Community Investments Safe and affordable housing in the downtown eastside, a family services and daycare hub in Strathcona, BC’s first residential treatment centre for youth—whatever the project, we know that there’s much more to being a charitable foundation than just our grants programs. Here at Central City Foundation, we’re proud of our 100-year history of investing in our community. Community investment is often described as a recent trend, but Central City has been doing it since 1907. Our founders issued shares and made such shrewd investments with the proceeds that two years later they were able to buy property and build a building in the downtown eastside. That building, the Central City Mission at 233 Abbott, served the neighbourhood for 83 years. Focusing on community investment means that we invest our capital directly in our community as well as more traditional investments that earn income to support our operations and grants programs. Our investments are in property and projects that will create a lasting legacy in our community in support of our neighbours in need. We carefully steward all of our resources for maximum financial return and community benefit. As we begin our second century, we’re excited about new developments in our existing community investments and we’re looking for new partnerships too. Here’s to another 100 years of neighbours helping neighbours in Vancouver’s inner city. The philosophy of community investment is at the core of all of our work, but particularly in these projects…

The Crossing at Keremeos
Central City Foundation has partnered with From Grief to Action, a parent support and advocacy group, to build the first long-term residential treatment centre for youth in BC. Our original investment in 58 acres of land has matured into a haven where youth can heal and move forward in their lives.
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Phil Bouvier Family Centre
Inner city activists have known for a long time that children in their neighbourhoods don’t perform as well in school as children from other parts of town. We worked with a group of community partners to create the Phil Bouvier Family Centre to provide support not just for kids but for the whole family.
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Safe and Affordable Housing
Our two buildings in the downtown eastside, the Abbott Mansion and the Cosmopolitan Hotel, not only provide secure and low-cost housing; they also house a research project and a social enterprise that improve the health of local residents. And our management company is a social enterprise that benefits women and children who’ve experienced violence.
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