June 30, 2025
Online Mental Health and Wellness and Summer Food Resources
With the continued wellness of our students in mind as we enter the summer months, we maintain a handy list of mental health & wellness resources that students can access online, by phone, or in-person, as well as a list of supports and resources that can help with food insecurity during the school year as well as the summer months.
These resources are either self-help tools that students and parents can use on their own or with a trusted family member, or ways to reach out to qualified people and programs for additional support.
Counselling and crisis services
- While school is in session students can reach our counsellor Mr. Konrad during his office hours, from Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM, or via email (jkonrad@sd40.bc.ca).
- For help outside of school hours, or during school breaks or summer holidays, please call the Youth In BC Crisis Centre at 604-872-3311, or connect via chat at youthinbc.com.
- Students can also reach out to Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868, or text 686868 to reach a trained volunteer Crisis Responder 24/7.
- The New Westminster Child & Youth Mental Health (CYMH) Clinic offers free, community-based mental health assessments & treatment for children and youth (ages 0-18) who are experiencing severe emotional & behavioural challenges. Walk-in intake is available on Tuesdays from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM at 40 Begbie Street. Call 604-660-9465 or visit their online directory for updates.
- The New Westminster Youth Clinic, AKA Youth Source, is also located at 40 Begbie Street in New Westminster, and is a welcoming space for youth and young adults up to age 24. They offer free, confidential medical care, mental health counselling, substance use support, and access to basic needs like emergency food or laundry. Drop-in Hours are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM (Hours may vary).Call 604-329-1875 or visit the Youth Source page to confirm before dropping in.
- For children and teens (ages 6-19) who are experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis AND who live in the Fraser Health region, the Short Term Assessment Response & Treatment (START) team provides in-community mental health and/or substance use assessments and has three community offices in the Fraser Health region. Our central contact number (1-844-782-7811) will connect you with the START team that serves the area where you live. For further information, including when to call START, please visit this webpage.
- Foundry BC has recently begun a FREE drop-in online counselling program for youth and families–please call in to make an appointment at 1-833-308-6379!
- The Aboriginal Crisis Line operates in partnership between the First Nations Health Authority and the KUU-US Crisis Line Society. They provide a First Nations and Indigenous specific crisis line available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, toll-free from anywhere in BC at 1-800-588-8717 for not only youth, but children, adults, and Elders as well.
- Trans Lifeline is a non-profit, volunteer-run hotline and crisis line staffed by transgender people for transgender people that can also connect trans people to the community, support, and resources they need to survive and thrive. Reach them at 1-877-330-6366.
Other resources
- For parents, the Ministry of Education has recently put out a downloadable PDF entitled “Mental Well-Being Information and Resources”. It contains a plethora of information about ways to support children and caring adults during these times and also includes detailed lists of resources and supports for LGBTQIA2S+ youth, Indigenous families, and mental health resources in other languages.
- Stigma-Free Society Youth Wellness Toolkit
- For our LGBTQIA2S+ youth and those who love them, QMUNITY and Qchat.ca both offer lists of more specific resources for queer youth living in the Lower Mainlaind.
- Here’s a list of apps, books, and links that can help with Mindfulness for Teens!
- Here’s an article that lists 15 Mindfulness and Relaxation Apps for Kids with Anxiety.
- Cosmic Kids Yoga offers a healthy and mindful way for kids to get their bodies moving at home.
- If yoga isn’t your thing, you can also try out the Born to Move classes by Les Mills on YouTube.
Local food resources
When school is out for the summer months, students and families dealing with food insecurity can temporarily lose access to important supports. With this in mind, we have put together a list of community resources such as food banks, hampers, langars, and more!
- The City of New Westminster offers a regularly updated food resources & survival guide page.
- Access the Don’t Go Hungry program, which has several locations around metro Vancouver.
- Quest Non-Profit Grocery Market operates a location just across the New West-Burnaby border at 7753 6th St, Burnaby. For a Client Referral, please reach out to one of our administrators, counsellors, or Child & Youth workers!
- The Greater Vancouver Food Bank
- The Gurdwara Sahib Food Langar offers free meals to those in need daily until 8 pm, 7 days a week! 347 Wood Street, Queensborough.
- St. Barnabas Church (1010 5th Avenue) offers an emergency food cupboard on Fridays from 10 am to 12 pm. Call them at 604-526-6646.
- A list of low-cost and free food programs in Burnaby/New West: Low Cost Free Food Programs Burnaby New West.
- Purpose Society New Westminster.
- And a great list of community resources from the New Westminster Public Library!
If there’s another great tool or resource that you think we’ve missed here, please feel free to email us at glenbrook@sd40.bc.ca with your suggestion!