pushed to a breaking point.
In just two years, Frog Hollow’s budget has shrunk $1.5 million due to funding cuts across senior, youth, food, and settlement programs. While the organization has lost about 10 positions this year, more cuts were avoided by reducing staff hours. All of this amid inflation and rising housing costs.
Frog Hollow is not alone. Across British Columbia, neighbourhood houses are often the first place people turn when life becomes harder to manage: when rent rises beyond reach, when childcare becomes uncertain, when isolation deepens, or when someone simply needs support close to home. These organizations are trusted because they are local, responsive, and rooted in relationships. Now, the same pressures affecting families, seniors, and newcomers are also bearing down on the neighbourhood houses working to support them.
Ongoing investment in community-led organizations is what enables communities to truly thrive. Neighbourhood houses foster connection, belonging, and resilience long before people reach a breaking point, and that preventative, community-building role makes them essential.
WHEN THE SAFETY NET STARTS TO FRAY
At Frog Hollow, that strain is being felt by participants and staff alike.
“We are seeing much higher levels of anxiety and pressure and stress among participants and our staff,” said Executive Director Norm Leech. “The uncertainty and fear of more bad news is affecting people’s ability to cope and maintain good health.”
T hat reality speaks to more than individual hardship. It shows how deeply the housing crisis, rising costs, and broader instability are shaping everyday life in B.C. communities. These are not distant policy debates. They are daily pressures affecting health, well-being, and the ability of people to stay connected to the places and services that support them.
THE COST OF HOLDING COMMUNITIES TOGETHER
Housing has become one of the sharpest examples. “Housing is so expensive that the people we serve have difficulty paying rent in this neighbourhood,” said Leech. “Our staff cannot afford rent in this area. Who are we serving?”
It is a striking question, and one that reveals how fragile the social fabric becomes when even the people holding communities together can no longer afford to live in them. The damage does not stop with one household or one worker. It ripples outward, weakening the stability of the support systems so many people depend on.
Leech is also clear that these pressures are part of a wider pattern. “Every non-profit in the world exists to help with some sort of barrier or gap or injustice in society,” he said. “And those systemic shortcomings never seem to get resolved or reduced. It seems the systems only know how to add more barriers and gaps.”
That same strain is now showing up in childcare. Maryam Naddaf, Director of Frog Hollow’s Reggio inspired Learning Centre, said the threat is urgent. “Currently, as part of the Association of Neighbourhood Houses of BC, we are sounding the alarm: the $10aDay childcare initiative is at serious risk due to federal funding gaps and a pause in provincial expansion,” she said. “This isn’t just a policy issue; it is a direct threat to the stability of families in our community.”
And yet, even under mounting pressure, Frog Hollow continues to do what neighbourhood houses have always done best: build belonging, strengthen resilience, and hold communities together. Rooted in local relationships and shaped by decades of service, it remains a place where people are met with dignity, care, and practical support.
If British Columbia is serious about strong, healthy, and resilient communities, neighbourhood houses cannot remain invisible. They are not optional. They are foundational. Supporting Frog Hollow means helping protect essential services, defend affordable childcare, and preserve a trusted community anchor at a time when people need it most.
Donate, advocate, partner, and help ensure this vital work can continue. Learn more at froghollow.bc.ca
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At Frog Hollow, we are dedicated to empowering local residents in Hastings-Sunrise to come together and make a positive impact on our community. Through our various programs and initiatives, we strive to create a supportive and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.