The Cortes Community Health Association is proud to partner with the Children's Health Foundation of Vancouver Island to support Cortes Island Families. The Children's Foundation Bear Essentials Program partners with registered charities to help families cover unexpected or extraordinary expenses related to their child’s health and special needs when family resources are inadequate and other resources cannot be mobilized.

A family is eligible when all four of the following criteria apply:
1. Children or youth from birth - 19 and their families; who are
2. Residents of Vancouver Island or the Gulf / Discovery Islands for at least three months; whose
3. family resources are insufficient to cover the items applied for
4. up to a maximum of $1,000 per child per lifetime.

Bear Essentials especially assists families whose need ‘fall between the cracks’ of other available programs and/or are of an urgent need. Families may request financial support for emergency food, travel to care appointments, clothing and toiletries, accommodations / short-term shelter costs, therapeutic resources(acupuncture, optometry, physical therapy, massage therapy, podiatry, naturopathy, chiropractic...), personal items (car seats, eyeglasses), medical or therapeutic equipment to address special needs, and other expenses vital to well-being.

Here on Cortes Island, families have received support with extraordinary dental expenses, travel expenses for non-MSP health care appointments, counselling sessions, special needs learning equipment and more.

The one-page application is very quick and simple, no proof of income is required. For more information or to apply for support please contact Desta Beattie, Family Support Coordinator by email below or at 935-8558.