Home »
Summit expands services and programs
Summit Community Services Society, a long-time non-profit business, has expanded services, programs, and people over the last number of months and has more to come.
Summit continues to promote community well-being, provide a continuum of quality, accessible, client-centered support, childcare, and intervention services in the Cranbrook and Kimberley communities for over half a century.
At their recent AGM, the Summit Board welcomed new Executive Director Martina Danzer who will lead Summit’s team of staff into their 52nd year. Danzer brings a diversity of skills from her varied life experiences and management roles. She will manage a team of people, including the newly appointed Childcare Director Cheryl Anderson and Community Program Director Jodie Roberts, and look for ways to continue funding the non-profit’s programs.
Anderson has taken on the task of opening the new Rocky Mountain Childcare facility in Marysville, which Summit will operate.
She will also oversee all seven existing childcare programs and support each program’s manager as we navigate new childcare models and pricing. The Rocky Mountain Childcare facility is slated to open early in the new year after supplies and staff are in place. This new facility will employ about 35 people once it is licensed and fully opened.
Community Program Director Jodie Roberts oversees all the community support programs including Stopping the Violence Counseling, Community and Police-Based Victims Services, Community Outreach, Men’s Group, Seniors Helping Seniors, One Stop and the newly launched Sexualized Assault Services and Better at Home (Kimberley) programs.
The Sexualized Assault program has been running for almost a year and has been very busy. The successful program collaborates closely with Victim’s Services and has provided education sessions at the high school, The Foundry and Community Connections and has assisted over 70 clients so far.
Better at Home (Kimberley) was launched in June and is seeking both volunteers to assist people to stay in their homes and clients who require some assistance to make staying in their own home a reality. The services they provide include light housekeeping, minor home repairs, some yard work, snow removal, grocery shopping assistance, some transportation, and friendly visits.
The non-profit is overseen and guided by a volunteer board of nine people with Aaron Higgs as incoming Chair; he takes over from long time board member Deb Saffin. Higgs manages Nupqu Resource Limited Partnership and has been a member of the board since 2020. He is looking forward to leading Summit Community Services Society as it grows and meets the growing needs in the community and continues the valuable work of the various programs.
Lead image: Community Program Director Jodie Roberts, Incoming Board Chair Aaron Higgs, Executive Director Martina Danzer and and Childcare Director Cheryl Anderson. Photo submitted
Submitted
