We encourage families—including parents, grandparents, caretakers, and children—individuals, vendors, volunteers, staff in nearby businesses, and anyone affected to come as they are. Whether you’re seeking comfort, connection, or simply a quiet place to be, the KAPWA Centre for Resilience is here for you.

The Kapwa Centre for Community Resilience

The Resilience Centre has a new name and a new location. It’s now called The Kapwa Centre for Community Resilience.

Kapwa is a Filipino word that speaks to our shared humanity—a reminder that healing happens in community. This centre is a space to gather, rest, share a warm meal, and access support if and when you're ready.

There’s no need to speak if you’re not ready. No need to explain why you’re coming. Just come as you are.

While the tragedy deeply impacted the Filipino community, its effects have been felt far beyond. Everyone is welcome. This space was created with care—for all who have been affected and all who are seeking connection or quiet.

The Kapwa Centre offers:

  • A welcoming environment for reflection, rest, and community

  • Emotional and spiritual support from trusted professionals.

  • Wellness resources and referrals tailored to your needs

  • Opportunities to share what supports might help you moving forward

IT’S NOT A GOOD BYE, IT’S A SEE YOU LATER

In the days after the tragedy on April 26, Filipino BC and the City of Vancouver came together not to open a crisis centre, but to create a space rooted in care, connection, and compassion. The temporary Resilience Centre, first hosted at Killarney Secondary School, was formed so that no one had to carry their grief alone. It was a space to gather, without pressure or expectation. The space saw community come to rest, eat, cry, laugh, pray, and many other ways of connecting. Finding ways to simply be with one another.

Hearing from visitors and community members was the catalyst in the decision to extend this effort, and move it closer to South Vancouver and the Sunset on Fraser area. The centre transitioned to Christ City Church, closer to the site of the incident. With that move, the space became the Kapwa Centre, grounded in the Filipino value of Kapwa, which reminds us that our humanity is shared. That healing, like grief, is collective.

The model was inspired, in part, by reception centres typically set up after natural disasters. Partners like the Canadian Red Cross and Disaster Psychosocial Services (DPS), with deep experience in emergency response, helped us adapt this structure to meet the immediate needs of mental health support, food security, spiritual care, and a gentle landing place to gather.

We’ve been joined by an incredible network of partners who have offered culturally safe, trauma-informed, and holistic support: the Provincial Health Services Authority, Vancouver Coastal Health Spiritual Care, the Archdiocese of Vancouver, The Salvation Army, Canadian Red Cross, The Foundry, and St. John Ambulance BC & Yukon. Together, we’ve supported more than 560 community members through the weight of this moment.

Following this week’s Kapwa Centres on Friday, May 30th and Saturday, May 31, the Kapwa Centre will pause its three-day-a-week operations. While on hiatus the KC team will be working behind the scenes to plan for what’s next.

This is not the end of the Kapwa Centre, but rather a moment for us to move forward thoughtfully, to continue this kind of support for the foreseeable future. By taking a moment to absorb all we have learned thus far, to build into the next phase.

Remaining steadfast in our work and responsibilities to co-create a future where support is ongoing, culturally rooted, and truly led by the people most impacted.

In lieu of the KC, If you or someone you love is navigating a difficult moment, please know you’re not alone.

Our Crisis and Care resources page offers information on both immediate and long-term supports, including mental health services, food access, spiritual care, and more. We update it regularly to reflect what’s available, what’s changing, and what’s still needed

Christ City South Vancouver (5887 Prince Edward St)

Friday, May 30 @ 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Saturday, May 31 @ 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM

Supports Available:

  • Emotional support to persons who may find this helpful. Support will include assistance in understanding emotional responses to traumatic events, ways for managing feelings of stress, loss and grief, and information about available resources and services.

  • Counsellors and pastoral care on site and organizing a live stream of the Mass on Friday.

  • Drinks, snacks, fruit etc. as well as emergency gift cards to impacted families to help with food, clothing and other incidentals. Also working with other agencies to provide emotional and spiritual support.

  • Psychosocial and wellbeing support to individuals, families, and community members affected by the event.

  • Providing comfort and emotional support through connection with Therapy Dogs and their handlers.