Community support agency helps more than 4,400 residents in 2025

4,447 accessed supports from Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) last year.

ATHABASCA - Athabasca County's Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) provided support to 4,447 people in 2025, with more than 91 per cent reporting a positive change after receiving services, according to its year-end report. The report, presented by FCSS manager Debbie Wood at Athabasca County's June 18 Committee of the Whole meeting, highlighted the organization's wide range of services, from senior supports and school-based programs to Meals on Wheels and family programming. “We have wonderful staff who are very qualified, who are very dedicated and when you look at the results, the community has been very receptive,” said Wood.

One of FCSS's busiest services is its seniors advocacy program, led by Kim Lewis. Last year, Lewis handled 371 phone calls and 200 office visits while helping seniors navigate a variety of government programs and services. She also facilitated Care for the Caregivers, a support group for people caring for family members or friends with dementia or Alzheimer's disease, which had 14 participants in 2025.

“It’s going very well and she is very busy doing a lot of those government forms,” said Wood. Another service that saw success in the past year was the family school liaison program. In partnership with Aspen View Public Schools, this provided one-on-one and group services to 99 students in various ways.

“They’re helping with social skills,” said Wood. “They may even coordinate with the family for that as well so that the family’s aware of how to support the kids to build those skills.” Other programs that FCSS provided last year include Meals on Wheels, which delivered 3,172 meals, Athabasca Mentorship Program, another Aspen View partnership, and the Athabasca Family Centre, which puts on a wide variety of programs and activities throughout the year for people, such as babysitter courses, Coffee Chat, Pancakes & Play, and more.

FCSS also expanded its regional partnership in 2025, welcoming the summer villages of Bondiss and South Baptiste. The organization also hosted a visit from provincial FCSS official Lisa Sadownik, giving her an opportunity to learn more about the needs of the Athabasca region. Wood said one of the branch's ongoing concerns is that more people are being directed to phone numbers and websites instead of receiving in-person assistance.

“That’s not necessarily meeting the needs of our vulnerable population and because they can walk in our door and get help, we have more and more people coming in.” She said that it’s easier for people to be able to come in and voice their issues directly, but that’s not always possible and they will continue to speak to the MLA and FCSS about this. “With the new FCSS framework, they are really stressing what our role is and what our role isn’t.

It’s really hard to step back when we need to, though, because people don’t necessarily have somewhere else to go,” she said. Athabasca County commended Wood and FCSS staff for their efforts over the past year. “I’d like to thank you for your advocacy, the board’s commitment, and also all the programming you guys provide,” said Coun.

Kelly Chamzuk. “I can’t say enough good things about FCSS, I mean, it is amazing the amount of work that goes through that office, and you guys do it with ease,” said County Reeve Tracy Holland. The full 2025 FCSS report can be found at athabascacounty.com.