New Job OpportunityNew Job Opportunity

Seniors Outreach & Caregiver Support Job Position

Position Summary

Cherryville Community Food and Resource Society (CCFRS) is looking to hire a part-time outreach worker. Part of this position is to fulfill the Community Connector role, our new social prescribing program for older adults living in Cherryville who are looking for support and connection. The other part of this position includes working collaboratively with our Caregiver Support Clinician and implementing various support groups for caregivers living in both Cherryville and Lumby area.

Education, Training, and Experience:

  • Minimum one-year related experience working with seniors, caregivers, or others in an outreach type role; or an equivalent combination of training and experience
  • Group work experience an asset
  • Human Service Worker Diploma or Certificate preferred
  • Must hold a current First Aid & CPR Certificate (available through CCFRS)
  • Satisfactory Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector
  • Must be at least 19 years of age
  • Must have a Valid Drivers Licence

Work Performed

Duties and Responsibilities for this position include:

  • Building Rapport with Older Adults: as part of the Community Connector role, meeting with Cherryville older adults in the community and supporting them in their personal health and wellness goals. Encouraging socialization and reconnection to community-based resources and services. Working with health care professionals to support transitions between hospital and home. Includes conducting home visits in Cherryville area.
  • Support Groups and Events: planning and facilitating various support groups (in-person/virtual) for caregivers living in Cherryville and Lumby. Planning 3-4 larger events in both Cherryville and Lumby throughout the year which may include educational workshops, luncheons, dinner with presenters, etc. to support caregivers in their role and to reduce stress/burnout.
  • System Navigation Support: Making referrals to other programs, resources, and services both in Cherryville area and elsewhere as applicable.
  • Working Collaboratively: Working as part of various teams, includes attending community of practice meetings with other Community Connectors, building relationships and liaising with community partners both in Cherryville and Lumby, working positively with CCFRS staff.
  • Evaluation and Reporting: must provide quarterly reports to Executive Director and maintain relevant statistics and data tracking. Encourage client feedback and quality impact surveys.
  • Fostering Safe Environments: embracing a non-judgemental approach and encouraging open and inclusiveness with program participants, families, community partners, and staff.
  • Adhering to CCFRS policy and procedures

Hours: This is a part time position, 22.5 hours per week at $22/hour. Hours are flexible as determined in accordance with Executive Director. Mileage reimbursement at $.65 per km.

Place of Work: Cherryville Resource Center (158 North Fork Rd.), some caregiver support events and groups to be ran centrally in Lumby. Some remote work may be considered.

Qualified applicants are invited to submit resume with at least two references by email to:
Meghan Derkach, Executive Director at meghan.derkach@hotmail.com

APPLY NOW! Get your resumes in as soon as possible as we plan to start interviewing suitable candidates starting April 22nd onward with potential hire date beginning of May. We look forward to hearing from you!

Download a copy of the Seniors Outreach & Caregiver Support Job Position here:

Cherryville Youth Arts & Culture ProgramCherryville Youth Arts & Culture Program

We wrapped up our final art class for Textile Arts aimed at children aged 6-9, and what a fantastic session it was! To conclude, we dove into some embroidery, and the kids truly showcased their creativity and skill. In our previous class, we explored weaving techniques and even discovered how to print on fabric using styrofoam, which was a hit! It has been a wonderful journey, and we’re excited to announce that the next Textile Art class for ages 9-12 will kick off on April 1st, 2025. Registration is currently open, so be sure to sign up!

PUB NIGHT FundraiserPUB NIGHT Fundraiser

Bring your friends and enjoy some awesome local talent at our upcoming fundraiser on behalf of Cherryville Community Food and Resource Society! All proceeds raised go directly back into the various programs and services we offer to the Cherryville community including food bank services, youth and family programs, senior services, one-on-one supports, and more! Thank you for supporting our team and our vision and mission for supporting rural-based living.

Cherryville Community Food and Resource Society

Physical Address: 158 North Fork Road, Cherryville BC V0E2G3

Mailing Address: 412 Sugar Lake Road, Cherryville BC V0E2G2

Halloween FunHalloween Fun

We are BLOWN away by the number of kids that stopped in to get a treat, hot chocolate and some pictures in front of the Resource Center on Halloween night! A spooktacular season it was! Thank you to the AWESOME staff and volunteers that made this a reality and a truly frightening experience for our Cherryville kiddos.

