Kusina (Tagalog for “kitchen”) is a community kitchen and free legal advocacy clinic that pairs shared Filipino meals with free legal advocacy, settlement support clinics, and social support services. It acts as a trusted entry point to vital resources, while also creating space for peer mentorship, community connection, and knowledge-sharing.
Serving community members in the Lower Mainland, including Temporary Foreign Workers, international students, caregivers, migrant workers, and their families. It also involves former caregivers, long-time residents, legal advocates, settlement workers, mental health professionals, social support providers, partner organizations, and volunteers who help facilitate the program.
Kusina gatherings take place twice a month and addresses isolation, barriers to accessing services, and gaps in culturally familiar support experienced by many migrant and immigrant workers. By gathering around food, a familiar and welcoming entry point, the program helps people connect directly with trusted service providers, learn about their rights, share experiences, and receive follow-up support so no one slips through the cracks.
Gatherings include:
A shared meal prepared in a community kitchen, sometimes by former caregivers in the network.
A short presentation or workshop (20–25 minutes) led by legal experts, settlement staff, or community partners.
Open conversation, peer mentorship, and resource sharing
Follow-up support and referrals for participants who need ongoing assistance
Sessions are organized around themes such as immigration law, workers’ rights, tenancy, family law, benefits, senior issues, and gender-based violence awareness, often tied to key community dates or emerging policy changes.
The Filipino BC team coordinates partners, volunteers, setup, food safety, and cleanup, ensuring compliance with FoodSafe and facility protocols.
The program is generously funded by the Law Foundation of British Columbia.
Have topic suggestions? Fill out the form here!
Frequently Asked Questions
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Rooted in the Filipino values of care, community, and bayanihan (mutual support), Kusina creates welcoming spaces where people can access timely, accurate information, build relationships, and find support. While the program is rooted in Filipino experiences, it was created for everyone and welcomes participants from all cultural backgrounds.
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A legal advocacy clinic helps individuals understand their rights, navigate legal and social service systems, and access the support they need. Participants can receive information, guidance, referrals, and assistance with issues such as immigration, housing, benefits, powers of attorney, and other legal concerns.
This differs from a legal aid clinic, which typically provides legal advice and, in some cases, direct representation by a lawyer for individuals who meet specific eligibility requirements.
Kusina’s legal advocacy clinic focuses on education, empowerment, and connecting community members with appropriate legal resources and services. While we do not provide legal representation, we can help participants understand their options and identify next steps.
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Yes, please let us know in advance if you have any dietary restrictions so we can ensure to have a meal available for you at your chosen session. Fill out the necessary information on the registration form or make a note of your dietary restrictions when submitting your registration by phone or email.
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Yes, participants who are of precarious legal status or otherwise concerned about their safety or privacy are welcome to register under a pseudonym.
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Online: Fill out the registration form here
By phone: call 778-623-2030 and leave a message
By email: programs@filipinobc.com
We appreciate advance registration to ensure we provide enough food, but walk ins are always welcome, provided there is space.
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We would love to hear feedback and ideas for future Kusina sessions. Please fill out the suggestion form here.
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The Kusina Resource Hub is a collection of free, plain-language resources that break down topics discussed in past Kusina sessions.
Read the The April 26, 2025 Impact Report: The Story of Kapwa
This impact report shares how Filipino BC and its partners, guided by kapwa and trauma-informed practice, mobilized to support community members after April 26, 2025. It reflects the sustained care and resilience that followed, and most importantly, how our community showed up for one another when it mattered most.
We are committed to transparency and accountability.
Filipino BC will provide all financial disclosures as required by law. The fiscal year runs from April 1 to March 31, which means audited financial statements for the 2025 and 2026 fiscal years are not yet available.