Surrey Caring Dads program receives $150K in funding

A Surrey organization has received $150,000 to help local fathers “break the cycle of violence.”

The Ministry of Children and Family Development is providing funding to expand the reach of domestic-violence intervention programs as part of the Canada-British Columbia bilateral agreement to end gender-based violence. One of the recipient organizations is Options Community Services in Surrey.

Options Community Services will receive $150,000 to expand access and services for its successful Caring Dads program, which supports fathers working to break the cycle of domestic violence. The therapy-based program helps fathers recognize the impact of their actions and develop the skills needed to foster healthy family relationships.

A previous round of funding recently enabled Options to offer the program in Punjabi and to launch a mom’s empowerment group. This additional funding will allow the organization to build on that work.

“This funding means more fathers will have access to the support they need to build healthier relationships and stronger families,” said Neil Arao, CEO of Options Community Services. “We’re proud that our Caring Dads program supported 161 fathers last year across diverse cultures, and we’re excited to expand its reach thanks to this vital investment.”

An additional $600,000 will support the enhancement of domestic-violence intervention programs such as Caring Dads in more communities throughout the province. The funding will help reduce wait times and improve access to services for fathers, ensuring they receive timely support to stop abusive behaviours and foster safer family environments.

The Caring Dads program expansions are part of a broader range of anti-violence initiatives supported by $18 million under the Canada-British Columbia bilateral agreement to end gender-based violence, announced in December 2023.