Cherryville Days a Smashing Success Featuring Jake the SnakeCherryville Days a Smashing Success Featuring Jake the Snake

Kicking off the year with an engaging Community Art Project, spearheaded by our new Youth and Family Coordinator Maya Arcand! Maya has hit the ground running with growing our Arts & Culture programming and getting the whole community involved. Jake the Snake painted by the INCREDIBLY talented Emma Fellenz along with coloring books filled with Cherryville Landmarks really captures our vision for community building and connectedness. Jake the Snake is an ongoing community art project where all are welcome to leave a painted rock, located permanently down at Hansen Park, come and add your rock piece and lets watch him grow! If you do add a rock, take a picture and tag us on Facebook at Cherryville Youth & Families so we can follow along the adventure.

Thank you to all of our staff and volunteers who continue to represent the Cherryville Community Food and Resource Society and support our mission and vision.

Volunteering with Cherryville Food and Resource CenterVolunteering with Cherryville Food and Resource Center

Cherryville Community Food and Resource Society has an INCREDIBLE team of volunteers who support our vision and mission for increasing access to programs and services within the Cherryville area. Our 2024 focus is to strengthen our current volunteer base and actively recruit for new members. Some exciting things we do with our volunteers include regular “coffee breaks”, socializing events, and appreciation gestures. Without our volunteer team, the work we do in Cherryville would not be possible and we want to take a moment to highlight the incredible people part of our organization. Below are photos from our BBQ Social where volunteers were invited to bring their families and enjoy burgers, ice cream, and games.

Unfortunately not all of our volunteers were able to make it to this event and the above photos only showcase a fraction of those who donate their time to CCFRS. Thank you Thank you Thank you to all those incredible individuals who support what we do at Cherryville Food and Resource Society.

Arts & Culture Fun!Arts & Culture Fun!

Check out some of the cool projects completed in our different Arts & Culture program for Cherryville youth. These were taken from our Recycled City and Foraging Art classes.

Thank you Steph Bellows for a wonderful Arts & Culture season with our Cherryville kiddos!


Cherryville Arts & Culture classes will resume in the Fall of 2024 – keep an eye out for registration dates and timelines.

ECHO Presentation – Rural Approach to Compassionate CommunitiesECHO Presentation – Rural Approach to Compassionate Communities

Check out this YouTube video presented by Meghan Derkach, Executive Director at Cherryville Community Food and Resource Society.

(1318) A Rural Approach to the Compassionate Community Model – YouTube

Bio: My name is Meghan Derkach, and I was born and raised in a rural community called Cherryville. I have always been an advocate for social justice and equity since a young age. When I was 18, I was having lunch with a group of older adults who were sharing their frustrations about having to leave the Cherryville community because there weren’t enough resources for them to live independently and I remember feeling absolutely broken hearted about it. That was the moment I realized I wanted to support Cherryville aging and pursued a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work with a Concentration in Aging. I was drawn to the aging-in-place model, community development and looked to age-friendly community literature. However, being rural has its unique challenges and many of the “making an age friendly community” infrastructure wasn’t relatable. Working with older adults I soon came to realize you cannot support aging-in-place without addressing access to health care as they are overlapping systems. I then pursued a Health-Focused Master’s in Social Work through University of Waterloo to better understand the complexity behind health care and how to better support rural aging in place.  During this time, I was volunteering at Cherryville Food Bank and started expanding its reach to include resources and services to all residents. In 2021 I assumed the Executive Director position after strengthening our organizational and financial health and obtaining multiple grants. 2021 we officially changed our name to include resources as we expanded our vision and mission to meet the needs of all rural residents. Fast forward to 2024, we have implemented a range of services and resources to support rural living for youth, low-income families, persons living with disabilities, older adults, and a variety of community engagement events. In early January, we started to focus on Cherryville residents who had complex health conditions and or living with life limiting illness to advocate for better access to health care within community. These conversations led us to BC Centre for Palliative Care Seed Grant as the Compassionate Community model aligned perfectly with our growing vision and mission. I am excited to share a little more about this grant and how it has unfolded in the Cherryville community.