A Neighbourhood House

Supporting and connecting families to community

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Mission

Raphael House supports families by providing them with groceries, life skills, and resources in community.

Vision

To be a local centre where families experiencing hardship are supported through everyday necessities and empowered into other support areas.

Values

Compassion, Inclusivity, Generosity, Relationship & Community

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Our History

In March 2020, when services in our community were affected by the the COVID-19 restrictions, families who were accessing school food services like the Breakfast Club, the Grab and Go lunch program, and the Fuel Bags for weekends, suddenly had no access and no alternative.

Kim Langford and the staff at Douglas Park Elementary decided to partner up with Sources and started a mobile food bank in July of 2020. It ran twice a week out of the school gym that summer. But it extended beyond just their community: they opened it up to families of all Langley City schools. As a new academic year approached, it was clear this program had outgrown one gym. It needed to get bigger.

The group approached CLA and Southgate churches to help. Mandy and Debbie as liaisons from the churches and Brad from the school district worked together; with the support of Sources and other businesses, we ran the mobile food hub through Douglas Recreation Centre. But 2021 taught us that public spaces were not sustainable hosting sites, and the need for food was even greater.

Mark and Vickie were volunteers, and they wanted to help further the difference they could see that this initiative was having in the lives of real families. They committed to financially supporting the food hub and to finding businesses and organizations to come alongside and support the initiative as well. Within 18 months, we opened our doors at our permanent address on Douglas Crescent, tweaked our name from Raphael Family Support Centre to Raphael House, and expanded our support from 60 families to the nearly 400 we see each week.

“Raphael” means Angel of Healing. Food is and continues to be the epicentre of the service that Raphael House provides; however, the sense of belonging and genuine relationships make Raphael House what it is today. Generosity is what builds healthy, thriving families and healthy thriving communities. Collaboration with the school district and other local agencies has been a priority for us since day one, and we are extremely grateful to the local businesses and individuals who support our work.

Since October 2022 we’ve held our charitable status. Many of our families who access resources at Raphael also volunteer. We have 38 countries represented by our families and over 70 volunteers. The number of families we support continues to grow, and we continue to hear from families in need, requesting access to our waitlist of 100+ others. In the past year we have seen a huge increase; many are new immigrants and refugees hailing from Afghan countries, Latin America, and the Ukraine. As rising food costs affect us all, we invite your generosity to support these families in our shared community.

Financial Transparency

Our previous year was mostly volunteer-run, and we were able to allocate 91% of our resources to charitable programs. We have expanded considerably in 2024, and look forward to sharing our numbers once our fiscal year ends in September.

2022-2023 Budget = $370,314

Our Team

We are so grateful to have generous and joyful people who serve our community so well. Here are just a few of the faces who make it happen!

Board of Directors

Vickie Funk, Chair
Mandy Martens
Brad Hendy
Dawn Sambrook
Ray Shareski

The Raphael House Board is active, policy-driven, and passionate about volunteering weekly at the Centre. They spearhead fundraising initiatives, community events, proposals, and connections.

Mark & Vickie Funk

Founders
Mark and Vickie Funk have lived in Langley for 30 years.  They have 3 married children and 6 grandchildren.
Mark went into business at an early age, expanding a small discount store in 1985 into a Big Box Outlet retail. Mark is now a minority owner, and no longer in management.  He continues other business ventures and hobbies like golfing and fishing.
Vickie was deeply involved in family and school life with their 3 children. Since they have grown and married, Vickie put her efforts into fulfilling the needs of her community, the fruits of which became Raphael House. Both she and Mark enjoy dedicating time each week volunteering at Raphael House.
Scott Thiessen

Managing Director
Scott grew up in the Langley area. After high school he moved to inner city New York to work in a community organization with at-risk individuals. He met his wife while working in New York City and they have lived in Langley for the past 10+ years. Their two children attend school in Langley.
Scott has continued to support non-profits through both volunteer and staff positions, and has been active in the community since returning to Langley. Scott is an avid sports fan, and loves to build relationships and help others, which makes Raphael House the perfect place to be!
Shannon Dalzell

Administrative Assistant

Shannon grew up in Langley and attended school in the Langley School district. She graduated from University of the Fraser Valley with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Peace and Conflict studies. She is passionate about connecting with families and helping the local community. Shannon loves being part of the team at Raphael because it allows her to form meaningful connections with families, provide support during challenging times, and be part of a team and a community that feels like family.
Pam Franklin

Family Care Coordinator
Pam has lived in the Langley area for nearly 13 years. Both she and her spouse have been studying and working in the community while all three of her kids attended and graduated from schools in SD 35. She has lived in many places and loves history, languages, and meeting people from around the world. Pam is passionate about connecting and welcoming, which is why she loves working as family care coordinator at Raphael House. She is often found walking and picking flowers in nature, talking, and drinking coffee. Pam loves kids, music (playing and listening) and animals - especially dogs!
Brooke Steets

Program Associate
Brooke grew up in the Langley area. She is currently studying Psychology and Global Development at the University of the Fraser Valley. She is passionate about getting to know people and learning about different cultures. What Brooke loves about Raphael House is meeting the families that come to Raphael House and celebrating them in different ways!