About Us
In 1978, Little Mountain Neighbourhood House opened its doors in a local storefront. A group of committed volunteers and three staff members began the challenging task of identifying and responding to a spectrum of local, regional and national issues as they were then experienced by our residents of our own neighbourhood. The programs and initiatives that have emerged from our work in the community have, in some cases gone on to become established, recognized programs adopted by governments, and other organizations.
On occasion our solutions have been adopted to serve as models for other providers, and other constituencies far beyond our neighbourhood. In some cases, Little Mountain Neighbourhood House has created vital programming such as the Special Services to Children and Families, and Settlement and Adaptation Programs are in line with the strategic direction of the Provincial Government and the City.
Our Vision
To connect, engage and empower community members to create a vibrant, inclusive and caring neighbourhood.
Our Mission
To develop and facilitate social, educational, cultural and recreational programs and initiatives that strengthen neighbourhood life for a diverse group of community members by sharing our community core values.
Community Core Values
Diversity – We value diversity of backgrounds, circumstances and opinions and strive to include all members of the community as equals.
Responsiveness – We are responsive to the ever changing needs of our participants and stakeholders by being open, flexible and proactive in how we meet their needs.
Integrity – We operate with a high level of integrity, transparency, honesty and respectfulness in everything that we do.
Engagement – We stimulate staff, volunteers and neighbours to listen, connect, partner and engage with our programs and one another.
Accessible – We provide welcoming, affordable and accessible services.
Caring – We strive to provide a fun, caring, and safe space that fosters compassion and respect.
Excellence – We strive for excellence in everything we do by delivering innovative, professional and effective programs that make efficient use of our limited resources.
Empowerment – We empower our participants, staff, volunteers and the greater community through learning, skill development and teaching.
Our Management Team
Joel Bronstein
Executive Director
Joel has been working at LMNHS since 1987, where he began working with children, youth and seniors, then as a Program Director and has been the Executive Director since 1997. His education background are in the fields of social work, recreation management, and human services. He loves the neighbourhood and is thrilled by the level of involvement in many aspects of the neighbourhood house and the neighbourhood by community members from such diverse backgrounds.
Email Joel at joelb@lmnhs.bc.ca
Claudia Cao
Director, Finance and Operations
Claudia began working as LMNHS’s accounting and administrative assistant in 2002 and now oversees the financial management and operations of the neighbourhood house. Claudia graduated from BCIT’s financial management program and is currently working towards her CGA designation. Claudia has many years of experience with different accounting systems and full-cycle accounting. She is committed to ethical principles and upholding LMNHS’s financial policy. Claudia came to Canada as a landed immigrant from mainland China and is multilingual. She likes the multicultural environment at LMNHS and is happy to support all facets of the community services offered here.
Email Claudia at claudiac@lmnhs.bc.ca
Diane Wilmann
Director, Settlement and Older Adults Departments
Diane’s bio coming soon.
Email Diane at dianew@lmnhs.bc.ca
Geraldine Clevette
Director, Child Care Department
Geraldine has been working at Little Mountain since February 2008. She sometimes refers to herself as a “neighbourhood house brat” because ever since she started doing leadership training at Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood House when she was a teenager, she’s continuously found herself involved in neighbourhood houses in one way, shape, or form! Geraldine has worked in a wide range of child care settings and was a crisis line counsellor for over 10 years. She holds certificates in Early Childhood Education, Infant and Toddler, Special Needs, and Counselling Skills. Geraldine loves working at Little Mountain. For her, it’s like a family — a safe place to explore ideas, be creative, and build off others’ energy.
Email Geraldine at geraldinec@lmnhs.bc.ca
Maria Valenzuela
Director, Community and Family Resources Departments
Maria has been at LMNHS since 2004, where she started working as a family support worker in the Family Resources department. She then moved on to the Settlement department as a settlement worker where she worked with newcomer families. She enjoys working with children and families and finds it especially relevant and rewarding to work as a director in the Family Resources department as she has two young children of her own. Maria has a background in psychology and has been working with the multicultural community in Vancouver for many years. She hopes to continue to grow and learn in her new position.
Email Maria at mariav@lmnhs.bc.ca
Andrea Canales
Director, Children and Youth Department
Andrea’s bio coming soon.
Email Andrea at andreac@lmnhs.bc.ca
Board of Directors
Members at Large
President: Adam Mattinson
Vice President: Sarah Hamid-Balma
Secretary: Mary Nguyen
Treasurer: Erin Turner
Salima Abdulla
Art Bomke
Anne-Marie Connor
Susan Hancock
Albert Huang
Diane Lawrence
Sarah Padidar
Jenny Young
Quick Facts
LMNHS serves almost 5,000 individuals annually including:
- 1,000+ newcomer participants
- 500+ school-aged participants
- 100+ child care spaces
- 800+ family resource participants
- 200+ senior participants
- 800+ food hub community members
Our team includes 200+ volunteers supporting every aspect of our work.
Frequently Asked Questions
A: Our fundamental mission is to cultivate a wide variety of social, educational, cultural, and recreational initiatives to strengthen community life. From Children & Youth Services, Child Care Settlement Services, Family Programs, Senior Programs, and other community work including our Food Hub, we build growth and opportunities into the very fabric of the community.
A: Neighbourhood houses bring people together to build and strengthen their communities. They approach everything in a holistic way, dealing with the whole person, the whole family, the whole neighbourhood, and the whole community. It isn’t about providing a program or service to address a specific need, but instead offering tools, knowledge, and practical supports that enable individuals to do for themselves, to improve their quality of life, to share their gifts, and in some cases to take on leadership roles in their community.
A: On July 2, 2023, a fire claimed our longtime office building at 3981 Main St. As far as we know, the cause of the fire is inconclusive, however the investigation is ongoing. For more information, contact the Vancouver Fire Department.
A: Our team, in collaboration with our Board of Directors, worked tirelessly to ensure the swift restoration of our critical services and to resume program delivery as soon as possible. The financial burden created by the fire remains substantial. While the generous contributions of funding, equipment, and space have been significant, we continue to depend on the ongoing support of our community to help fund recovery efforts.