Pacific Autism Family Network (PAFN) is a network of support for individuals and families across BC with autism and related neurodiversities. Their location in Richmond is Canada’s first and only purpose-built centre of excellence for autism. There, the community is welcome and families can access specialized services and support. We spoke with Loring Phinney, Chief Executive Officer of the PAFN to learn more.
Describe your charity in a few sentences.
PAFN is a proud Canadian charity whose purpose is to support the Autistic community and their families. We are Canada’s first and only purpose-built centre of excellence for autism. Our location in Richmond, BC, is a 60,000-square-foot hub designed to meet our community’s accessibility and social needs. Here, families can access specialized services, world-class partners, and community support, all in one place and across our network, from childhood to adulthood. PAFN was founded by families and designed in consultation with Autistic advisors, for the entire Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent community.
From our unique, inclusive daycare and music therapy partners to innovative employment training and skills for independence, PAFN supports our participants and their families for the entire journey. We love how welcome and connected families feel when they are with us.
What problem does it aim to solve?
For many Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent individuals and their families, the journey towards meaningful inclusion is lifelong. That journey isn’t a straight path. It’s filled with unique challenges, milestones, and opportunities at every stage of life. At PAFN, we seek to support our community and their families with support and programs that meet their needs throughout their journey.
When did you start/join it?
The Pacific Autism Family Network centre of excellence opened in Richmond in 2016, almost 10 years ago. The vision of our founders, coupled with a community of support that understood the needs of the neurodivergent community, brought this ‘once a dream’ concept to reality for the first time in Canada.
PAFN truly now serves as a hub for 15 programs, services and partners, and has ‘spokes’ in the Fraser Valley and Prince George to support those communities.
What made you want to get involved?
It was not a traditional path for me to this role. I came from the corporate and sports world, but had also worked extensively as a volunteer on a number of charities. Spending time with the founders during the recruitment process truly opened my eyes to the opportunity to make a difference for this community. I was invited to attend the Annual Launch Luncheon last December, and I was in awe of the impact being made. I had the pleasure of hearing one of our current staff speak at the event, and I knew at that moment that this is where I wanted to be.
What was the situation like when you started?
I have now been here only six months, and I feel very privileged to take on a role where the foundation for success is in place and we have a remarkable team of committed employees who always want to go the extra mile. The economy is a challenge for every charity these days, but I believe my corporate experience will help us find the path to continued growth and success.
How has it changed since?
I’d like to believe it’s a little better in these 6 short months. I believe the internal energy to collaborate to accomplish great things for our community is fantastic.
What more needs to be done?
PAFN will always keep its eyes on the horizon to meet the evolving needs of our community. At the same time, we need to work with our broader community to build a better understanding of the journey neurodivergent people are on. There are many myths and misconceptions, and I believe we can help dispel them. We will continue to work hard to help people understand what we do and how we work to serve and support Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent individuals and their families.
How can our readers help?
There are many great charities and causes that readers can support. All we would ask is that they find the ones that align with their interests and look for ways to participate. These days, every dollar counts, so Guardian readers shouldn’t question whether a small donation is valuable. Beyond the financial and time commitments they can make, I’d encourage them to follow our stories, hear from our advocates and learn more about our programs and services.
We also have many free community-based initiatives and events for our community, and the more people that know about them, the more they can benefit. We recently launched a model train club, and our Coffee and Cars event was a great success!
Do you have any events coming up?
This past week, we announced a very creative fundraiser for the architect and developer community. Brick-by-Brick: Building Meaningful Inclusion is a friendly competition to build BC landmarks out of Lego. We are fortunate to have partners like the Pooni Foundation and the Rennie Foundation helping us reach into these communities to get people excited. We think it can be a great fundraiser and an excellent opportunity to build some team culture in your office. And to be fair, you don’t have to be an architect or developer; anyone can participate, and the entry fee is eligible for a charitable tax receipt.
Additionally, we have a number of clubs that run out of our PAFN auditorium. We recently launched a chess club and model train club, and Connections Valiant meet every third Thursday of the month from 5 – 9 pm.
Where can we follow you?
Website | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn
PAY IT FORWARD: What is an awesome local charity that you love?
Two answers for different reasons. I had the pleasure of being on the United Way Cabinet for 10 years and really valued their ability to understand our community’s greatest needs for our most vulnerable. The second is the Autism Support Network (ASN). They run amazing programs that directly support families in our community and are always there for people looking to navigate the systems. It is overwhelming for virtually every family and ASN is a great resource.
