NORTH VANCOUVER BC May 3, 2019 – On the eve of Mental Health Week, the Canadian Mental Health Association North West Vancouver branch is proud to celebrate our wonderful Blenz café team as the winners of the City of North Vancouver’s Outstanding Squad Award.
What many people don’t know is that CMHA operates the Blenz café at Hope Centre in the Lions Gate Hospital as a social enterprise. It was created 4 years ago through a partnership between CMHA, Vancouver Coastal Health and Blenz the Canadian Coffee Company.
Our mandate is to build a sustainable social enterprise business that provides a supportive work environment for people with lived experience of mental illness.
Through ongoing workplace supports, our employees learn to tackle employment barriers and other challenges. In a recent survey, 100% of our employees indicated they were satisfied with their job and felt more connected to the community as a result of their employment.
Next week, the café team along with the larger CMHA team will host celebrations for Mental Health Week. Come for a coffee and stay for some music, a marketplace and plenty of inspiration.
Mental Health Week was introduced by CMHA in 1951 and has since become a Canadian tradition. This year’s Mental Health Week activities take place at the HOpe Centre. Learn more about these events here.
About the Canadian Mental Health Association North West Vancouver
The North and West Vancouver Branch of CMHA has been providing services to the North Shore community since 1958 and we embrace people with mental health issues in all facets of our organization – as Board Directors, volunteers and employees. We dedicate ourselves to empowering, supporting and improving the quality of life of mental health consumers and increasing the overall wellness of the North Shore community.
@CMHA_NWV